Senior Mental Health Practitioner | Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust; England; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A health service provider is seeking a Senior Mental Health Nurse to join their dynamic team in Warrington. The role involves providing high standards of client-centered care to children with mental health issues, utilizing the THRIVE framework. Candidates should have a strong background in mental health nursing, effective communication skills, and experience working with young people. Flexibility in working requests is encouraged, and the closing date for applications is October 12, 2025.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in mental health nursing within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Knowledge of evidence-based therapeutic interventions suitable for children and young people.
• Understanding of local safeguarding policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct therapeutic interventions for children and families.
• Conduct risk assessments and develop care plans.
• Communicate effectively with professionals and families.

Skills

Experience with children and young people

Knowledge of THRIVE model

Effective communication

Education

Registered Nurse qualification

Professional body registration

Job description

Overview

An opportunity has arisen for a Senior Mental Health Nurse to join our multi-disciplinary team in Warrington CYPMHS. The post holder will provide high standards of evidence-based, client-centred care to children and young people with mental health problems within the THRIVE framework for service delivery. The post holder will provide interventions, advice, consultation and supervision to colleagues and external partner agencies in line with THRIVE and clinical competency. The role is identified within the CYPMH strategy and is expected to develop in line with national and local initiatives. The team promotes the THRIVE model of service delivery and is committed to innovative and creative practice.

Our organisation emphasises core values of recovery, partnership with service users and carers, and safe, effective, timely, equitable and efficient care. We support staff to do the best job possible and work with service users, families and carers to design future services. Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Responsibilities

The post holder will be responsible for a caseload of both specialist and generic work, undertaking assessments, treatment and consultation based on a conceptual framework and evidence-based practice. Specific duties include:

• To provide direct therapeutic interventions, including assessments, formulation and therapeutic input into children, young people and families referred into the service.
• To undertake risk assessments and develop care plans in line with the THRIVE framework.
• To work in ways sensitive to the needs of children and young people and families from diverse racial, cultural and religious backgrounds.
• To screen referrals to Children and Young People’s services.
• To participate directly in the team’s duty rotas.
• To exercise responsibility and autonomy within supervisory structures for assessment, treatment and discharge of clients.
• To deliver care coordination, ensuring effective assessment, care planning and risk management, involving children, families, referrers and other professionals (including multi-agency meetings).
• To produce a clinical formulation and intervention plan based on evidence-based practice in collaboration with the child/young person and carers.
• To maintain standards of clinical practice within area of specialist knowledge and work with other team members to enhance service provision and engage with colleagues across disciplines.
• To provide consultation, advice and guidance to junior colleagues; promote effective multi-agency work; contribute to risk management within the multi-agency network.
• To undertake risk management for all children and respond to protective and risk factors within the network of relationships.
• To identify and respond to child protection issues in line with Local Safeguarding Children’s Board and NWL NHS Foundation Trust safeguarding policies.
• To maintain clear electronic clinical records in compliance with Data Protection Act and Professional/Trust standards.
• To engage with routine outcome measures as clinically appropriate and input data into clinical records.
• To work collaboratively with children, young people and families and contribute to the trust’s service user participation agenda.

Communication

• To communicate assessment, formulation and treatment plans clearly and sensitively; monitor and evaluate progress in multi- and single-disciplinary care.
• To communicate professional opinions verbally and in writing to relevant professionals; attend Child Protection Case Conferences as a representative from children and young people’s mental health services.
• To provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information with children, young people, families and other professionals; communicate effectively in crisis and challenging family situations.
• To organise and facilitate multi-agency meetings and reviews; elicit sensitive information appropriate to the young person’s development stage.
• To work as part of an integrated multi-professional team with strong interprofessional communication.
• To provide written reports detailing progress of the mental health intervention.

Teaching, Training and Supervision

• Participate in regular supervision and reflective practice; commit to ongoing development.
• Provide training to other professionals to improve mental health knowledge and skills within the transformation of children and young people’s mental health services.
• Provide specific training and/or presentations to agencies (statutory and voluntary) and promote/deliver specialist training programmes.
• Contribute to training placements across professional disciplines; assess trainees’ competencies and write placement reports in line with Trust and professional body regulations.
• Work with partner agencies within THRIVE principles, including joint working, consultation and training to develop cross-agency collaboration.
• Maintain registration/accreditation requirements with the appropriate professional body; be accountable for own clinical practice and professional behaviour.

Management, Policy and Service Development

• Identify priorities and advise managers on resource levels for service development.
• Contribute to the service’s evidence-based practice through audits and evaluations as appropriate.
• Contribute to recruitment processes, including shortlisting, interviewing and induction of staff.
• Support the workload of colleagues through collaborative practices and contribute to service developments.

Research and Service Evaluation

• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the mental health evidence base and related interventions.
• Contribute to planning and implementing systems for evaluation and monitoring of therapeutic practice and outcomes.
• Participate in research, evaluation and audits in response to clinical and professional interests; monitor standards and consumer feedback in accordance with NICE guidance.
• Participate in quality assurance programmes and research as directed.

Continuing Professional Development

• Receive and engage in regular clinical supervision in line with Trust governance and professional guidelines.
• Contribute to development and maintenance of professional standards through internal and external CPD training; meet professional body requirements for CPD and registration.
• Contribute to best practice in the service via supervision, appraisal and awareness of current developments; maintain professional body registration.

This advert closes on Sunday 12 Oct 2025