Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 15 November 2026

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 expedite 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 protected 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

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

Qualifications

- 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

- 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.
- Community care experience.
- Working experience with Children and young people.
- Knowledge and experience in child protection/safeguarding procedures, to recognise abuse and elevate 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.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Adelaide Health Centre, Western Community Centre

£39,959 to £48,117 a yearPlease 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

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📌 Mental Health Practitioner (Adelaide)
🏢 Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
📍 Adelaide