Job summaryAre you a CAMHS nurse looking for a new challenge? Are you passionate about children, young persons, and families receiving help and support when they need it most? An exciting opportunity has arisen for a skilled and experienced Band 7 Clinical Nurse Specialist to join our expanding and developing CAMHS Alliance.
You will have experience of specialist mental health assessment and therapeutic interventions with adolescents with mental health problems and their families and be comfortable supporting young people at-risk of self-harm in the community. Candidates who have Crisis and/or Home Treatment experience will be prioritised for this role.
The post holders will also be part of the thriving 3-borough CAMHS Nursing Team and they will be offered high quality and consistent supervision from a senior clinical nurse. In addition, good opportunities for continuing professional development will be offered, alongside other supports.
We are looking for CAMHS Clinical Nurse Specialists who can demonstrate a commitment to creative engagement with a culturally diverse population of young people, show initiative, are team players and can communicate ideas clearly to both professionals and young people alike. The above post is offered on a permanent full-time basis.
Main duties of the jobThe Alliance Crisis Team serves 3 key pathways:
- Acute Trust and out of hours' service
- Intensive community support/ Home Treatment service & Post A&E Review
- Intensive community support/Home Treatment + service with Tier 3 CAMHs interface and Tier 4 diversion/Tier 4 step down
The post holders will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, holding a clinical caseload and undertaking the comprehensive assessment of children and young people with mental health needs (including risk assessment and the development of risk management plans) who present in crisis to CAMH Services, hospitals and sites covered by the Alliance Crisis Care.
In addition to providing direct work to families and young people, the post holders will also assist the CAMHS and/or paediatrics team with treatment planning and provide consultation to families/carers and other professionals involved in the life of the young person.
The post holder will participate in delivering the provision of specialist mental health services to children and young people and their families and carers across the West London NHS Trust 3 Boroughs CAMH Service and crisis pathway.
The role will include providing brief interventions and outreach work to children and young people presenting with acute psychological and mental health problems where intensive support is required to prevent admission to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Units.
About usWest London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Job responsibilitiesThe Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached.
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
QualificationsEssential- Degree or Diploma in Mental Health Nursing
- Active Professional registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
- Evidence of accredited courses in child and adolescent mental health practice
- Mentorship/ teaching and assessing qualification
- Training in prevention and management of violence and aggression
- First or higher degree in appropriate subject area or equivalent post registration training and experience
Desirable- Specialist therapeutic skills e.g. CBT
- Post registration training in CAMHS
- Working towards Masters Level in a CAMHS related subject.
ExperienceEssential- Demonstrable experience of assessment and working therapeutically with children, adolescents and their families within a mental health setting
- Demonstrable experience working with young people with in a community CAMHS setting
- Experience of working in a number of ways i.e. assertive outreach, clinic based settings, home, school or other appropriate environments
- Experience of using therapeutic skills, such as CBT, Solution Focused Therapy, Family Work
- Experience of interagency and multidisciplinary working
- Experience of assessing risk and formulating safe and effective risk management plans
Desirable- Experience of contributing to and implementing new service developments
- Experience of therapeutic work with children and families where abuse or neglect has occurred
KnowledgeEssential- Knowledge of legislation relevant to the Children's Act 2004, Mental Health Act 1983 & Safeguarding Guidelines
- A sound working knowledge and application of relevant professional code, i.e. professional Code of Practice
- Knowledge of the legal issues relating to consent and capacity in children and young people.
- An awareness and understanding of the issues facing, children, adolescents and their families
- Knowledge of the various assessment tools used in CAMHS
- Skills in communicating with children, adolescents and their families or carers
- Ability to contain the anxieties of severely unwell young people and their parents.
- Ability to deal with challenging behaviour in possibly distressing situations.
Desirable- Skills and sensitivity in working with difficult to engage families
- Ability to deal with challenging behaviour in possibly distressing situations.
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.Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). 
