Job summary
- Main area
- CYP Eating Disorders
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Fixed term: 8 months (If applying for a secondment please ensure you have permission from your manager before applying)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 301-VA-25-7285169
- Employer
- Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- The Bridge
- Town
- Stafford
- Salary
- £38,682 - £46,580 Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 21/08/2025 23:59
Employer heading
*INTERNAL MPFT APPS ONLY* Eating Disorders Practitioner
NHS AfC: Band 6
Job overview
*INTERNAL MPFT APPLICANTS ONLY*
We are seeking a motivated and skilled clinician to join our Children and Young People’s Community Eating Disorder Service (CEDS-CYP) as the first clinical contact. Commissioned in 2016, our service delivers specialist community eating disorder care to children and young people aged 8-18 across South Staffordshire.
This crucial role provides timely, accurate telephone screening and triage for young people referred with possible eating disorders. You will assess mental health needs, physical risk, and urgency, using strong risk assessment, communication, and decision-making skills.
As the key link for GPs, CAMHS teams, acute hospitals, internal networks, and families, you will ensure referrals are safely and efficiently managed. Your expertise in eating disorder psychopathology will support effective clinical decisions, care pathway planning, and swift access to services.
You will also provide consultation, advice, and support to internal teams and external partners, working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team. This role offers an opportunity to contribute to ongoing service development and make a real difference in young people’s lives.
If you are passionate about early intervention and improving outcomes for young people with eating disorders, we encourage you to apply.
If applying for a secondment, please ensure you have your manager’s permission before applying.
Main duties of the job
As the first clinical point of contact for GPs, CAMHS teams, internal networks, and acute hospitals, you will play a vital role in shaping the care journey for children and young people accessing our CEDS service. This is a rewarding opportunity to use your clinical expertise to quickly assess mental health needs and physical acuity, helping to determine the best pathway for ongoing support. Your skilled risk assessment, confident decision-making, and compassionate communication will be key in ensuring safe, timely, and effective responses—primarily through telephone assessments.
You won’t be working alone—this role offers the chance to collaborate closely with a supportive, experienced multidisciplinary team dedicated to improving young people’s lives. Your insights and professionalism will be valued as you contribute to a service that truly makes a difference. If you’re passionate about early intervention and want to be at the forefront of delivering specialist care in a dynamic and collaborative environment, this role is for you.
We cover the whole of South Staffordshire and treat those aged 8 - 18.
Working for our organisation
By joining Team MPFT, you will be helping your communities and in return for this, we will support you by;
- Supporting your career development and progression
- Excellent NHS Pension scheme
- Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave
- Options for flexible working
- Up to 27 days annual leave (increasing with service up to 33 days)
- Extensive Health and Wellbeing support and resources
- If you work in our community teams, we pay for your time travelling between patients
- Lease car if you complete more than 500 business miles per annum, fully insured and maintained (including tyres), mileage paid at lease car rate
- Salary sacrifice car - fully insured and maintained (including tyres), your gross pay is reduced by the cost of the vehicle before tax, NI and pension deductions are calculated, mileage paid at business rates
- Salary sacrifice bikes up to £2k
- Free car parking at all trust sites
- Free flu vaccinations every year
- Citizens Advice support linked with a Hardship Fund for one off additional support up to £250 (if the criteria is met)
We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive organisation and there is a choice of staff networks that help you meet like-minded people.
Please be aware that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in completing application forms will be monitored to ensure fairness and transparency. If you have used AI you must state this in your application.
Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Responsible for on providing triage, assessment, risk assessment/management and formulation of a plan with clinical reasoning for CYP referred to the CEDS team
2. Develop and maintain effective communications within the area of work and promote positive working relationships with internal CAMHS teams, individuals, departments and other agencies.
3. Organise and deliver informal, team-based, training to the wider team which focuses on the particular needs of CYP.
4. Responsible for promoting and maintaining a positive and professional image of the service through collaboration, role modelling and openness.
5. Adhere to legislation, policy, procedure and guidance from the Trust and other relevant professional bodies.
6. Maintain compliance with the required range of mandatory and statutory training as well as with the requirements of registration with the appropriate professional body
7. Establish and maintain strong links with members of CAMHS, General Practice, schools, colleges, paediatric services, other healthcare settings, other professionals / workers and non-healthcare workers (e.g. sports coaches and dance teachers) for own caseload, thereby ensuring seamless short, medium and long term care planning for both medical and psychological care and treatment of each individual service user.
8. Comply with and implement as far as is practicable the NICE Guidelines for Eating Disorders (2017).
9. Participate in clinical case meetings and CPA reviews to ensure the needs of children and young people with an ED and their families/carers are addressed to support their recovery
10. Maintain accurate, detailed and comprehensive records of all clinical work, medical investigations and biochemistry results, whilst ensuring confidentiality of information.
11. To undertake physical health monitoring as appropriate i.e height, weight, blood pressure etc and be responsible for identifying appropriate action to be taken (training will be provided)
12. Provide support, supervision and training to internal MPFT staff, in the event of medical admissions to paediatric or general medical ward for medical stabilisation
13. Be responsible for the assessment of mental health and/or medical risk factors relating to children and young people with an ED, including co-morbidity (e.g. suicidality, self-harming behaviours and medical risk associated with low weight and/or purging behaviours) seen in the community. This might require rapid, independent decision-making or judgements without immediate access to supervision. Therefore, as well as possessing the ability to anticipate and resolve problems independently to establish safety and ongoing service user care, skill is also required in consulting with other experts and professionals where appropriate.
14. Seek medical advice as necessary, for example when recommending hospital admission for medical stabilisation, e.g. for dehydration, rapid or severe weight loss, signs of bradycardia, and/or deterioration in mental state.
15. Contribute to health promotion and prevention of eating disorder activities as part of the specialist team.
For further information please see the attached JD & PS
Person specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential criteria
- First Level professional registered Mental Health Nurse or Learning Disability nurse with current registration Occupational Therapist, Art Therapist Social Worker, Psychologist.
- Post-registration experience, evidence of formal courses and training at diploma/degree level.
Desirable criteria
- Further training and clinical expertise in at least one therapeutic model (ideally for example CBT, CBT-E, Family based treatment, Motivational Enhancement Therapy or Inter Personal Therapy)
Experience
Essential criteria
- Previous experience of working within CYP mental health and co-morbid illness
- Experience of assessing mental health problems including working with parents, families and carers
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with CYP with an eating disorder
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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
- Michael O'Prey
- Job title
- Operational Team Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 123 0997
- Additional information
For further information or informal visits please use the contact details above.
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