Job summary
- Main area
- Health & Justice
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 333-D-HJ-1990
- Employer
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- HMP Aylesbury
- Town
- Aylesbury
- Salary
- £38,682 - £46,580 per annum (pro rata if P/T)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 12/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Mental Health Practitioner
NHS AfC: Band 6
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Job overview
-
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.
Working for our organisation
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.
Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people.
We’re always looking to recruit outstanding people who 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 a diverse 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.
Detailed job description and main 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
Essential criteria
- • Registered Nurse (RMN)
- • Mentorship or supervisor qualification
- • Evidence of professional development since registration
Desirable criteria
- • Post registration qualification that enhances clinical work: CBT, DBT, Dual Diagnosis, etc.
- • NMP Qualification
Previous Experience
Essential criteria
- • Post registration experience
- • Experience of mentoring or supervising students
- • Experience of working in community setting
- • Experience of mentoring or supervising students
- • Experience of working as part of a multidisciplinary team
Desirable criteria
- • Experience of working in a Prison or forensic environment
Skills and knowledge
Essential criteria
- • 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
- • Excellent IT skills
- • Ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently as appropriate.
- • 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.
Attitudes, aptitudes, personal characteristics
Essential criteria
- • Motivated to maintain the highest standards possible in the service
- • Able to accept constructive feedback.
- • Able to ask for support where required.
- • Compassionate & non-judgmental approach
- • Flexible
Other
Essential criteria
- • To conduct self in accordance with relevant code of conduct and practice for registration.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
.png "Proud Employer")
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dudzai Kamonere-Greenall
- Job title
- Mental Health & Wellbeing Service Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
List jobs with Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust in Nursing and Midwifery or all sectors