Army Foundation College, Harrogate, HG3 2SE
We are passionate about Smarter Working and believe that a combination of flexible working practices, digital technology and modern workspaces will give you the opportunity to enjoy a healthy work-life balance, while ensuring you deliver your outcomes effectively and efficiently – we expect you to know where to be to have the most impact, balancing your individual needs with that of your team and the organisation.
You will be required to be in the office full time during College term time.
Job Summary
The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, with responsibility for an annual budget of over £10bn, the Army is a major part of the Ministry of Defence and one of its largest operating centres who employ around 12,000 Civil Servants located at over 300 locations supporting the 110K regular and reserve soldiers across the Army. This Civil Service workforce is diverse, with many different functions and professions ranging from police officers, security guards, trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff.
Providing flexible and individualised care packages to meet the mental health needs of Junior Soldiers with mental health problems. You will provide robust clinical risk assessment skills and an understanding of the occupational role and the needs of individuals presenting to the service. As a Mental Health Practitioner will be proactive in the development of service and organisational initiatives and will meet the expectation of offering clinical leadership to other agencies. The Community Mental Health Practitioner will work autonomously within a multidisciplinary team to provide a specialised/occupational mental health service for Junior soldiers (JS) within the Army Foundation College Harrogate.
Job Description
This role provides a rapid, high‑quality mental health service for patients referred by Medical Officers, delivering autonomous assessment, evidence‑based treatment, and ongoing management of diverse and often complex mental health needs. It supports clinical governance, contributes to multidisciplinary collaboration, and acts as an expert resource to Medical Officers, General Practitioners, and Unit Commanders on mental health presentation, risk management, treatment planning, and service coordination.
Main Role Responsibilities:
To manage a clinical caseload delivering optimum personal and professional standards to assist the care process in accordance with military protocols and clinical governance.
To act as a clinical and educational resource to Medical Officers & General Practitioners (MO & GP) and offer advice to Unit Commanders on mental health matters, the administrative management of personnel with mental health difficulties and mental health promotion.
Receiving, appraising, and advising on the direct referrals for mental health problems from relevant General Practitioners/Medical Officers GP & MO.
Providing initial assessment and formulation of the mental health and treatment needs for referred patients, planning, implementing, and evaluating care with a high level of autonomy.
Deliver up to date, evidence-based interventions for mental health problems based on guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Treatment Agency (NTA).
Facilitate emergency patient assessment during daily working hours, to prevent where possible unnecessary admissions to the Inpatient Service Provider (ISP).
Perform clinical risk assessments on all patients seen, evaluating the safety of the patient and others in the community and be able to manage/ advise on therapeutic risk taking.
Routinely provide advice, recommendations, and clinical reports to GP & MO on all matters regarding mental health support, management, care, and treatment, including ISP admission advice.
Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records and clinical notes of all patient contact.
Facilitate liaison visits and or clinics to medical centres in the DPHC Region, with ISP & Service Level Objective where clinical need and facilities allow balancing workload against patient need, ensuring effective management of clinical time.
Initiate and participate in clinical supervision, case conferences, care meetings where mental health clinical input is required. Present patients seen to the Multi Disciplinary Team for guidance, support, supervision, training.
Management of junior staff undertaking mental health work and roles.
If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at
This role provides a rapid, high‑quality mental health service for patients referred by Medical Officers, delivering autonomous assessment, evidence‑based treatment, and ongoing management of diverse and often complex mental health needs. It supports clinical governance, contributes to multidisciplinary collaboration, and acts as an expert resource to Medical Officers, General Practitioners, and Unit Commanders on mental health presentation, risk management, treatment planning, and service coordination.
Main Role Responsibilities:
To manage a clinical caseload delivering optimum personal and professional standards to assist the care process in accordance with military protocols and clinical governance.
To act as a clinical and educational resource to Medical Officers & General Practitioners (MO & GP) and offer advice to Unit Commanders on mental health matters, the administrative management of personnel with mental health difficulties and mental health promotion.
Receiving, appraising, and advising on the direct referrals for mental health problems from relevant General Practitioners/Medical Officers GP & MO.
Providing initial assessment and formulation of the mental health and treatment needs for referred patients, planning, implementing, and evaluating care with a high level of autonomy.
Deliver up to date, evidence-based interventions for mental health problems based on guidance from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Treatment Agency (NTA).
Facilitate emergency patient assessment during daily working hours, to prevent where possible unnecessary admissions to the Inpatient Service Provider (ISP).
Perform clinical risk assessments on all patients seen, evaluating the safety of the patient and others in the community and be able to manage/ advise on therapeutic risk taking.
Routinely provide advice, recommendations, and clinical reports to GP & MO on all matters regarding mental health support, management, care, and treatment, including ISP admission advice.
Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records and clinical notes of all patient contact.
Facilitate liaison visits and or clinics to medical centres in the DPHC Region, with ISP & Service Level Objective where clinical need and facilities allow balancing workload against patient need, ensuring effective management of clinical time.
Initiate and participate in clinical supervision, case conferences, care meetings where mental health clinical input is required. Present patients seen to the Multi Disciplinary Team for guidance, support, supervision, training.
Management of junior staff undertaking mental health work and roles.
If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1. If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at
Person specification
Essential Skills Required:
Ability to work in a complex environment of military personnel and other civil servants at all levels.
Communicate and influence others given the size and complexity of the role and responsibility to ensure JS are appropriately aligned to wider medical support if required.
Competent at making effective decisions to determine if JS can complete Basic Training and or moving onto Initial Trade Training. There may well be a point where a decision is required early on in the Junior Soldiers career that may have a negative output.
Awareness of Safeguarding for under 18's and able to provide assurance to OFSTED and other Defence lines of assurance which shapes how we operate to maintain consistency and abide by all legislation & policy.
Able to deliver at pace to align with the College's 2 intakes per year and circa 1344 Junior soldiers.
Experience of working with adolescents aged 16-18 years.
Enthusiastic and committed to service delivery and improvement.
Cope well under pressure, be flexible and assertive, whilst working at a highly autonomous level.
Obligated under law to safeguard the confidentiality of Personal & Medical information that they may have access to during duties which must not be communicated to other persons except per current legislation, guidance. Any breach of confidentiality could be a matter of Disciplinary Action being invoked and provide grounds for a complaint against you and dismissal.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Communicating and Influencing
Making Effective Decisions
Managing a Quality Service
Working Together
The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.
Other Benefits For Army Civil Servants Include:
25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years' service
Highly competitive pension scheme
Personal and professional development of skills
Alternative working patterns for many roles
Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
Enhanced parental and adoption leave
6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
Learning and Development
We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role.
A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.
Please Follow The Link To Visit The Discover My Benefits Site Which Showcases The Benefits And Discounts Offered When Working As a Civilian For The MOD:
This post does not offer any assistance with Relocation Allowances.
Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
At application stage you will be assessed against the following:
Personal Statement - of no more than 750 words detailing how you meet the essential skills criteria
Behaviour - Communicating & Influencing
Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions
Behaviour - Managing a Quality Service
Behaviour - Working Together
Where a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will be conducted based on the evidence you provide in support of Making Effective Decisions.
Your Personal Statement, Communicating & Influencing, Managing a Quality Service and Working Together will only be reviewed if you are successful at this initial sift.
At interview stage you will be assessed against the following:
Behaviour - Communicating & Influencing
Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions
Behaviour - Managing a Quality Service
Behaviour - Working Together
Application sifting will be scheduled to take place within 7 days of the application closing date. Interview dates are to be confirmed and will be held in person. We endeavour to keep to these time frames, but these are subject to change around business needs.
The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.
As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.
The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigation's can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.
MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
Name : Vivienne Lord
Email :
Recruitment team
Email : DBSCivPers-
Further information
Please see Further Information document attached.