Mental Health Practitioner

Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated mental health practitioner to join our thriving team at Knowsley CYPMHS Team.

The successful candidate will be enthusiastic and who is able to work well autonomously and as part of a team.

We care for children and young people with varying mental health issues, providing treatment and therapy to them and their families/carers using the think family approach.

We work towards the THRIVE model of care and work very closely with our partners across the borough so excellent communication skills and organisation is essential in this role. Although we would prefer someone with experience, Mersey Care NHS FT offers a fantastic preceptorship programme which can help newly qualified clinicians develop their experience and skills effectively within the first 12 months.

Main duties of the job

• Hold a caseload of CYP to coordinate their care and treatment
• Assess new cases to ascertain suitability
• Act as part of an MDT to deliver evidence based treatments and therapies
• Liaise with outside agencies to co-ordinate care
• Act as an advocate for children and young people in your care ensuring the voice of the child is heard
• Attend meetings and events to develop experience and skills as well as share relevant information
• To attend and assist with training
• To ensure safeguarding is considered at every opportunity and follow policies and procedures in relation to any safeguarding concerns
• To ensure policies and procedures of Mersey Care NHS FT are followed at all times to ensure safe delivery of care.

About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Job responsibilities
Clinical

• To coordinate the care of service users carrying out assessment planning, implementation and evaluation of their care under the guidelines of the care programme approach and under the supervision of the line manager.
• To ensure that the service users care plan is developed to meet the assessed need of the individual and that unqualified staff are delivering care as laid down in the care plan.
• To liaise with family members, carers and significant others when completing the assessment and developing a care plan.
• To develop a risk management plan for service users, taking note of the contributions from other members of the team. Ensure that all significant people are aware of the risk management plan and are actioning it appropriately.
• To direct unqualified staff in order to ensure delivery of a high standard of care to service users.
• To participate in setting standards for care based on sound evidence based and research findings.
• To participate in the systematic monitoring and evaluation of service users for with guidance from a supervisor.
• To communicate with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure the communication of any relevant information which has an impact on the service users care.
• To use verbal and non-verbal communication skills gained through training or experience to impart sensitive information.
• To check understanding of information where there are often barriers to effective communications due to distress, psychiatric symptoms or where English is not the first language.

Qualifications
Essential

• Appropriate professional qualification RMN AHP Social Worker

Desirable

• Degree
• Evidence of post registration study
• Approved training in CYPMHS

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Experience of working with a range of people with mental health problems
• Effective Care Co-ordination
• Care Planning and evaluation
• Quality and clinical audit
• Health & Safety/Risk Management Mental Health Act
• Demonstrate knowledge in the concepts of mentorship, preceptorship and supervision

Desirable

• Experience in working in multi disciplinary teams
• Experience of working with young people
• Appreciate the process of standard setting and audit

Skills
Essential

• Able to communicate effectively
• Possess good listening and negotiation skills
• Ability to work as a member of a team
• Professional attitude
• Flexibility
• Possess a caring, compassionate and empathic attitude
• Access to transport
• On going post-registration development

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Knowsley Resource and Recovery Cenre, Whiston, Rainhill, Prescot, L35 5DR, United Kingdom
Employer's website:

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Clinical Lead
Kerry Hughes
View email address on meeveem.com
View phone number on meeveem.com

Details
Date posted: 17 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 350-CC8192992
Job locations: Knowsley Resource and Recovery Cenre, Whiston, Rainhill, Prescot, L35 5DR, United Kingdom

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice