Job overview
This role is a key element of a new GM wide Crisis Care Pathway which is child centred, needs led, responsive, accessible and flexible. The post is instrumental in the success and future development of the team, ensuring that all professional and patient contact is of the highest professional standard.
This role has been designed to support and develop existing Band 4 Youth Support Workers become Mental Health Practitioners, post core qualification in Mental Health nursing or Social Work. Post qualification they will begin in the team as a Band 5 transforming to a proficient and confident Band 6 practitioner once competencies of our Band 6 role are met. Achieved through a dynamic, person centred and structured developmental program, enhancing skills and experience within our Crisis Service but also within CAMHS as a whole.
We are looking for dynamic mental health nurse/social worker who have previously worked as youth support workers in the Children and Young People Crisis Service and want to continue their journey in the team as a qualified MHP.
As a Band 5 MHP you will receive training and development throughout your development opportunity (6-12 months) and be salary matched to AFC pay band 6, once competencies are consistently achieved and evidenced. There will be potential to remain in the team as a permanent Band 6 on successful completion of required training competencies within 6 to 12 months of commencing with the team.
Main duties of the job
The post holder, initially working under the supervision of band 6 MHP and senior clinical staff will offer assessment and management within a clear and structured Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction framework and will refer on to specialist in-patient services as necessary or work collaboratively with other services involved to reduce the need for inpatient care. The postholder will develop holistic and recovery focused care plans and mobilise support around the child and family to promote resilience and reduce the likelihood of future crisis episodes. As a member of the multi-disciplinary team the service will intensively support young people and families for up to 72 hours. Direct work with young people will take place in clinical environments, including emergency care settings and community settings as well as home environments.
When successful in the post you will need to achieve the below competencies before being reviewed to work as a Band 6 MHP in the team.
Working for our organisation
We are proud to provide high quality mental health and learning disability services, both inpatient and in the community across five boroughs of Greater Manchester - Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, and Tameside and Glossop.
Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We’re really proud of our #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we’re a great place to work.
All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.
If you come and work for us we will offer a range of benefits and opportunities, including:
* Generous annual leave entitlement for Agenda for Change and Medical and Dental staff.
* Flexible working opportunities to support your work/life balance
* Access to Continued Professional Development
* Involvement in improvement and research activities
* Health and Wellbeing activities and access to an excellent staff wellbeing service
* Access to staff discounts across retail, leisure and travel
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Clinical and Professional
Deliver community based assessment, de-escalation and risk reduction interventions when children and young people are presenting in crisis
Support families to offer containment and care during periods of high expressed emotion and crisis
Work intensively with CYP and those who care for them for up to 72 hours
Provide, or provide access to, a range of quality psychotherapeutic interventions in accordance with CYP assessed needs
Support the delivery of established care pathways to provide an effective and responsive service for all CYP across the footprint into specialised mental health care settings within the NHS and Independent sector, including out of hours
To be responsible for and manage a caseload and undertake case management responsibilities within the case load
Complete referrals, following agreed frameworks, for specialist in-patient services and children’s services as appropriate
Support CYP as required in ensuring young people maintain links to their community, family and support
Provide direct assessment, risk assessment and formulation and case management of CYP and contribute to safety plans
Liaise with emergency services and primary care to assist them in their work with risky CYP
Participate in telephone helplines for CYP; families and other professionals in managing crisis out of hours
Contribute to care planning and advise on alternative services where inpatient admission is not indicated to reduce admissions and/or to facilitate a timely discharge
Develop holistic, collaborative multi-agency care plans
Promotes and maintains safety, privacy and dignity of all CYP in the delivery of patient centred care, recognising and respecting differences including spiritual and cultural beliefs
Takes steps to obtain CYP consent to care and treatment in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act, ensuring that patients who lack mental capacity remain at the centre of decision-making and are fully safeguarded.
To communicate effectively in a sensitive manner information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans to CYP and the multi professional team
Acts, wherever applicable, in accordance with the Mental Health Act and associated policies and procedures.
Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of harm, abuse or neglect, including poor clinical practice, reporting all such concerns and taking all reasonable steps to protect CYP.
Responsible for ensuring the highest professional standards and attitudes towards the care of CYP are maintained at all times and that care is delivered in accordance with evidence based practice by all members of the team.
Provides clinical advice on complex issues to other members of the clinical team and staff from other disciplines and inpatient services.
Assesses CYP presenting in crisis and those considered by other professionals to require urgent crisis intervention
Contribute to the safety planning for CYP where inpatient care is not indicated
Has responsibility for a designated number of CYP and takes responsibility as lead professional in coordinating a multi-agency plan to ensure a satisfactory outcome is achieved.
Ensures referral outcomes are based on current risk assessment, evidence based practice, critical thinking and whole system support requirements that take account of relevant physical, social, cultural, psychological, spiritual, genetic and environmental factors.
Undertakes direct assessments, risk assessments, formulation and case management devising and implementing actions and intervention plans which take the risk formulation fully into account.
Register all referrals to the team and coordinate a full and timely response, within agreed standards
Contribute to care planning and engage and advise on signposting to other services where clinically appropriate to reduce further crisis or avoid admission
To coordinate with other staff members in clinical decision making through relevant clinical meetings and ad hoc contact as required
To contribute to the development of clinical practice in relation to assessment and formulation for CYP by providing consultation, training for multi-disciplinary staff across urgent care services
Ensure transitions for CYP are planned and safe through joint and collaborative working with children’s and adult services
To ensure safeguarding practices are routinely followed and managed and action taken in relation to Child Safeguarding policies and procedures, as required
To ensure risk assessments regarding physical and psychological safety are undertaken for each CYP referred to the service
To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual CYP and provide general advice to other professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment and management
To provide advice, guidance or consultation to team members and other professionals contributing directly to children and young people’s formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan
To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans to CYP and their multi-disciplinary professional team
To ensure user, parent and carer views are accessed routinely in relation to service review and development
Comply with requirements for professional registration, standards, codes of conduct and continuous professional development
To minimise incidence of crisis presentations for CYP who may repeatedly present in crisis or to emergency services, using knowledge of available services within local boroughs as part of a networked system
Provide education and support for others in the care of CYP working to reduce stigma, misconception and alienation of service users.
To work in collaboration with local authorities, emergency services, third sector and other statutory bodies (e.g. police, YOT) in the management of effective usage of specialised mental health inpatient services.
To model a collaborative and influencing style of working, negotiating with others to achieve the best outcomes
Staffing and Management
To attend team, clinical, business and other meetings as required.
To manage own workload and time effectively.
To undertake accurate record keeping, including the use of routine outcome measures
To provide and enter data for local information management systems.
To contribute to peer supervision within the team
To be responsible for the supervision of other staff as appropriate including junior staff and students.
To give and receive regular clinical, management supervision and to participate in appraisal.
To participate in the development of education and training programmes throughout the network
To maintain own education and awareness of current developments within CAMHs
May participate in or lead local projects to develop services to meet the changing needs of the patient group.
May participate in service improvement projects which impact across other services.
Maintain a current professional portfolio and participate on programmes of personal development and training, which will be identified as part of the individual performance and development review.
Undertake personal development in line with identified needs and IPDR.
Maintain professional registration requirement.
To participate in any duty rotas as required
To work flexibly including weekends and unsocial hours
Plans own and others workload, managing competing demands to ensure care is delivered according to clinical priority.
Act as team co-ordinator, taking and allocates referrals into the service.
Delegates tasks to members of the clinical team whose competence has been established whilst maintaining professional accountability and ensuring their work meets required care standards.
Demonstrates clinical leadership through personal practice.
When co-ordinator, responsible for the day to day running of the clinical team including allocation of work and resources and the resolution of day to day issues that may arise.
Participates in the induction of new staff to the clinical area.
Provides training to all members of the clinical team, monitoring and evaluating learning outcomes, providing feedback and assessing competencies to facilitate learning in practice. Sign-off mentor for student nurses.
Provides training in relation to own work to other professionals and agencies as required
Information / Performance
To participate in regular service reviews, audits and evaluations
To evaluate clinical practice and outcomes using appropriate evaluation tools
To ensure the collection and inputting of appropriate data relevant to individual case load
Maintain accurate records and information for the purpose of statistical returns
Ensure routine outcome measures are collated and embedded within the team
Contribute to service or contract reports as indicated
Participate in research and development initiatives, delegating as appropriate
Responsible for the maintenance of accurate and comprehensive patient records by self and others, using electronic patient records, in accordance with the Trust and professional record keeping standards.
This job description is not exhaustive, but is intended to give an overall picture of the role. Other duties within the general scope of the post may be required from time to time. The duties of the post and job description can be reviewed through the agreed process
Person specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential criteria
* Relevant core professional qualification in mental health • Evidence of current professional registration and continued professional development • Educated to first degree level or be able to demonstrate equivalent skills and abilities to work at this level. To be worked towards and achieved as part of the developmental role: • Key skills in literacy, numeracy, IT and keyboard skills • Short courses and experience to post graduate diploma level
Desirable criteria
* Training in one or more additional specialised areas of practice including children and young people • Evidence of teaching and assessing in clinical practice •
Experience
Essential criteria
* Significant experience in either community or inpatient settings which meet the core competencies of the post • Experience of assessment, formulation and managing complex cases and risk within a mental health service To be worked towards and achieved as part of the developmental role: • An extensive range of clinical experience within the speciality or within a care pathway • Experience of exercising clinical responsibility for patients’ care and treatment and case management Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers • Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision. • Experience of supervision of less experienced practitioners within the MDT • Effective skills to be able to communicate, orally and in writing, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS. • Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups • Experience of report writing
Desirable criteria
* Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups, across the whole life span and presenting with the full range of severity. • Experience of assessing and treating patients across the full range of care settings. • Experience of using outcome measures to evaluate the impact of their clinical practice • Experience of children and young peoples’ inpatient mental health care Experience of working across professional / organisational boundaries
Knowledge
Essential criteria
* • Clinical Risk Assessment and Management and its application in practice. To be worked towards and achieved as part of the developmental role: • Knowledge and implementation of the use of outcome measures • Knowledge of therapeutic interventions with CYP • Knowledge of the policy guidance and legislation specifically relating to children and young people • Knowledge of legislation in relation to the patient group and mental health, including the Mental Health Act and issues of capacity and consent • Detailed knowledge of child safeguarding procedures, responsibilities and application in practice Care Programme Approach and its application in practice. • Clinical Governance and its application in practice. • Research and development methodology • Understanding of psychological models of care and treatment.
Desirable criteria
* A general understanding of evidenced based psychological therapies from a range of modalities, including systemic working • Understanding of the acuity and demands of CYP inpatient services • Knowledge of referral systems and general bed management procedures • A general understanding of evidenced based psychological therapies from a range of modalities, including systemic working • Understanding of the acuity and demands of CYP inpatient services • Knowledge of referral systems and general bed management procedures
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
* Have sound assessment skills and ability to articulate outcomes to CYP, families, other clinicians, practitioners and stakeholders • Ability to remain motivated • Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands • Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options • Able to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise • Good organiser, influencer and networker • Compassionate in meeting the needs of vulnerable children and young people and their families and carers. • Able to engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in distressing and challenging circumstances • Able to work flexibly and cooperatively as part of a team • Able to use own initiative and make decisions independently • Committed to continual quality and service improvement • Self-aware and committed to professional and personal development. • Able to accept and respond positively to feedback from supervision Use multimedia materials for presentations in professional settings. • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills enabling good working relationships with others across professional boundaries • Able to provide and receive complex sensitive information and negotiate with other clinicians on difficult issues. • Interpersonally calm and able to defuse difficult situations • Ability to inspire others and work collaboratively. • Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change • Works well under pressure and is proactive • Good organisational and time management skills, ability to plan and prioritise own work load. • To be worked towards and achieved as part of the developmental role:Ability to provide management and clinical supervision to the workforce • Ability to carry out therapeutic interventions with this patient group • Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours • Demonstrable commitment to the focus on quality, promotes high standards to consistently improve patient outcomes • Ability to work across boundaries and look for collective success, listens, involves and respects and learns from the contributions of others • High level mental health assessment and risk assessment and formulation skills • Case management skills focusing on the needs of the CYP and the context of their pathway in relation to all clinical and legal processes • Ability to work as part of a team and independently.
Desirable criteria
* Experience of working within a multicultural framework
Work Related Circumstances
Essential criteria
* Willingness to participate in on call rotas • Willingness to work flexibly including unsocial, weekend and out of hours working • Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs • Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies • Appointments to regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS disclosure.
📝 Application support - We recommend tailoring your application to each role you apply for, particularly your supporting information. This gives you the best chance of success. Your supporting information should clearly explain, with examples, how your skills and experience meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role.
We understand that some candidates may use AI tools to help prepare their application. This is not restricted, however, any AI support should only be used to enhance your own writing and must reflect your genuine skills and experience. You will be asked to talk about your application at interview. Applications that contain false or misleading information may be removed from the recruitment process.
We also offer virtual application support sessions each month, where you will learn some hints and tips to support you in completing your application form. To secure your place, and to find out more visit the on our website.
🌍 Sponsorship Information - We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the
📬 After You Apply - Once your application is submitted, you’ll receive updates via email. Shortlisting is based on how well you meet the criteria outlined in the person specification. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview, and invitations will be sent by email.
✅ If You're Offered the Role - If successful, the hiring manager will contact you directly with a verbal offer. They will then notify the Recruitment Team and submit the necessary paperwork. You’ll receive a formal conditional offer via email
🔍 Pre-Employment Checks - To confirm your suitability for the role, we will carry out pre-employment checks in line with. These include:
* Identity verification
* Right to work check
* Disclosure and barring service (DBS)/Criminal record check (dependent on role)
* Professional registration and/or qualification check
* Occupational health assessment
* Employment history and reference validation
All applicants external to Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust will be required to provide their to cover the most recent three years employment. This information will used to validate employment history and references.
If you require sponsorship, we will assess your eligibility based on current If the role is not eligible and you cannot demonstrate your right to work, your conditional offer may be withdrawn.
🚀 Once Checks Are Complete -
The Recruitment Team will coordinate with you and the hiring manager to confirm a start date. You’ll be booked onto a Trust Welcome Session and receive your Pennine Care NHS Terms and Conditions.
📣 Additional Information -
We are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds to help us grow, innovate, and improve.
If you wish to be considered under the Disability Confident Scheme, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role.
If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please contact us on 0161 716 3181 as early as possible so we can support you.
Please note:
* We do not accept unsolicited contact from recruitment agencies. Hiring managers should not be contacted directly.
* We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. If you have a disability or long‑term health condition and need extra time or adjustments to complete your application, please contact us as soon as possible. We will ensure you are not disadvantaged where a reasonable adjustment is appropriate.
If you have problems applying, contact
Address
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
225 Old Street
225 Old Street
OL6 7SR
Telephone
01617163181