Mental Health Practitioner

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust is seeking a Band 5 Mental Health Practitioner to join the Wakefield CAMHS ReACH Team. You will work as part of a multidisciplinary group delivering high-quality, child-centred care across settings (hospital, home, school).

The role requires experience with children and young people with emotional and mental health needs, strong risk assessment skills, and the ability to work flexibly in a fast-paced environment with robust supervision and development

Qualifications

• Experience with children and young people in mental health.
• Band 5 registration and active registration with relevant body.
• Experience in CAMHS or crisis care is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Manage own caseload with risk assessment and intervention planning.
• Triage new assessments and take crisis calls from young people and families.
• Develop strong links with professionals across the district.
• Support service development and quality improvement within CAMHS.
• Receive supervision and participate in development opportunities.
• Engage outreach to hard-to-engage groups to reduce admissions.

Skills

Risk assessment

Communication skills

Flexibility

Team collaboration

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

Registered Nurse

Social Worker

Occupational Therapist

Job description

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 26 October 2026

Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can make a meaningful difference to the lives of children, young people, and their families? If so, we would love to hear from you.

We are seeking a passionate, motivated, and compassionate Band 5 Clinician (Registered Nurse, Social Worker, or Occupational Therapist) to join our dynamic ReACH (Crisis) Team. This is an exciting opportunity to work within a dedicated multidisciplinary team committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred care and ensuring children and young people remain at the heart of everything we do.

Wakefield CAMHS ReACH Team supports young people, their families, and carers during periods of mental health crisis. We provide support across a range of settings including hospitals, homes, schools, and clinics. The team provides 365 day a year cover working long days 8am-8pm on a shift basis.

We encourage applicants who have experience of working with children/young people with emotional and mental health needs, and experience of practising in a flexible and adaptable manner.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to have their up-to-date flu vaccination to protect staff and patients.

Main duties of the job

• You will manage your own caseload, providing high-quality care appropriate to the young persons needs which will include risk assessment and management.
• You will triage new assessments coming into the team and be responsible for taking calls from young people and families presenting in crisis.
• You will need to develop strong working relationships with professionals across the district; therefore, excellent communication/engagement skills are essential.
• You will be committed to improving service delivery and developing new ways of supporting young people and families experiences is crucial to work within the wider CAMHS team.
• You will be supported by the team, offered robust supervision and development opportunities.
• This is a fast-paced role and requires a can-do attitude toward tasks.
• The team offer outreach to those that are difficult to engage, providing intensive support to meet identified need contributing to a reduction in admissions to inpatient provision.

If you would like to be part of the Wakefield CAMHS ReACH Team, we would love to hear from you!

At the time of advertising, this role does meet the minimum requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. We look forward to receiving your application.

About us

We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.

Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.

Being a foundation Trust means we're accountable to our members, who can have a say in how we're run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.

Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

We do reserve to right to close vacancy before the advertised closing date if necessary, so please apply as soon as possible.

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY

JOB PURPOSE: The post holder will be responsible and accountable for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of skilled interventions to address identified needs and risk for allocated clients on a defined caseload. Works within a multi-disciplinary team as a member of Specialist CAMHS.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

To work as a member of an integrated multi-disciplinary team providing comprehensive assessment of children, young people and their carers, planning, implementing and evaluating skilled interventions to address identified needs.

To have knowledge of current issues and research relevant to the legislative framework and systems in which children's mental health care is delivered e.g. Children Act, Mental Health Act and Care Programme Approach.

To contribute to service development within the clinical governance structure and policies and procedures of the Trust. Adhering to NHS guidance outlined by the relevant statutory registration bodies.

Promote the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people.

Professional

Assesses needs and identifies problems relevant to the care of children and young people referred. Devises a plan of care in partnership with the person and carers. Implements the planned programme of care to ensure a high standard is achieved. Reviews the effectiveness of the care provided and where appropriate initiates any action.

To be competent in all aspects of care and risk management as defined within appropriate frameworks such as the care programme approach.

To work collaboratively with clients, carers and multiple other agencies to provide effective care to optimise and maintain the holistic needs of children and young people with a range of emotional and mental health needs.

Management of enquiries and direct referrals of children and young people in accordance with the service Operational Policy and participates in the in hours Single point of Access rota.

Maintain professional registration and demonstrate commitment to statutory codes of practice and continued professional development requirements.

To be responsible for the safe custody, transportation and administration of any medicines including I.M. preparations.(if appropriate to qualification and / or role )

Education

Provide peer supervision and support to other team members and to take personal responsibility and supervise junior staff in the maintenance of written and electronic client and Trust records including inputting data related to own work activity. To identify any areas of concern to a senior member of staff.

To have an understanding of and participate in the clinical audit process.

To have an awareness of evidence based practice relevant to the specialist area and participate in the education of individuals and target group.

To participate in the Trusts values based appraisal system, understanding appropriate training and participating in personal development opportunities.

For full job description, please see attached supporting documents.

We are aware that an increasing number of applicants are using AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. Over reliance on AI-generated content in application forms is strongly discouraged and we will conduct a thorough screening process before selecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI to enhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs application form.

Training

• Assessment and care planning skills and risk assessment and risk management.
• Relevant Post basic qualification and training.

Special Knowledge & Skills

• Working knowledge of recent government legislation e.g. Mental Health Act, Health & Safety, Care Programme Approach, Care Act & Safeguarding.
• Able to work incorporating principles of Clinical Governance.
• Knowledge of working collaboratively with people and their carers to ensure their involvement in the assessment and care planning process
• Shows awareness of cultural diversity and is able to incorporate this into care planning and the delivery of care.
• Knowledge and evidence of using IT systems.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of audit processes.
• Knowledge of carer services/ issues/ assessment.
• Knowledge of audit processes.
• Knowledge of carers services / issues / assessment.
• Skills and Knowledge working holistically with children and young people.

Personal Attributes

• Ability to work on as part of MDT.
• Ability to work on own initiative, with reference to policies and procedures.
• Ability to travel around the Trust as appropriate to the role.
• A willingness to work flexibly to meet the needs of services users and the team including extended hours.
• Reliable and enthusiastic.
• Motivated and resourceful.
• Professional attitude.

Qualifications

• Registered Mental Health Nurse / Social Worker / Occupational therapist.
• Mentorship Qualification or equivalent.
• Expected to work towards practice educator.

Experience

• Can demonstrate skills in assessing and managing people / children and young people experiencing mental health problems.
• Can demonstrate skills in assessing and managing risk in a variety of settings.
• Proven ability in assessing the needs and strengths of people and their carers.
• Ability to deliver a range of therapeutic techniques which can be incorporated into one to one and / or group interventions.
• Working within an integrated multi-disciplinary environment and co-working with other teams within team meetings, case conferences and professional meetings.
• Ability to support colleagues and supervise students/trainees.
• Experience of working holistically with children and young people with an emphasis on a holistic assessment of emotional and mental health needs alongside coexisting physical and environmental factors that impacts on wellbeing.

Physical Attributes

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

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 Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust