Mental Health Practitioner - Hmp Downview

Central And North West London Nhs Foundation Trust; Sutton Abinger; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Mental Health Practitioner to join the Health and Justice team at HMP Downview. You will work within the in-reach team to assess and treat prisoners and coordinate mental health care in a secure environment.

The role involves EDIC assessments, triage, case management under CPA, and collaboration with prison staff and external health services. This is a permanent, full-time post with a Band 6 equivalent salary.

Responsibilities

• Assess and treat patients within the Mental Health In-reach Team during their prison journey.
• Accept referrals and triage patients with the team.
• Undertake Early Days In Custody (EDIC) assessments and refer onwards as needed.
• Participate in Care and Separation (Segregation) Unit rounds with a GP and primary care nurse.
• Undertake comprehensive assessments and feed back to the MDT for individualised care.
• Provide effective case management under the Care Programme Approach with relevant partners.

Job description

Job summary

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust is a Top Employer Award Winner and works in partnership to provide responsive and dependable primary care, mental health, intellectual disability and substance misuse services to the diverse and culturally rich communities we serve. In our quest to deliver patient-focused quality care we are looking to recruit highly motivated, innovative and enthusiastic Mental Health Practitioner to join our forward thinking, friendly and expanding Health and Justice team at HMP Downview. By joining our Prisons Health Care Team, you will not only look after the healthcare needs of our patients residing in secure environments, but who also have the opportunity to have a real impact on promoting health and well-being. Our motto is "Caring NOT Judging" so by working in partnership with the criminal justice system and other agencies, we provide responsive, dependable and high-quality primary care and mental health services to those who may have offended and those at risk of offending in the communities we serve, to improve their health status and to encourage social inclusion. Why not see what our staff say about working within our award winning teams: https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/health-and-justice/find-out-what-its-work-health-and-justice

Main duties of the job

• To function fully within the Mental Health In-reach Team, assessing and treating patients through their journey in prison.
• To accept referrals and triage patients with the team.
• To undertake Early Days In Custody (EDIC) assessments. To ensure all new arrivals to receive a brief assessment of individual presentation and need, referring patients on to other services (GP, SMS, chaplaincy, psychology etc) and book further assessment if indicated.
• To participate in Care and Separation (Segregation) Unit (CSU) rounds with a GP and primary care nurse.
• To undertake comprehensive assessments alone or with colleagues and feedback to the Multi-disciplinary Team, ensuring that planned care is individual and appropriate to the needs of the patient.
• To provide effective case management to a defined caseload in accordance with the Care Programme Approach, in conjunction with the team, appropriate prison departments and external health, social care and probation services.
• To ensure effective pre-release care planning.

About us

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust offers its staff ongoing career progression through:

• Monthly supervision
• Annual personal development plans/appraisals
• Access to exciting internal and external training opportunities.

Excellent progression through various career pathway opportunities such as but not limited to:

• Preceptorship Programme
• Support and guidance with Revalidation
• Hidden Gem and annual award ceremonies

Excellent staff benefits, our benefit packages are amongst the best in London and include:

• Health and wellbeing services
• Season ticket loans
• Cycle to work scheme
• Relocation package

The trust also values its staff and you are entitled to become a member of MyTrustBenefits. MyTrustBenefits is an online portal for all CNWL staff, as well as their family and friends. It offers over 1400 discounts at hundreds of retailers nationwide. Save money on your weekly food shops, toiletries, cosmetics, cinema, meals out, holidays, travel and entertainment. You can also access free online courses on a variety of topics, professional and personal, ranging from business management, languages, law and teaching.

All of our sites in Surrey offer free use of the onsite leisure facilities and free parking for staff.

Details

Date posted: 23 October 2026

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 6

Salary: £45,953 to £54,254 a year per annum inc. Outer HCAS

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 333-D-HJ-1858-B

Job locations: HMP Downview, Sutton Lane, Sutton, Surrey, SM2 5PD, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Quality of Care

• Promote the health and well-being of patients and maintain a safe, caring and therapeutic environment based on an individualised approach.
• Working with the Team Leader to provide an environment that promotes training and development among the workforce.
• To work under the direction of the Team Manager and staff in the service to ensure that clinical priorities are clearly understood and met to an agreed standard.
• To assess health and social care needs and negotiate care plans with Patients and staff teams.
• To undertake risk assessments including the formulation of a comprehensive plans developed jointly with the Patients and staff teams.
• To work within the Prison Service safer custody framework for managing Suicide and self harm (ACCT procedures) to support Patients requiring this.
• To provide a service sensitive to age, culture, ethnicity and gender, sexuality and disability.
• To contribute to the effective multi-disciplinary team working within the team and the rest of the Prison.
• To carry out duties in accordance with Prison / NOMS policies.
• To undertake comprehensive assessment of individuals: to include all areas of need and information gathering from all relevant Prison Departments and external agencies.
• To case