Mental Health Practitioner – CAMHS Acute

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Band 5 Mental Health Practitioner to join the pan-Sussex CAMHS crisis team in Chalkhill, Haywards Heath. This permanent, full-time post offers varied work including crisis intervention, home treatment, assessments and discharge planning for young people aged 12–18.

You will work within a multidisciplinary team to provide safe, community-based care, with opportunities for specialist training in CBT, DBT and eating-disorder approaches, while

Qualifications

• A registered professional qualification.
• Registration with NMC, Social Work England or HCPC.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and a portfolio.
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983/2007.
• Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, including DOLS and Best Interest decision-making.
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures for children and adults.
• Ability to organise and prioritise your workload effectively.
• Commitment to evidence-based practice and continued professional development.

Responsibilities

• Manage a crisis caseload of young people and their families and carers.
• Coordinate and deliver individualised care packages and evaluate effectiveness.
• Undertake assessments relating to inpatient admission and discharge.
• Assess and manage high clinical risk in young people.
• Conduct risk assessments and develop safety plans.
• Build therapeutic relationships with young people and families.
• Deliver interventions during periods of acute mental health difficulty.
• Involve young people and families in planning and delivering care.
• Work with wider professional networks across agencies.
• Communicate changes in presentation and risk across agencies.
• Collaborate with Children’s Specialist Services, education, Social Care and other providers.
• Contribute to the CAMHS crisis care pathway development across Sussex.

Job description

Band 5 | Permanent

Full Time – 37.5 hours per week | Flexible Working

Chalkhill, Haywards Heath | Pan-Sussex Service

Closing date: 30 August 2026

Why this role stands out

• Open to Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers and Arts Therapists, including drama, art and music therapists
• Join the development of an enhanced 7-day CAMHS crisis and home treatment service
• Help provide a genuine alternative to inpatient admission for young people experiencing acute mental health difficulties
• Varied role combining crisis work, assessment, discharge planning and therapeutic interventions
• Work with young people aged 12–18 and their families
• Be part of a specialist multidisciplinary team spanning nursing, psychiatry, occupational therapy, family therapy and social work
• Opportunities for specialist training, including CBT, DBT and approaches to working with eating needs
• Develop valuable experience in acute and crisis CAMHS
• Help shape an evolving Sussex-wide Hospital at Home model

The role

As a Band 5 Mental Health Practitioner, you’ll support young people experiencing acute mental health difficulties through crisis and intensive home treatment, helping them receive safe and effective care within their own communities wherever possible.

You’ll:

• Manage a crisis caseload of young people and their families and carers
• Coordinate and deliver individualised packages of care and evaluate their effectiveness
• Undertake assessments relating to inpatient admission and discharge
• Assess and manage young people presenting with high levels of clinical risk
• Conduct risk assessments and develop appropriate safety plans
• Build therapeutic relationships with young people and their families
• Deliver interventions to young people and families during periods of acute mental health difficulty
• Involve young people and, where appropriate, families and carers in planning and delivering care
• Work closely with the young person’s wider professional network
• Communicate changes in presentation and risk effectively across agencies
• Collaborate with Children’s Specialist Services, education, Social Care, independent mental health providers, counsellors and other professionals
• Contribute to the ongoing development of the CAMHS crisis care pathway across Sussex

Who can apply

We welcome applications from professionals with a relevant registered core qualification, including:

• Occupational Therapists
• Drama Therapists
• Music Therapists

You’ll need:

• A registered professional qualification
• Appropriate professional registration with the NMC, Social Work England or HCPC
• Evidence of continuing professional development and a professional portfolio
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983/2007
• Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, including relevant documentation, DOLS and Best Interest decision-making
• Knowledge of child and adult safeguarding procedures
• Ability to organise and prioritise your workload effectively
• Commitment to evidence-based practice and continued professional development

Experience within CAMHS or crisis services would be beneficial, but it is not essential.

Crisis care closer to home

The Sussex CAMHS Hospital at Home model aims to provide an alternative to inpatient admission for young people aged 12–18 during the acute stages of mental health difficulty.

Rather than working in isolation, you’ll be part of a multidisciplinary team bringing together nursing, psychiatry, occupational therapy, family therapy, social work, mental health practitioners and support workers.

You’ll also work closely with the wider network surrounding each young person, recognising the importance of families, carers, education, social care and other services in supporting recovery and maintaining safety.

As this service continues to develop, you’ll have opportunities to build your knowledge and clinical skills through specialist training, including:

• Working therapeutically with eating needs
• Crisis assessment and intervention
• Risk assessment and safety planning
• Multi-agency and family-centred working

This makes the role particularly suited to a registered professional looking to develop their career within specialist CAMHS and urgent mental health care.

Working across Sussex

This is a pan-Sussex service, so the ability to travel between locations by car is essential. Some evening and weekend working is also required as part of delivering a responsive seven-day service to young people and their families.

If you’re a registered mental health professional looking for a Band 5 role combining CAMHS, crisis intervention, intensive home treatment, multidisciplinary working and specialist development opportunities, we’d love to hear from you.