Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated Community Mental Health Practitioner to join the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) Rough Sleepers Mental Health Service. Over the past four years, the service has become an established and valued part of Leeds' homelessness and rough sleeping pathway, working alongside a wide range of statutory, health and voluntary sector partners to improve access to mental health support for some of the city's most vulnerable residents.

This is a unique opportunity to work within a specialist, trauma-informed service that supports people who are rough sleeping, at risk of rough sleeping, or experiencing homelessness, and who often face multiple disadvantages alongside significant mental health needs.

The team works using a psychologically informed and trauma-informed approach, providing specialist assessment, formulation, consultation, psychosocial interventions and care coordination. We are committed to reducing barriers to accessing mental health care and improving engagement with services for people who may not traditionally access mainstream support.

Working collaboratively with housing, homelessness, health and social care partners across Leeds, you will play a key role in supporting individuals to improve their mental health, maintain accommodation, and access the services and support they need to achieve positive outcomes.

Main duties of the job
The Role
As a Mental Health Practitioner, you will:

• Deliver specialist mental health assessment, intervention and care planning for individuals experiencing homelessness or rough sleeping.
• Work flexibly and assertively to engage people with complex needs who may find it difficult to access traditional mental health services.
• Provide trauma-informed and psychologically informed interventions.
• Work collaboratively with a wide range of partner agencies across Leeds.
• Contribute to formulations and care plans that support recovery and social inclusion.
• Promote access to mainstream services and advocate on behalf of service users where appropriate.
• Support the continued development of psychologically informed practice across homelessness services.
• This role involves working across a variety of community settings throughout Leeds and surrounding areas. While a driving licence is not essential, applicants must be able to demonstrate the ability to travel independently and efficiently between locations to meet service requirements

Whilst the Job Description for this post states practitioner, please note due to an occupational requirement within the service we are only able to consider registered Mental Health Nurses to fill this vacancy.

About us
The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) is the main provider of Mental Health and Learning Disability services in Leeds. We also provide specialist inpatient services in York and some highly specialised services across the country. As a teaching trust with strong links to local universities, we are a centre of excellence for teaching, research and development.

There are many benefits of working for LYPFT including fantastic employee wellbeing support, 27 - 33 days annual leave, flexible working and remote working arrangements, the NHS Pension Scheme, coaching, support and opportunities for career development and training and education support alongside a range of exclusive discounts and payment schemes including for cars, extra leave days and more NHS Discount Offers.

We also have a bank department, offering variety of roles in nursing, allied health professions, healthcare support worker and administration clerical. Permanent employees are automatically added to bank.

Applicants should be aware that individuals requiring a visa to work in the UK, the Trust only provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles (this does not include Healthcare Support Workers). This is an essential requirement, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you do not meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Details
Date posted: 10 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 173-38926-COMM
Job locations: Rough Sleepers Service, Leeds, LS2 8BB, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
We recruit people based on their values and qualifications (where required) and believe that their lived experience is an advantage, this means that together we are as diverse as the communities we care for. Simply put, when we employ caring people who act with integrity and have the right skills, we can give those with mental health challenges, learning disabilities and neurodiversity high-quality care and support to live fulfilling lives, and make our staff feel purposeful, happy and valued.

All our information is available in accessible formats. Please contact the Recruitment team recruitment.lypft@nhs.net

Attached to this advert is our candidates guide to values-based recruitment and supporting guidance on how to make a successful application.

If you require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Recruitment Team or see the attached candidate guide to reasonable adjustments.

To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need, look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading.

So that youre even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, youll need to take time to read the Candidate Guide to Values Based Recruitment. This document provides you with information to help you apply.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN)

Skills
Essential

• Ability to engage and develop effective therapeutic relationships with individuals who may be difficult to engage, demonstrating empathy, compassion, patience and a psychologically minded approach

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working with people experiencing complex mental health needs, trauma, homelessness, rough sleeping and/or multiple disadvantage, including risk assessment and risk management
• Experience of working collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and partner agencies to support people with complex and enduring needs.

Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge of trauma-informed and psychologically informed approaches, and an understanding of the impact of trauma, exclusion and adversity on mental health, behaviour and engagement.

Values
Desirable

• Tell us about a time when you spotted something small going wrong and did something to stop it becoming a bigger issue.
• Tell us about a time when you realised a colleague or someone you know needed a bit of support and you offered to help.
• Tell us about a time when you showed someone kindness or understanding.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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