Mental Health Practitioner

Job summary 37.5 hours per week Band 5 Mental Health Practitioner Join our CAMHS Crisis and Liaison Team at Livewell Southwest as a Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner and play a vital role in supporting children and young people at some of their most vulnerable moments. This is a rewarding role working across both community crisis responses and acute hospital settings, where you will deliver timely assessments, manage risk, and provide compassionate, trauma-informed care. We are looking for motivated, resilient practitioners who can think clearly under pressure, communicate effectively with families and partner agencies, and remain focused on safety and positive outcomes. In return, you will be part of a supportive, forward-thinking team that values staff wellbeing, encourages professional development, and is committed to delivering high-quality, responsive care across Plymouth. This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity. All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7-day service. This role is primarily office-based, and staff are expected to be present at the team base unless otherwise agreed by their line manager in line with service needs. Main duties of the job You will assess and support children and young people experiencing mental health crisis in both community and hospital settings, helping them stay safe and stabilise during periods of acute distress. The role involves working closely with families, hospitals, and partner agencies to plan care, manage risk, and ensure timely decisions are made. You will be part of a fast-paced, supportive team, responding to urgent situations, contributing to safeguarding processes, and helping young people move safely through care when they need it most. About us Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs. As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve. We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives. We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation. Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert. Details Date posted 24 September 2026 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 5 Salary £32,073 to £39,043 a year pa, pro-rata Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working Reference number B9832-2026-NM-10408-2 Job locations 200 Mount Gould Road Mount Gould Plymouth Devon PL4 7PY United Kingdom University Hospitals Plymouth Nhs Trust Derriford Hospital, Derriford Road Derriford PLYMOUTH PL6 8DH United Kingdom Job description Job responsibilities 1a To improve children and young peoples mental health through the delivery of an integrated and coordinated system of community based mental health care to children, young people, and their families, providing safe, culturally competent, effective, cost efficient, timely and accessible services that are in accordance with national and local priorities and responsive to the needs and views of local children, young people and their families. 2a To provide clinical input to the team, delivering practice within best evidence and to the highest possible standard. The post will rotate across teams within the CAMHS service. 3a For non-medical prescribers the role will involve the use of an evidence-based approach to assess and make an informed prescribing decision for a defined caseload of children and young people. This will be based on a clear theoretical framework and will take full account of the child or young persons developmental needs, gender, ethnicity, religion, race, ability, and sexual