Company: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Apply for the Mental Health Practitioner

Location: Aylesbury

Job Description:

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Mental Health Practitioner

The closing date is 02 April 2026

To play a key role in the important ‘Early Days in Custody’ of prisoners, working closely with other departments to ensure that all risks are assessed and managed.

To function fully within the Integrated Mental Health Team, assessing and treating patients through their journey in prison.

To accept referrals and triage patients with the team.

To undertake comprehensive assessments alone or with colleagues and feedback to the Multi‑disciplinary Team, ensuring that planned care is individual and appropriate to the needs of the patient.

To provide effective case management to a defined caseload in accordance with the Care Programme Approach, in conjunction with the team, appropriate prison departments and external health, social care and probation services.

To ensure effective pre‑release care planning.

Main duties of the job

To work under the direction of the Deputy Head of Healthcare (Mental Health Lead) and Mental Health Clinical Lead Nurse to ensure that clinical priorities are clearly understood and met to an agreed standard.

To assess health and social care needs and negotiate care plans with Patients and staff teams.

To undertake risk assessments including the formulation of a comprehensive plans developed jointly with the Patients and staff teams.

To work within the Prison Service safer custody framework for managing Suicide and self‑harm (SASH procedures) to support Patients requiring this.

To provide a service sensitive to age, culture, ethnicity and gender, sexuality and disability.

To contribute to the effective multi‑disciplinary team working within the team and the rest of the Prison.

To participate in the reception/induction process, and any other model that the local team adopts, in order to identify individuals with mental health problems at the earliest opportunity.

To have an active presence and act as a resource for all staff and prisoners, in addition to those patients under your care, in the Segregation unit and Clinical Assessment Unit.

To work with the agreed Core Assessment Tool within all relevant Prison Departments.

About us

We’re passionate about delivering first‑class patient‑centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient’s own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do.Providingtop quality caredepends on our ability to employ the best people.We’re always looking torecruit outstanding peoplewho will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career. With adiverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities, Health and Justice and more – whatever stage of your career you’re at, there’s always a place for you at CNWL.

Job responsibilities

To case manage an identified caseload of clients, in conjunction with the multi‑disciplinary team and relevant agencies and carers. To include the planning and implementation of effective care plans, regular review meetings, timely referral to external agencies, within the framework of the CPA, to ensure effective pre‑release planning.

To communicate effectively with all relevant internal departments and external agencies regarding clients, within the restrictions of a prison environment.

To work closely with the MDT and identify and facilitate an effective range of therapeutic interventions for this particular client group.

To respond to urgent referrals and to assess whether input from the team is indicated/appropriate.

To offer a range of evidence‑based interventions and proactive risk management approaches to help the patient reduce and manage symptoms, high risk behaviour and other disabling effects of their conditions and enable, as far as possible, full and sustained recovery.

To ensure that both CNWL Safeguarding Adults and Children Guidelines and procedures are fully understood and to ensure the safety needs of adults and children involved are met at all times and take appropriate action when either the adult or/and child is felt to be at risk or in need.

To monitor treatment, support concordance and ensure prompt action is taken to alleviate unwanted effects.

To provide advice and information to Patients about their care.

To provide access to and ongoing psycho‑education regarding various mental health conditions to Patients and different health and prison staff.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Registered Nurse (RMN)
Evidence of professional development since registration
Post registration qualification that enhances clinical work: CBT, DBT, Dual Diagnosis, etc.
NMP Qualification

Previous Experience

Experience of mentoring or supervising students
Experience of working in community setting
Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
Experience of working in a Prison or forensic environment

Skills and knowledge

Risk assessment and management skills
Ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently as appropriate.
Proven ability to work patients to increase their level of self‑determination and resilience.
Knowledge of CPA, Mental Health Act, MAPPA, legislation and policies relevant to prison mental health.
Expert in engaging with people with mental health problems, assessing their needs, designing and delivering appropriate interventions and evaluating the effectiveness of the process.
Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
To use supervision positively and effectively.
Problem solving, stress management & conflict resolution skills.
Effective time management.
Knowledge of safeguarding frameworks
Ability to engage in evidence based practice, with an understanding of care quality (clinical governance).
Knowledge of current challenges / developments in Prison health.
Motivated to maintain the highest standards possible in the service
Able to accept constructive feedback.
Able to ask for support where required.
Compassionate & non‑judgemental approach
Flexible

Other

To conduct self in accordance with relevant code of conduct and practice for registration.

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.