Senior Mental Health Practitioner -Hillingdon CAMHS MHST in City of London

Senior Mental Health Practitioner – Hillingdon CAMHS MHST

Employer: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Job Overview

This role is part of the Green Paper for Transforming children and young people\’s mental health programme. The post holder will work within a Mental Health Support Team providing short‑term evidence‑based interventions to children and young people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression and/or behavioural difficulties and their parent(s)/carer(s). The post holder will work with children, young people and parents from diverse cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary, and is committed to equal opportunities.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. Vaccination is strongly encouraged and supported by the Trust to protect staff, patients and the wider community.

Main Duties

The MHST works with young people with mild to moderate mental health presentations attending school/education settings in the Hillingdon area.

The purpose of the team is to

• Provide evidence‑based interventions for mild to moderate mental health issues.
• Support the senior mental health lead in each education setting to introduce or develop their whole‑school or college approach.
• Give timely advice to school and college staff, and liaise with external specialist services, to help children and young people get the right support and stay in education.

Young people have access to the MHST through their education setting. School staff and other potential referrers can contact a team of clinical staff to discuss potential referrals.

The MHST will manage referrals, deal with queries, undertake clinical telephone triage and face‑to‑face assessment, give advice and signpost young people where appropriate.

Working for our Organisation

Central and North West London NHS Trust expects all staff to act in a way that reflects our core values and to put them into practice with young people, their families and carers, and with colleagues.

• COMPASSION: Create a caring and kind environment.
• RESPECT: Acknowledge and welcome differences.
• EMPOWER: Provide information, resources and support for self‑determination.
• PARTNERSHIP: Work collaboratively with all who interact with the service.

View our CAMHS video for more information.

Senior Mental Health Practitioner – Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Form strong working relationships with stakeholders.
• Work in partnership with schools/colleges and other educational settings.
• Provide training to team members and other professionals/trainees.
• Supervise junior staff.
• Provide consultations to education colleagues and embed a whole‑school approach to wellbeing.
• Develop and deliver evidence‑based individual and group time‑limited interventions in line with Children and Young People’s IAPT principles.
• Hold a caseload of CYP with mild–moderate mental health difficulties.
• Complete thorough assessments, risk assessments, care planning and reviews.
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation to a high standard; complete Routine Outcome Measures.
• Document MHST outcomes and feed data to key stakeholders.
• Provide clinical supervision to Education Mental Health Practitioners and day‑to‑day support for Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioners.
• Contribute to group supervision within the team.
• Support Senior Clinical Supervisors and Service Development Leads to expand the service in Harrow and improve quality.
• Develop and support interventions that can be delivered in the education setting, including SEN settings.
• Appropriately raise and report safeguarding concerns and support colleagues with this process.

Patient Safety

• Safeguard people by recognising and responding to risk from abuse.
• Escalate safety concerns and act as an advocate for service users.
• Be open and transparent about practice.
• Identify improvements in safety or quality; report to the Team Manager.
• Work closely with others to improve services.
• Maintain accurate, legible, comprehensive records.
• Maintain compliance with mandatory and core training requirements.
• Be aware of policies and procedures regarding Fire, Lone Working, Health & Safety, Absence management.
• Report any accidents/incidents per reporting procedures.
• Central and North West London NHS Trust is committed to safe, effective services and positive experience for young people and families.

Person Specification – Essential

Education & Qualifications

• Relevant professional qualification: Degree level Mental Health Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Art Therapy, Drama Therapy, Music Therapy, LD Nursing, or substantial experience as EMHP or CWP.
• Additional qualifications or training in child and adolescent mental health.
• Registered with a relevant professional body.

Desirable

• Formal CBT training or postgraduate accredited training in CBT.
• Accredited courses or workshops in CYP‑IAPT principles.

Previous Experience and Knowledge – Essential

• Substantial consolidated experience working in child and adolescent mental health.
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary or multi‑agency team.
• Good understanding of the range of child and adolescent mental health services and conditions.
• Knowledge of legislation related to children and adolescents and safeguarding procedures and policies.

Previous Experience and Knowledge – Desirable

• Knowledge and experience in mental health promotion work.
• Experience working with schools to support CYP emotional wellbeing.
• Experience running therapy groups and/or training events.

Other – Essential

• Ability to travel as required.
• Team player.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.

Other – Desirable

• Access to car or other motor vehicle for work purposes.

Clinical Skills – Essential

• Carry out 1:1 therapeutic mental health interventions with children and young people.
• Conduct mental health assessments of children and young people.
• Work within educational settings to increase mental health awareness among staff.

Clinical Skills – Desirable

• Experience delivering trainings and psycho‑educational workshops about mental health issues.
• Experience providing mental health consultation and signposting to education staff and other professionals.

Knowledge – Essential

• Understanding of Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards impact.
• Understanding of quality concepts and role in improving safety, clinical outcomes, and patient experience.

Qualifications – Essential Criteria

• Relevant professional qualification: degree level Mental Health Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy or equivalent; or HEE postgraduate diploma in Education Mental Health Practice or postgraduate diploma in Psychological Wellbeing Practice for children and young people.
• Additional qualifications or training in child and adolescent mental health; CBT training (e.g. CYP‑IAPT).
• Extensive post‑qualified as a CWP or EMH.

Qualifications – Desirable Criteria

• Registered with a relevant professional body.

Experience & Knowledge – Essential Criteria

• Substantial consolidated experience working in child and adolescent mental health.
• Experience delivering evidence‑based CBT interventions for mild–moderate issues such as anxiety, low mood, behavioural problems to CYP individually and in groups.
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary or multi‑agency team.
• Good understanding of a range of child and adolescent mental health services.
• Knowledge of legislation related to children and adolescents and safeguarding procedures and policies.

Experience & Knowledge – Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge and experience in mental health promotion work.

Technical Job Related Skills – Essential Criteria

• Good communication, assessment, planning and recording skills.
• Ability to deliver interventions addressing assessed needs.
• Ability to work cooperatively with other disciplines.
• Knowledge of risk management and ability to monitor and assess risk and act accordingly to ensure safety.

Technical Job Related Skills – Desirable Criteria

• Ability to evaluate interventions and practice for service improvement.

Personal Job Related Skills – Essential Criteria

• Ability to relate to young people and families.
• Broad understanding of equal opportunities and ability to work in an anti‑discriminating way.
• Enthusiasm, flexibility and willingness to cope with the demands of a stressful job.
• Ability to relate to professional staff from different agencies often at senior levels.

Other Requirements – Essential Criteria

• Work as part of a team and be self‑motivated.
• Work under pressure and achieve deadlines.
• Understanding of confidentiality and information sharing.
• Travel efficiently throughout the area.

Other Requirements – Desirable Criteria

• Wider knowledge about the Health Act and NHS commissioning changes.

Seniority level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Health Care Provider

Industries

Hospitals and Health Care