Mental Health Practitioner

Hampshire And Isle Of Wight Healthcare Nhs Foundation Trust; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 6 Senior Mental Health Practitioner to join the CAMHS Single Point of Access team in the United Kingdom. The role involves clinical triage, comprehensive assessments, risk and safeguarding considerations, and directing referrals to suitable pathways for children and young people and families.

You will work with registered Mental Health Nurses, Social Workers or Occupational Therapists, supporting decision-making,

Qualifications

• Nurse, social work or OT qualification with CAMHS experience considered.
• Postgraduate degree or equivalent
• Additional CAMHS training

Responsibilities

• Undertake clinical triage and assessment of referrals to CAMHS SPA using clinical judgment to identify presenting needs, urgency and appropriate pathways of support.
• Gather and evaluate information relating to young people's mental health, psychosocial circumstances, family context and existing support networks.
• Complete risk assessments, identify safeguarding concerns and develop appropriate risk management and safety plans, escalating complex or high-risk presentations to senior clinicians.
• Support young people experiencing emotional distress or mental health difficulties, providing appropriate advice, support and crisis intervention within the scope of the role.
• Determine the most appropriate pathway of care, considering CAMHS, specialist services, early help and community-based alternatives.
• Provide advice and signposting to families, carers, professionals and partner agencies to promote early intervention and timely access to support.

Skills

Clinical triage

Assessment skills

Risk assessment

Communication with families

Crisis intervention

Autonomy

Team collaboration

Education

Nurse qualification or Social Work/OT

Postgraduate degree or equivalent

CAMHS training

Job description

Job summary

CAMHS is seeking to appoint an experienced, compassionate, and motivated Band 6 Senior Mental Health Practitioner to join our dynamic Single Point of Access (SPA) Team. We welcome applications from registered Mental Health Nurses, Social Workers, or Occupational Therapists who are passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people, and their families.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the lives of children, young people and their families by helping them access the right support at the right time. As a key member of the SPA team, you will play an important role in managing the front door to CAMHS, ensuring referrals are reviewed promptly, assessed appropriately and directed to the most suitable pathway.

Your responsibilities will include undertaking clinical triage and comprehensive assessments, gathering relevant clinical and psychosocial information, assessing risk and safeguarding concerns, and determining the urgency and appropriateness of referrals in line with service thresholds. You will support decision-making, **escalate** high-risk presentations, provide advice and signposting, and develop safety plans and referrals.

Working collaboratively with children, young people, families, and partner agencies, you will help identify appropriate CAMHS interventions, early help and support. You will contribute to effective demand management, accurate clinical documentation, safe information sharing, clinical governance and continuous service improvement.

Main duties of the job

• Undertake clinical triage and assessment of referrals to CAMHS SPA, using clinical judgement to identify presenting needs, urgency and appropriate pathways of support.
• Gather and evaluate information relating to young people's mental health, psychosocial circumstances, family context and existing support networks.
• Complete risk assessments, identify safeguarding concerns and develop appropriate risk management and safety plans, escalating complex or high-risk presentations to senior clinicians.
• Support young people experiencing emotional distress or mental health difficulties, providing appropriate advice, support and crisis intervention within the scope of the role.
• Determine the most appropriate pathway of care, considering CAMHS, specialist services, early help and community-based alternatives.
• Provide advice and signposting to families, carers, professionals and partner agencies to promote early intervention and timely access to support.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary colleagues and external agencies to ensure coordinated, holistic and person-centred care.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and ensure effective communication, information sharing and compliance.
• Contribute to the effective management of referrals, waiting lists and service demand, supporting timely and safe access to services.
• Support the identification of learning from incidents, concerns and complaints, contributing to continuous improvement within the SPA service.

About us

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides joined-up mental and physical healthcare for around two million people across our communities. With over 13,000 staff working in the community and local hospitals, we deliver care at every stage of life, helping people live their best and healthiest lives.

Our mental health services include community-based support and early intervention in psychosis (EIP) for both adults and young people, alongside a network of specialist inpatient wards covering forensic, learning disability, eating disorder and older person's care.

We deliver extensive physical health services too, from urgent community response teams helping frail and older patients remain safely at home, to hospitals at home teams providing acute-level care in familiar surroundings. Our neurological services offer rehabilitation and treatment for conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Head Injury, Cerebral Palsy and Stroke. Across Hampshire, our community hospitals provide inpatient rehabilitation as a step down from acute care, and our dedicated teams also staff Treetops Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Portsmouth, offering expert, compassionate support.

Everything we do is underpinned by our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence.

Details

Date posted: 29 October 2026

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 6

Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year. Please note for part time hours the salary will be pro rata.

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 348-CFS-13007

Closing date: 15 November 2026

Person Specification

Qualifications (Essential)

• R.M.N., RMCN, RNLD or other nurse qualification with LD/CAMHS experience considered. Social Work or Occupational Therapy Qualification.
• Postgraduate level of study/degree relevant to discipline or equivalent experience
• Additional training in child and adolescent mental health

Experience (Essential)

• Ability to work autonomously
• Significant or demonstrable experience in mental health to show the breadth/depth of experience required for the role
• Experience of direct work with children/young people with mental health issues
• Crisis management skills
• Community care experience
• Working experience with Children and young people
• Stress management
• Knowledge and experience in child protection/safeguarding procedures, to recognise abuse and elevate appropriately within statutory timeframes
• To hold a clinical caseload of complex health needs including mental health as a lead professional within a multi-agency team

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

• Employer name: Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
• Address: Falcon House, St James’ Hospital, 22 Edenbridge Rd, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO4 8PF, United Kingdom
• Employer’s website: https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/