Mental Health Practitioner
The closing date is 04 May 2026.
Are you passionate about patients receiving the best care? Are you looking for a specialist career pathway? Do you want to be influential in leading and developing a new model for the future? Then you may be the person we are looking for.
We are currently looking to recruit a keen, enthusiastic and highly motivated Mental Health Practitioner (RMNS, Occupational Therapists, or social workers) to join our Adult Community Eating Disorder Service, based within the grounds of Addenbrookes Hospital, in the vibrant University City of Cambridge.
It is a very exciting time with plans to expand and develop our excellent service into a new model for providing care in the community.
Main duties of the job
As a key member of our team you will play a vital role in developing services including MANTRA, providing 1 to 1 interventions and group work along with the medical monitoring pathways. Previous experience in a leadership position is desirable. You will work collaboratively and independently within our service.
Developing and improving clinical care are key elements of this post. You will give expert advice and support to patients, their families/carers, the multidisciplinary team and other healthcare professionals. Working with the Matron, Consultants and Therapists you will help develop and shape the service. This role offers the opportunity to practice a full range of core leadership and MDT team skills.
About us
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust delivers high-quality NHS services including adult mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.
We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups.
Key responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details.
- Assess, plan, implement and evaluate evidence-based treatments for eating disorders, including health promotion, physical monitoring and focus on wellbeing and safe maintenance for severe and enduring eating disorders.
- Set and monitor quality standards; review and respond to incidents and complaints in line with clinical guidance and policy.
- Promote carer and service user involvement and encourage recovery, discovery and independence, while managing risk.
- Establish therapeutic relationships and implement evidence-based interventions within professional boundaries according to Nursing and Midwifery Council code of conduct.
- Lead on the provision of social/therapeutic activities for service users.
- Safely custody and administer medicines in line with medicine policies.
- Ensure a high standard of multi-disciplinary care planning and lead the nursing contribution.
- Be competent and confident in medical monitoring for eating disorder patients in line with King’s College guidelines.
- Respect and value therapeutic approaches within the multi-disciplinary team, ensuring the agreed philosophy is adopted.
- Work closely with the multi-disciplinary team and other agencies to support early discharges.
- Demonstrate care and compassion and support the team to achieve this.
- Act professionally towards service users, carers, colleagues, primary care and other agencies at all times.
- Collaborate with Trust services and external agencies to provide seamless care for service users.
- Contribute and work towards the service/organisation aims.
Travel requirement: You will be required to travel independently around the county, meet strict time deadlines and hold a full UK driving licence. You must use a vehicle; public transport is not acceptable.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications
- Registered Nurse Mental Health (RNMH) or other related specialism such as Registered Nurse Learning Disability (RNLD) or Registered Nurse Children’s (RNC).
- Evidence of Continuing Professional Development.
- Postgraduate qualification related to ward specialism.
Experience
- Autonomous work experience and experience within a multi-disciplinary team.
- Experience dealing with service users with complex mental health needs.
- Experience supervising staff.
- Experience working in mental health.
- Experience relating to eating disorder specialism.
- Experience developing service user and carer involvement.
Knowledge and Understanding
- Thorough understanding of care planning and the Care Programme Approach (CPA).
- Knowledge of physical healthcare needs.
- Commitment to evidence-based practice.
- Awareness of safeguarding issues and relevant legislation.
- Understanding of legislation relating to care including the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Care Act and Equality Act 2010.
- Knowledge of NICE guidance relevant to the practice area.
- Interest or knowledge of eating disorders.
- Understanding of the Trust’s PRIDE Values.
Skills and Abilities
- Offer in-service training to junior colleagues.
- Use initiative to contribute to a multi-disciplinary team.
- Advocate for service users and colleagues you support.
- Calmly manage complex and stressful situations, prioritising your own and others’ work.
- Decision-making, delegation and problem‑solving skills.
- Interest in psychological interventions for eating disorder patients.
- Present complex information to various audiences.
Other
- Ability to travel independently around Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, holding a full driving licence and access to a vehicle.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975.
We reserve the right to close the advert earlier if enough applications are received.
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