Mental Health Practitioner

Transformationunitgm; St Albans, Watford, Stevenage, Digswell; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dynamic NHS team dedicated to enhancing the lives of children and young people with autism and learning disabilities. This role offers the chance to work in a supportive environment where collaboration and innovation thrive. As part of a multi-disciplinary team, you'll engage in meaningful work, providing clinical support and supervision while contributing to the ongoing evolution of services. With a commitment to flexible working and professional development, this position is ideal for forward-thinking clinicians eager to make a difference in their community. Apply now to be part of an inspiring journey!

Benefits

Regular Clinical Supervision

Professional Development Opportunities

Flexible Working Options

Supportive Team Environment

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in Mental Health, Learning Disability, or related field.
• Professional qualification (RMN, DipSW, OT) with specialist training.

Responsibilities

• Support children and young people with autism and learning disabilities.
• Collaborate with families and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Conduct risk assessments and clinical supervision.

Skills

Communication Skills

Clinical Judgement

Risk Assessment

Evidence-Based Interventions

Team Collaboration

Education

Degree in Relevant Field

Postgraduate Diploma

Membership of Relevant Professional Bodies

Job description

Employer Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Peace CC, St Albans CC or Danestrete CDC and QEII Town St Albans and Watford or Stevenage and Welwyn Salary £46,148 - £52,809 per annum (pro rata) Salary period Yearly Closing 18/05/2025 23:59 Interview date 28/05/2025

NHS AfC: Band 7

Job overview

PALMS (Positive behaviour, Autism, Learning disability, Mental health Service) is evolving and we want to welcome additional clinicians to be part of our vibrant and multidisciplinary team which includes Clinical Psychologists, Positive Behaviour Analysts, Systemic Therapists, Learning Disability Nurses, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Practitioners, Speech and Language Therapists and Outreach Workers.

With the continued evolution of PALMS we are seeking to appoint 2 Mental Health Practitioners who are motivated and forward thinking clinicians and leaders who can work flexibly and are committed to supporting CYP and their families across Hertfordshire and the full PALMS’ team.

This role would be suitable for a number of professions including: Mental Health /Learning Disability Nurses, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists & Clinical Psychologists depending on experience.

Main duties of the job

The ideal candidate will be:

• Passionate about and have a desire to contribute to change in a vibrant NHS team
• Dedicated to supporting CYP with autism and/or learning disability and their families.
• Collaborative in their approach to work with families, networks, and others services
• Able to work both in a team environment and autonomously
• Able to maintain a high degree of professionalism when working in settings where there is a highly emotive atmosphere.
• Flexible in their approach and have resilience under pressure
• Have professional registration for your specialty

Working for our organisation

A big thank you for considering joining us at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

You’ll find it a great place to work with many benefits offered to you as a member of our staff

We put our patients, their families and carers at the centre of our vision - Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities

Our staff are proud to be Innovative, Caring and Agile in their work to help achieve the Trust vision

We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds and ages

We don’t want you to miss out so we’d like you to know that if we have a high level of interest in this role, the vacancy may close prior to the advertised closing date, so please make your application as soon as possible - Apply now

You’ve made a great decision to apply to join to HCT - we’re looking forward to taking the next steps of the journey with you.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

PALMS principally deliver a flexible service according to need and personal circumstances, in a planned way. For example, for a full-time worker this equates to flexibly working 37.5 across the working week. PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.

We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.
We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds and ages

We can offer you:
• Regular clinical and professional supervision including opportunities to meet as a team including peer reflection and Intervision
• Regular appraisal, personal development planning and opportunities for continuing professional development. This includes specific support with regards to fulfilling the PALMS’ role.
• Opportunities to work closely with a multi-disciplinary team and learn from other evidence based frameworks and approaches.
• Opportunities to provide clinical supervision and line management to other members of the PALMS team as appropriate.
• Opportunities to connect with local and national networks
• Involvement in providing training.

A full valid driving licence and access to a car insured to use for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Applicants to be aware that PALMS work within the ULEZ zone and any charges due to non-compliant vehicles cannot be reimbursed by the Trust.

Interviews will be run either in person at one of our bases or using Microsoft Teams, full details and instructions will be provided to successful candidates.

Interview date: 28th May2025

Person specification

Qualifications and Training

• Degree or equivalent in relevant field Professional Qualification (RMN, DipSW, OT or equivalent) supplemented by post graduate diploma specialist training, experience, short courses plus further specialist training to master’s equivalent level.
• Doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology.
• Experience in relevant mental health/learning disability setting.
• Specialist knowledge within the field of clinical skills gained through theoretical and practical training and experience.
• Membership of relevant professional bodies
• Approved mental health professional (AMHP)
• Further training in relevant areas of Autism, Learning Disability and mental health.

Other Specifications

• Willingness to uphold the Trust’s values
• Eligible to live and work in the UK
• Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
• Willingness to travel to alternate locations to provide services.

Knowledge & Skills

• High level of communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive, abusive or hostile.
• Ability to identify appropriate evidence based interventions for mental health and/or behaviours that challenge.
• Evidence of well-developed critical decision-making skills
• An ability to make autonomous clinical judgements involving highly complex facts and situations
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to service users, carers and colleagues

Experience

• Significant experience of risk assessment within a mental health or learning disability setting.
• Significant experience of working clinically in a mental health and/or learning disability setting assessing, containing and managing complex cases in a multi-disciplinary setting
• Experience of working with people who have a learning disability and/or autism spectrum disorder
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole course of presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the treat of physical abuse
• Knowledge of child development, child and adolescent mental health and a range of therapeutic models
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised therapies and assessment methodologies
• Experience of dealing with Safeguarding Incidents.
• Clinical experience in a child learning disability context
• Experience of service quality monitoring.
• Clinical experience of working in child and/or adolescent mental health context
• Experience of delivering Clinical Supervision and Line Management
• Experience of multi-disciplinary team working.
• Experience of co facilitating or delivering group interventions.

Personal Abilities

• An ability to interact with children who have a learning disability and or an autism spectrum disorder and their families
• An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships
• An ability to work effectively in a range of direct care settings with families, carers and staff.
• Good organisational skills and an ability to manage their workload
• Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently
• Ability to work as part of a ‘virtual team’.

We will communicate any interview arrangements with applicants via e-mail so it is advisable that you check the email address you give on your application on a regular basis.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band. All new appointments (excluding Medical & Dental roles) are subject to a 26 week probation period.

We are proud to be an armed forces friendly employer and support the employment of the armed forces community, including veterans, spouses and partners. For more information, contact [e-mail]

Applications from qualified job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications, subject to you meeting minimum criteria of the role and salary threshold. Please visit the Gov.UK website for detail.

If applicable to the role, staff are required to hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use with business insurance (unless the member of staff has a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

In submitting an application form, you authorise Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Electronic Staff Record Inter Authority Transfer process should you be appointed to the post.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Dr Anna Dillon Job title Consultant Psychologist and Service Lead Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 01727 582122