Mental Health Practitioner

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Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 15 November 2026

Apply for this job

Job summary

CAMHS is seeking to appoint an experienced, compassionate, and motivated Band 6 Senior Mental Health Practitioner to join our dynamic Single Point of Access (SPA) Team. We welcome applications from registered Mental Health Nurses, Social Workers, or Occupational Therapists who are passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people, and their families.

This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the lives of children, young people and their families by helping them access the right support at the right time. As a key member of the SPA team, you will play an important role in managing the front door to CAMHS, ensuring referrals are reviewed promptly, assessed appropriately and directed to the most suitable pathway of support.

Your responsibilities will include undertaking clinical triage and comprehensive assessments, gathering relevant clinical and psychosocial information, assessing risk and safeguarding concerns, and determining the urgency and appropriateness of referrals in line with service thresholds. You will support clinical decision-making, recognise and escalate high-risk presentations, provide advice and signposting.

Working collaboratively with children, young people, families, multidisciplinary colleagues and partner agencies, you will help identify appropriate CAMHS interventions, early help and community-based support.

Main duties of the job

Undertake clinical triage and assessment of referrals to CAMHS SPA, using clinical judgement to identify presenting needs, urgency and appropriate pathways.

Gather and evaluate information relating to young people's mental health, psychosocial circumstances, family context and existing support networks.

Complete risk assessments, identify safeguarding concerns and develop appropriate risk management and safety plans, escalating complex or high-risk presentations.

Support young people experiencing emotional distress or mental health difficulties, providing appropriate advice and crisis intervention within scope.

Determine the most appropriate pathway of care, considering, specialist services, early help and community-based alternatives.

Provide advice and signposting to families, carers and professionals to promote early intervention and timely access to support.

Maintain accurate records ensuring effective communication, information sharing and compliance with safeguarding and clinical governance requirements.

Effective management of referrals, waiting lists and service demand, supporting timely and safe access to appropriate services.

Support the learning from incidents, concerns and complaints, contributing to continuous improvement.

Applicants must hold current professional registration with the NMC, Social Work England or HCPC and have relevant mental health experience. Experience of working with children and young people and safeguarding is desirable.

About us

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides joined-up mental and physical healthcare for around two million people across our communities. With over 13,000 staff working in the community and local hospitals, we deliver care at every stage of life, helping people live their best and healthiest lives.

Our mental health services include community-based support and early intervention in psychosis (EIP) for both adults and young people, alongside a network of specialist inpatient wards covering forensic, learning disability, eating disorder and older person's care.

We deliver extensive physical health services too, from urgent community response teams helping frail and older patients remain safely at home, to hospitals at home teams providing acute-level care in familiar surroundings. Our neurological services offer rehabilitation and treatment for conditions including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Head Injury, Cerebral Palsy and Stroke. Across Hampshire, our community hospitals provide inpatient rehabilitation as a step down from acute care, and our dedicated teams also staff Treetops Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Portsmouth, offering expert, compassionate support.

Everything we do is underpinned by our CARE values of compassion, accountability, respect and excellence

Details

Date posted

29 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£39,959 to £48,117 a year Please note for part time hours the salary will be pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

348-CFS-13001

Job locations

Adelaide Health Centre, Western Community Centre

William Macleod Way

Southampton

Hampshire

SO16 4XE

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached. It is important to us that we ensure our recruitment processes are accessible and inclusive to everyone - if as a potential candidate you are concerned a person specification may prevent or restrict your application for employment as a result of unintentional barriers on the grounds of your sex, race, age, sexual orientation, religion/belief or disability please initially contact the Trust's Recruitment team - detailed in the advert. The Trust will seek to resolve this issue wherever possible.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• R.M.N., RMCN, RNLD or other nurse qualification with LD/CAMHS experience considered. Social Work or Occupational Therapy Qualification.
• Postgraduate level of study/degree relevant to discipline or equivalent experience
• Additional training in child and adolescent mental health

Experience

Essential

• Ability to work autonomously.
• Significant or demonstrable experience in mental health to show the breadth/depth of experience required for the role.
• Experience of direct work with children/young people with mental health issues.
• Crisis management skills.
• Community care experience.
• Working experience with Children and young people.
• Knowledge and experience in child protection/safeguarding procedures, to recognise abuse and escalate appropriately within statutory timeframes.
• To hold a clinical caseload of complex health needs including mental health as a lead professional within a multi-agency team.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• R.M.N., RMCN, RNLD or other nurse qualification with LD/CAMHS experience considered. Social Work or Occupational Therapy Qualification.
• Postgraduate level of study/degree relevant to discipline or equivalent experience
• Additional training in child and adolescent mental health

Experience

Essential

• Ability to work autonomously.
• Significant or demonstrable experience in mental health to show the breadth/depth of experience required for the role.
• Experience of direct work with children/young people with mental health issues.
• Crisis management skills.
• Community care experience.
• Working experience with Children and young people.
• Knowledge and experience in child protection/safeguarding procedures, to recognise abuse and escalate appropriately within statutory timeframes.
• To hold a clinical caseload of complex health needs including mental health as a lead professional within a multi-agency team.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Adelaide Health Centre, Western Community Centre

William Macleod Way

Southampton

Hampshire

SO16 4XE

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Adelaide Health Centre, Western Community Centre

William Macleod Way

Southampton

Hampshire

SO16 4XE

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://hiowhealthcare.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Hiring Manager

Saniye Parker

[email protected]

Details

Date posted

29 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£39,959 to £48,117 a year Please note for part time hours the salary will be pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

348-CFS-13001

Job locations

Adelaide Health Centre, Western Community Centre

William Macleod Way

Southampton

Hampshire

SO16 4XE

United Kingdom

Supporting documents

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Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)

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