Mental Health Practitioner (Band 5-6 Development Post)

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust; Castleford; Hybrid; GBP 33,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A specialist NHS Trust is seeking a Mental Health Practitioner at Band 5-6 in Castleford. This role involves supporting vulnerable young people, assessing and managing mental health needs, and working as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Ideal candidates should have relevant qualifications and excellent communication skills. The position requires flexibility with working hours and travel within the Wakefield district.

Qualifications

• Must demonstrate skills in assessing and managing children and young people experiencing mental health problems.
• Experience in risk assessment in various settings is necessary.
• Ability to deliver a range of therapeutic techniques.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload providing high-quality care.
• Work within an MDT to deliver timely access to services.
• Provide clinical supervision to colleagues.

Skills

Communication Skills

Risk Assessment

Multi-Disciplinary Team Work

Education

Registered Mental Health Nurse / Social Worker / Occupational Therapist

Job description

Go back South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust

Mental Health Practitioner (Band 5-6 Development Post)

The closing date is 15 October 2025

Are you a Band 5 clinician who is looking to make the next step in yourcareer?

We are keen to hear from enthusiastic and passionate professionals(including RMN/RN/Social worker/OT) and are able to offer an excitingopportunity for a development 5-6 post within a well established Crisis Teamwithin Wakefield CAMHS.

The team was developed to promote our focus on supporting the mostvulnerable and at risk young people, improving their access to services, andour response to young people in crisis.

The successful candidates will work both autonomously and as a part ofan MDT providing timely access to specialist services for children and youngpeople that present in crisis or who present a significant and immediate riskto themselves and /or others.

The post will be based in Castleford, however requires an ability totravel to different areas of the Wakefield district. The team operates 8am-8pm7 days a week.

All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to befully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect patients.

We are aware that an increasing number of applicants areusing AI technology to generate responses on NHS Job application forms. Westrongly discourage this and will conduct a thorough screening process beforeselecting candidates to progress to the next stage. If you are using AI toenhance your application, please disclose this in your NHS Jobs applicationform.

Main duties of the job

Youwill manage your own caseload, providing high quality care appropriate to theyoung persons needs, including risk assessment and management.

Youwill work through the development competency framework supported by seniorcolleagues and management.

Youwill need to develop good working relationships with key professionals acrossthe district; therefore excellent communication and engagement skills areessential.

Acommitment to improving service delivery and developing new ways of supportingchildren, young people and families experiences is crucial to work within thewider CAMHS team.

Thisis a fast paced role and requires a can do attitude towards tasks.

Theteam offer outreach to those that are difficult to engage, providing intensivesupport to prevent admission to inpatient provision.

Theteam also support discharge from inpatient provision.

Youwill also offer clinical supervision to colleagues.

Ifyou would like to be part of the developing ReACH Team we would love to hearfrom you!

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

About us

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

Our mission isto help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do thisby providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employstaff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make adifference to the lives of service users, families and carers.

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

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

Joinus and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improvingthe mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet andhelp each year.

Weare committedto safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people andvulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share thiscommitment.

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

Job responsibilities

Band 5:

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 childrens 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.

Trust Values:

The Trust is committed to ensuring the highest standards of care and treatment and expects that all staff treat people e.g, service users, their carers, relatives, friends, colleagues, visitors etc, with dignity and respectat all time.

Band 6:

The post-holder will:

Provide assessment and treatment to children and young people with mental health needs;

Work autonomously and collaboratively within the MDT, providing consultation for other agencies/professionals;

Promote the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people.

To provide routine and urgent assessment and interventions to young people with a wide range of emotional and psychological problems who are referred to specialist CAMHS, in keeping with evidence based practice with supervision from a senior clinician within professional guidelines and within the overall framework of the teams policies and procedures.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

1

To support the ongoing process of delivering a comprehensive CAMHS system.

2

To provide assessment, interventions, therapy to children, young people with the most severe, complex and persistent mental health problems, including those who are severely mentally ill or at suicidal risk and where appropriate, families as both an autonomous practitioner and as part of a multidisciplinary team in a variety of settings to address need. This will include working with the CAPA model.

3

To apply a sound knowledge of safeguarding children and guidelines in clinical work.

4

To be committed to a quality approach for patient care.

5

The post-holder will demonstrate high levels of concentration and provide sustained effort in assessment of complex family issues.

6

To manage own caseload, accessing support and guidance appropriate to individual need.

7

To operate within the clinical and case management supervision framework.

8

To provide training, consultation and supervision to other service providers, partner agencies and junior members of staff as required regarding intensive interventions with children, young people and families.

9

To participate in the development, audit and review of this extension to existing service provision.

10

To undertake extended hours of work alongside fellow specialist CAMHS practitioners.

11

To work collaboratively with all services to provide coherent and co-ordinated mental health services for children and young people as well as other significant partners, ensuring timely transition and relevant consultation, training and support to universal services and targeted groups.

12

To use a range of Information Technology systems (including Rio) ensuring high quality data is collected appropriately, kept securely and confidentially

13

To participate in an agreed clinical audit programme for the service, and ensure lessons learnt from both audit and clinical incidents are reported.

14

To comply with both clinical and corporate governance frameworks.

15

To support the engagement of service stakeholders and users in the development and monitoring of service delivery and identify opportunities for service improvement and redesign.

16

To actively promote user/carer involvement in all aspects of care planning/delivery whilst respecting the rights, capabilities and wishes of the individuals concerned.

17

To work in an innovative and child, young person and family centred way, in a culture of continuous improvement and learning.

18

Apply Trust policies and procedures in instances of aggression, acute distress and disturbed mental health presentations.

19

To maintain relevant professional registration

20

To identify and communicate any concerns through the relevant management processes.

21

To demonstrate continued practice development and engage in annual appraisal.

Person Specification

Special Knowledge and Skills

• Band 5:
• 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.
• Band 6:
• Good verbal and communication skills
• Ability to manage own caseload
• Good negotiation skills, and problem solving skills
• Effective record keeping and report writing skills to include care planning and risk assessments.
• Have good team working skills. Be able to work across disciplines with an ability to predict and manage inter-disciplinary tensions and foster good working practices.
• Band 5:
• Knowledge of audit processes
• Knowledge of carers services / issues / assessment
• Skills and Knowledge working
• holistically with children and young people

Experience

• Band 5:
• 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.
• Band 6:
• Substantial post qualification experience, some of which must be working with Children, young people and their carers in a mental health or other complex care setting
• Multidisciplinary team working
• Inter-agency liaison and consultation
• Experience of supervising/mentoring junior staff
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance e.g. NHS plan, Mental Health Legislation, Childrens act, Education Act, Working Together, Childrens NSF, Every Child Matters, etc.
• Clinical/therapeutic knowledge and skills in mental health.
• Experience in assessment and risk management and ability to implement evidence based practice
• Proven ability to work with other agencies and disciplines and in partnership with other organisations.
• Experience of safeguarding children and young people.
• Band 5:
• 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.
• Band 6:
• Experience of community settings
• Experience of working in different cultural contexts
• Knowledge and experience of working with Equality and Diversity.

Qualifications

• Band 5:
• Registered Mental Health Nurse / Social Worker / Occupational therapist.
• Band 6:
• Relevant professional qualification, e.g. nursing, or other professional allied to medicine
• Dip SW or relevant mental health profession
• Membership of professional body
• Band 5:
• Mentorship Qualification or equivalent
• Expected to work towards practice educator
• Band 6:
• Post graduate qualification in mental health (e.g. CBT, Family Therapy, Counselling)
• A teaching and assessing qualification.

Training.

• Band 5:
• Assessment and care planning skills and risk assessment and risk management.
• Band 5:
• Relevant Post basic qualification and training
• Band 6:
• Training and experience relating to specialist CAMHS
• Experience of delivering training to others

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).

Personal Attributes

• Band 5:
• Ability to work on as part of MDT.
• Good communication skills. 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
• Band 6:
• Able to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Commitment to multi-agency approach
• Ability to work and make decisions under pressure.
• Calm, confident, innovative, creative
• and assertive.
• Clarity of decision making
• Willingness to be flexible and adaptable in accordance with changing service priorities.
• Commitment to challenging discrimination and improving accessibility of services.
• Ability to cope calmly in a crisis
• To demonstrate good self care and encourage the same in team members
• A Current driving licence and access to a car during the working day is essential (reasonable adjustments will be considered for any applicants who are unable to drive due to a disability).

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