Mental Health Practitioner - HMP/YOI Bronzefield

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust; England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mental health service provider in the UK seeks a Mental Health Practitioner to join their Health & Justice team at HMP/YOI Bronzefield. The role involves assessing patients, providing case management, and participating in Care and Separation Unit rounds. Candidates should be registered mental health nurses with experience in multidisciplinary teams and a passion for patient care. Competitive salary and flexible working options available.

Benefits

Health and wellbeing services

Season ticket loans

Cycle to work scheme

Relocation package

Qualifications

• Experience in multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience within CPA framework.
• Experience in prison or forensic environments.

Responsibilities

• Assess and treat patients through their journey in prison.
• Participate in Care and Separation Unit rounds.
• Ensure effective pre-release care planning.

Skills

Engaging with people with mental health problems

Risk assessment and management

Excellent communication skills

Problem solving and conflict resolution

Education

Registered Practitioner (Registered Mental Health Nurse)

Post registration qualification (CBT, DBT, etc.)

Job description

Overview

Go back Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Mental Health Practitioner - HMP/YOI Bronzefield

The closing date is 06 October 2025

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 & Justice team at HMP/YOI Bronzefield. 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.

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.

As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

About us

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

• Monthly supervision
• 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 *subject to meeting criteria*

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.

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

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 manage an identified caseload of clients, in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team and relevant agencies and carers. To include the planning and implementation of effective care plans, regular review meetings, timely referral to external agencies, within the framework of the CPA, to ensure effective pre-release and discharge planning.

To communicate effectively with all relevant internal departments and external agencies regarding clients, within the restrictions of a prison environment.

To work closely with the MDT and identify and facilitate an effective range of therapeutic interventions for this particular client group.

To respond to urgent referrals and to assess whether input from the team is indicated/appropriate.

To offer a range of evidence based interventions and proactive risk management approaches to help the service user and their family to reduce and manage symptoms, high risk behaviour and other disabling effects of their conditions and enable, as far as possible, full and sustained recovery.

To ensure that safeguarding procedures are followed.

To monitor treatment, support concordance and ensure prompt action is taken to alleviate unwanted effects.

To provide advice and information to Patients about their care.

To provide access to and ongoing psycho-education regarding the various mental health conditions to Patients.

To provide interventions and work with other disciplines/agencies/teams in the care of service users experiencing co-morbid problems with substance use/misuse.

Provide written reports and discharge summaries as required.

Co-ordinate CPA Review meetings and produce written care plans and circulate care plan to relevant people and agencies in accordance with the Trust policies and guidelines.

To have a working knowledge of the MHA 1983 (Amendment 2007) as used within criminal justice settings.

To safely plan Patient care back out into the community from Prison, or transferring to alternative prison establishments ensuring continuity of care is provided.

The post holder where possible will, under the direction of the Team Manager and the MDT, ensure that the service is delivered to patients inclusively and effectively.

*Previous applicants need not apply*

Person Specification

EDUCATION and QUALIFICATIONS

• Registered Practitioner (Registered Mental Health Nurse)
• Evidence of professional development since registration
• Post registration qualification that enhances clinical work: CBT, DBT, Dual Diagnosis, etc.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE Paid/unpaid relevant to job

• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of care co-ordinating within CPA framework
• Experience of working in community setting
• Experience of mentoring or supervising students
• Experience of working in a Prison or forensic environment

ATTITUDES, APTITUDES, PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Motivated to maintain the highest standards possible in the service.
• Able to accept constructive feedback.
• Able to ask for support where required
• Compassionate & non-judgmental approach
• Flexible

OTHER

• The post holder must have the ability to understand and implement the equal opportunities policy at a level appropriate to the job
• Ability to promote anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practices

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES

• Expert in engaging with people with mental health problems, assessing their needs, designing and delivering appropriate interventions and evaluating the effectiveness of the process
• Risk assessment and management skills
• Proven ability to work patients to increase their level of self-determination and resilience
• Knowledge of safeguarding frameworks
• Problem solving, stress management & conflict resolution skills
• Ability to engage in evidence based practice, with an understanding of care quality (clinical governance).
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently as appropriate.
• To use supervision positively and effectively.
• Proven ability to work patients to increase their level of self-determination and resilience.
• Effective time management.
• Knowledge of the needs and rights of patients.
• Knowledge of CPA, Mental Health Act, MAPPA, legislation and policies relevant to prison mental health.

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.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

£40,617 to £48,778 a year, per annum inc. Fringe HCAS (pro rata if P/T)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours