Mental Health Practitioner

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mental health service provider in Greater London is seeking a Mental Health Practitioner. This role involves working with vulnerable individuals within the criminal justice system. Responsibilities include providing mental health expertise, ensuring compliance with legal frameworks, and conducting assessments. Candidates must have at least 2 years in a relevant clinical role and be ready to undergo police vetting. Competitive salary between £46,419 and £55,046.

Benefits

Flexible working

Career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience of working in complex mental health settings for 2 years.
• Experience conducting holistic assessments including vulnerabilities and risks.
• Understanding of risk assessment and management strategies.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist knowledge on mental health within the criminal justice system.
• Work within codes of practice and be accountable for own practice.
• Maintain client confidentiality and participate in professional development.

Skills

Ability to manage complex and challenging behaviour

Ability to provide and receive complex information

Independent and autonomous practitioner

Problem solving skills

Education

Professional registration

Job description

Mental Health Practitioner

Go back South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

The closing date is 10 December 2025

The Forensic Liaison & Diversion (L&D) Service is looking for a Mental Health Practitioner to join our service. This is an exciting and unique opportunity to join the Forensic Liaison and Diversion Team in South-West London & St George's Mental Health Trust (SWLSTG).

The Forensic Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services aim to provide early intervention for vulnerable people of all ages as they come to the attention of the criminal justice system.

Police Vetting:

The position can only formally be offered subject to successful Police Vetting to enable you to work in police custody locations. As such, you will be subjected to a significantly higher level of vetting compared with your DBS. This vetting is conducted by the Metropolitan Police. It is essentially a detailed background check. One of the most essential criteria is that you are required to have resided in the UK for at least 3 years.

Common Failures with Police vetting includes:

• Non declaration of criminal convictions or Police involvement i.e. investigations even if no further action, warnings, cautions (no matter how old)
• County Court Judgements - Straight refusal
• 3 year residency
• Defaults - No debt management plans in place. Default is allowed but must be satisfied, getting older and not gaining additional Defaults
• Convictions which resulted in imprisonment or suspended sentence - straight refusal

Main duties of the job

The Forensic L&D Service works within an all ages and vulnerability model and identifies people who have mental health, learning disability, substance misuse or other vulnerabilities when they first come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants or offenders. The service can then support people through the early stages of criminal system pathway, refer them for appropriate health or social care or enable them to be diverted away from the criminal justice system into a more appropriate setting, such as hospital if required.

The service aims to improve overall health outcomes for people and to support people in the reduction of re-offending. It also aims to identify vulnerabilities in people earlier on which reduces the likelihood that people will reach a crisis-point and helps to ensure the right support can be put in place from the start.

The successful applicant will work on a rota system with other Band 6 colleagues, covering both Wandsworth Police Custody Suite and Wimbledon Magistrates Court and will be expected to work unsocial hours including weekends and bank holidays.

As a mental health practitioner based within the criminal justice system you are required to go through Police Vetting Clearance as part of your application process which we will support you with. It is essential part of the application process therefore if you fail Police Vetting we will not be in a position to formally offer you the role.

About us

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.

Job responsibilities

To provide specialist knowledge on mental health and other vulnerabilities within the criminal justice system namely the courts, probation and prison services, providing expert advice and consultation with colleagues in the criminal justice system and mental health services.

To work within codes of practice and professional guidelines and to be accountable for own professional practice.

Ensure observance and the working of all relevant legal and statutory requirements.

Required to act within broad occupational policies without guidance or direct supervision.

To maintain client confidentiality at all times.

To participate fully in continuous professional development supervision.

To regularly provide mentorship and supervision to students on placement.

To collect and implement data from assessments made in the police stations and courts, within the Trusts catchment area, which will assist in developing the service through review and research providing evidence to inform future service provision.

When required to provide clinical assessments/reports to the courts, mental health services and prisons (both healthcare and safer custody) to ensure a smooth informed pathway of care.

Assisting senior staff in ensuring that the team performs effectively and efficiently in providing high quality provision.

Required to make clinical judgements on situations as they arise and respond using appropriate contingencies thereby ensuring the safety of the client and community at large.

To work within the guidelines of the Trust professional policies and procedures.

To review and reflect on own practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision and appraisal.

Contribute to the Trust's, directorates and team's clinical governance and quality arrangements and quality agenda.

To provide training to a range of stakeholders on the role and function of L&D in addition to the risk management, crisis and care planning for the service user.

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

• Professional registration

Experience

• Experience in working within complex mental health at Band 5 or above for 2 years with significant clinical experience gained within either acute, forensic or community settings
• Experience in undertaking detailed, robust and holistic assessments which include vulnerabilities and risks
• A robust understanding of risk assessment and management strategies
• Experience of implementing the principles and practice of the Recovery Approach
• Experience of implementing the principles Trauma-Informed practice
• Experience in the crisis/acute care pathway i.e. liaison psychiatry, home treatment or S136 suite
• Experience of supporting practice development in clinical areas

Knowledge

• Knowledge of relevant Professional and Clinical legislation relating to the service
• Knowledge of Safeguarding policies and procedures
• Clear understanding of the Mental Health Act, Care Act, Housing Act, Quality & Safety Governance, Clinic audit and relevant national policies
• Understanding of The Bradley Report in relation to L&D services

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to manage complex and challenging behaviour
• Ability to provide and receive complex and emotive information with staff, service users, carers and other stakeholders
• Ability to be an independent, autonomous practitioner who can prioritise workload, work at a fast pace and meet deadlines
• Problem solving, ability to identify problems, review options and take appropriate action without a predetermined framework

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

£46,419 to £55,046 a year per annum inclusive of inner London HCAS