Job summary
- Main area
- Paediatrics
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 180-E-267018
- Employer
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Addenbrookes Hospital-Division E
- Town
- Cambridge
- Salary
- £47,810 - £54,710 p.a. pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 16/02/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 06/03/2026
Employer heading
Mental Health Practitioner - Gender Service
Band 7
Job overview
Cambridge University Hospital Foundation Trust (CUH) is seeking highly skilled and compassionate individuals to join the new NHS Children and Young People's Gender Service (East of England) in the role of Mental Health Practitioner.
Based within the Paediatrics Department at CUH, you will have extensive experience of delivering high quality, evidence-based assessments and care to children and young people.
You will provide and support with assessments, supervision and consultation to staff and be a source of clinical expertise to the MDT.
The Cass Review into gender services for children and young people has recommended that staff should maintain a broad clinical perspective by working across related NHS services in order to embed the care of children and young people with gender-related distress within a broader child and adolescent health context. In order to facilitate this, we encourage part-time applications from staff already working in other NHS or related services. We can also work with successful candidates applying for full-time roles to agree a job plan that includes a mix of gender service activity and activity in another clinical area.
The service operates Monday-Friday. Full or part-time (minimum 3 days per week) considered
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work collaboratively to provide clinical risk and mental health assessment, formulation and contingency planning for children and young people presenting with mental health needs along with physical health needs presenting to the acute hospital. The post holder will also work closely with the Consultant Psychiatrist and CUH colleagues to support the development of the mental health team within CUH, with a focus on the regional District General Hospitals from a point of view of teaching and training to staff within paediatrics to support children and young people who present with mental health needs to the acute hospital. The post holder will also be involved in teaching and training initiatives including debriefs and facilitating reflective practice sessions for general hospital staff within CUH.
The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) will be able to use a range of brief solution focused interventions to empower patients, carers, families and colleagues in decision making and assist in identifying and referring on to a range of health and social care resources for support.
The MHP will work flexibly to support patients and colleagues and assist in care plans where appropriate and required. The MHP will foster an amicable working relationship with the wider Paediatric teams and work closely with other mental health and acute services and agencies, as required.
Working for our organisation
Our Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:
- applied for a Graduate visa
- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment
- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start
For NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough based roles, all applicants from NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have identified that they are at risk of redundancy will be prioritised over those not at risk. However, interviews cannot be guaranteed.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 16 February 2026
Interviews are due to be held on 6 March 2026
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Mental Health Nurse/Social work/Occupational Therapy Qualification OR Registered Nurse with CAMHS Experience Or other HCPC-registered profession.
- Current NMC/HCPC Registration appropriate to the job role.
- Leadership qualification/training Advanced Nurse prescriber Qualification/or AMHP qualification
- Qualification in Clinical Supervision
- Postgraduate training in Mental Health Practice/Psychological Therapy (e.g CBT/Systemic Family Therapy)
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
Desirable criteria
- Clinical supervision qualification. Specific training in either family work or psychological approaches to helping young people.
- Teaching (clinical practice) qualification/certificate or equivalent experience.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Willingness to engage in work with children, young people and families who require mental health services.
- Experience of working with children and young people presenting with mental health crisis or need.
- Experience of working in a setting relevant to CAMHS.
- Experience of risk assessment and Management.
- Multi-agency working/working across service interfaces.
- Working within a multicultural framework.
- Teaching, training and/or supervision of junior staff.
Desirable criteria
- Clinical Leadership.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- An understanding of the current integrated multi-agency models Used by agencies working with children, young people and their families, e.g. I-Thrive, Think Family, etc.
- Knowledge of current research and evidence based practice in clinical work relevant to the job role/Service.
- Models of care and treatment relevant to working with children and young people in mental health crisis.
- Relevant specialist clinical courses/training.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
- Sound knowledge of Mental Health Act, Care Act, Mental Capacity Act.
- Sound knowledge of Safeguarding responsibilities and procedures.
- Demonstrates desire to assist patients, carers, families, referrers and colleagues.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Assessing, formulating and working with children and young people (& their families) presenting in heightened state of distress.
- Communicating (oral and written) complex/highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Clinical risk assessment and Contingency planning/management plans.
- A positive approach and energy to working with young people and their families in promoting recovery and resilience.
- Able to demonstrate commitment to high quality care and service provision.
- IT skills.
- Able to meet the service needs for mobility across the geographical area covered.
- Works flexibly.
- Motivated, reliable and committed to team working with the ability to work autonomously.
- Embrace opportunity to work in a new post and assist in developing the service.
- Excellent planning and organisational skills.
- Values opinions of others. Innovative and pioneering approach to new ways of working.
Additional Requirements
Essential criteria
- The post holder must be willing to travel to various locations across the East of England geography as required.
- There to assist patients, carers, families, referrers and colleagues.
- Motivated, reliable and committed to team working.
- Embrace opportunity to work with local community, 3rd sector and other partners.
- Values opinions of others. Innovative and pioneering approach to new ways of working.
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Together-safe, kind, excellent.
- Actively promote and value equality, diversity and inclusion, treating others with dignity and respect.
- Compliance with all Trust policies and procedures.
- Evidence of working as an effective team member.
- Demonstration of confidentiality.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
.png "NHS Rainbow badge")
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
- Gender Service Team
- Job title
- Gender Service Team
- Email address
- [email protected]
List jobs with Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Allied Health Professions or all sectors