Mental Health Practitioner - CED

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting for a Band 7 Mental Health Practitioner in the Children’s Emergency Department. The role involves expert mental health assessment and timely support for children and young people presenting to the CED, with a focus on safe, compassionate care and effective risk management.

You will work closely with the CIOT team, AW P HM partnership, and other services to plan care, provide consultation, and facilitate timely transfers.

Qualifications

• Experience in mental health assessment and risk assessment.
• Experience working with children and young people in emergency settings is preferred.
• Applicants from RMN, social work, OT or clinical psychology backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Provide initial assessment, consultation, advice and signposting to children and young people presenting to CED.
• Liaise with AW CAMHS CIOT and other services for care planning and safe transitions.
• Support the CIOT Hospital Team manager and contribute to local care pathways.

Skills

Mental health assessment

Risk assessment

Interagency liaison

Team collaboration

Education

Registered Mental Health Nurse

Social Worker

Occupational Therapist

Clinical Psychologist

Job description

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This will create an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people. Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust. Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job overview

Mental Health Practitioner Children's Emergency Dept

Come and join our team

We are a growing, thriving and innovative Children’s Emergency Department (CED)

Our vision is: To be a world leading children’s emergency department providing the best care for all children.

BRHC is the paediatric major trauma centre for the South West region and houses burns, plastics and neurosurgery as well as cardiac surgery, orthopaedics, surgery, oncology & haematology. The Children’s Emergency Department (CED) serves the local inner-city population and also receives patients from other local and regional hospitals for specialist paediatric care. The department sees around 40,000 patients per year.

The children’s emergency department has an opportunity to welcome a specialist role of Band 7 Mental Health Practitioners working across the week. Our vision is to provide expert in-house mental health care and assessment for Children and Young People and their families presenting to CED.

Job sharing options welcomed and considered. Fixed Term & Substantive position.

Advert

The successful applicants will provide initial assessment, consultation, advice and signposting to children and young people presenting to CED. A central role will be liaison with other services to support the care of children and young people with acute, chronic or co-existing emotional and mental health needs, presenting to CED. Avon & Wiltshire Mental health partnership (AWP) CAMHS intensive outreach team (CIOT) our community mental health services are our closely interfaced partners for planning care and safe, timely transfers and discharges.

The successful applicants will be supported by the CED consultant lead for mental health, the Hospital senior nurse - lead for mental health and CIOT Hospital Team manager. Advice and guidance will also be given by the CIOT team during time spent working in the department.

We welcome applications from qualified mental health professionals including Registered Mental Health Nurses, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists and clinical psychologists who have appropriate experience of mental health assessment and risk assessment. We are also interested in graduates from a relevant discipline with substantial mental health service provision and post graduate training in psychological therapy.

Working hours of 16:00 to 00:00 and 14:00 – 22:00 – Monday to Sunday. There will be some day time working to cover training, study leave, continuous professional development.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations,operatingfrom three main sites at Southmead, Bristol citycentreand Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that theSouth Westhas to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit andretaina workforce whichrepresentsthe rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your applicationin order toensurewe’remeeting our pledge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

• As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.