SPA Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Rugeley; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust in Rugeley is looking for an experienced SPA Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner to support children and young people's mental health. The role involves triaging referrals, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team, and ensuring effective communication. Candidates should possess a mental health-related degree and relevant professional registration. Join a team dedicated to improving life for local communities through compassionate care and professional growth.

Benefits

Ongoing training and support for career development

Opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary team

Qualifications

• Registered mental health professional with current registration.
• Experience of working with children and young people with emotional health needs.
• Experience in risk management and therapeutic interventions.

Responsibilities

• Support triage, risk assessment, and clinical reasoning for CYP referred to SPA.
• Develop effective communications with internal teams and external agencies.
• Provide an active involvement in assessment processes for effective outcomes.

Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Highly motivated and able to engage with young people

Good understanding of child and adolescent development

Sound knowledge of clinical risk assessment

Education

Degree level in mental health/social care

Current registration as RMN/RNLD/Social Worker/Occupational Therapist

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

SPA Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner

The closing date is 24 November 2025

Do you have experience of working with Children and Young People (CYP) presenting with emotional and mental health difficulties?

Are you a RMN / RNLD / Social Worker / Occupational Therapist with current registration or educated to degree level in mental health/social care / equivalent experience within the mental health field of working?

MPFT launched the CAMHS SPA in 2021 and are on an exciting journey of development and expansion of the service. Our team is multidisciplinary, comprising of Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Social Workers and Speech and Language Therapists. We each use our professional expertise in the telephone assessment of young people experiencing mental health difficulties, and ensure they are signposted to the most appropriate service for their level of need.

We are looking to recruit experienced, passionate and creative individuals to our team. Within the CAMHS SPA we provide a telephone duty service, triage and signposting of referrals to services across children's services within Staffordshire. We would be interested in hearing from newly qualified clinicians as well as those without a registered profession but who have extensive experience of working within the area of young people's mental health, which could be, for example, in health or social care.

Main duties of the job

• Responsible for supporting with the provision of triage, risk assessment/management and formulation of a plan with clinical reasoning for CYP referred to or calling the SPA.
• Develop and maintain effective communications within the area of work and promote positive working relationships with internal teams, individuals, departments and other agencies.
• Responsible for promoting and maintaining a positive and professional image of the service through collaboration, role modelling and openness.
• Adhere to legislation, policy, procedure and guidance from the Trust and other relevant professional bodies.
• Maintain compliance with the required range of mandatory and statutory training as well as with the requirements of registration with the appropriate professional body.
• To provide an active involvement in the assessment processes to ensure effective outcomes for CYP are met.
• Contribute to the commencement of risk screening and gathering information to determine levels of need and support for CYP in collaboration with other services and agencies.
• Ensure that the needs and views of carers, friends and family are considered (where this is deemed appropriate) and wherever possible that this is with the express consent of the service user.
• Exchange information with other professionals in all clinical pathways and external organisations.

About us

Come and work with us at our award-winning NHS Trust, leading the way for trying new and better ways of working to help improve life for our local communities.

We have around 9,000 staff who provide physical and mental healthcare, support for people with learning disabilities, and adult social care across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin. We also run regional and national services, including help for new parents (perinatal care), eating disorders, forensic services, sexual health, and support for people in prison with mental health, drug, or alcohol problems.

We offer great career development for both clinical and non-clinical roles, with ongoing training and support to help you learn and grow.

We are 'United in our Uniqueness' and committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome and can be themselves, no matter their background or identity. We want our staff to feel supported and valued, and we aim to build a team that reflects the communities we serve. Together, we can make sure every voice is heard, and every difference is respected.

Job responsibilities

This role will be a part of the Children and Families Care Group based within the CAMHS SPA team delivering care to children, youngpeople and families. The SPA is the first point of clinical contact for children and young people, families and referrers, and offers consultation and advice during the triage phase.

The Emotional Health and Wellbeing Practitioner will play a key role in triage of referrals to support children and young peoples needs and directing them to the most appropriate service. You will support with the whole patient journey through the service, from referral to discharge based on urgency and clinical need. You will elevate queries to a senior clinician where necessary, and support senior clinicians with the outcomes of their formulations. You will ensure that our Integrated SPA offers a no wrong door approach.

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification.

For further information about this role please contact Michael Cartwright CAMHS SPA Team Lead on: [e-mail]

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• RMN/ RNLD/Social Worker/Occupational Therapist with current registration.
• Educated to degree level in mental health/social care equivalent experience within the mental health field of working.
• Training in Mental Health, Learning Disabilities and Autism

Experience

• Experience of working with people with mental health needs, including those with emotional wellbeing needs.
• Experience in risk management of people with emotional wellbeing/mental health needs
• Experience of working with others both face to face and via telephone/virtual
• Experience of working within the NHS/social care and public sector
• Experience of working within a CAMHS setting
• Experience of previous working in a similar role.
• Experience of supporting junior staff.
• Experience of delivering therapeutic interventions.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Highly motivated and able to engage with young people, their families, and other professionals
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to give and receive sensitive information and to act empathetically, confidently
• Good understanding of child and adolescent development
• Highly computer literate and high standard of report writing
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office packages, e.g. Word, Excel etc
• Can demonstrate the skills required to work within and across teams and professional boundaries
• Good knowledge of local and universal services
• Sound knowledge of childcare legislation and Safeguarding.
• Sound knowledge of clinical risk assessment and understanding of Information Governance principles
• Psychological therapy training/Brief interventions
• Knowledge of relevant NICE guidance
• Have a working knowledge of the THRIVE model

Personal Attributes

• Have the ability to prioritise own workload and the workload of others and meet set deadlines
• Flexible approach to duties and ability to be creative and adapt
• Ability to work independently, using own initiative and in a team, supporting colleagues
• Ability to demonstrate the positive application of our behaviours

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.

Employment Terms

• Full-time
• Job share
• Home or remote working