Sutton Primary Care Networks

CAMHS Practitioner

The closing date is 31 August 2025

Job summary

The role aims to improve the experience for our children and young people (CYP) presenting with mental health problems who would otherwise have seen a GP. In this role you will work as part of the South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust and primary care team in Central Sutton PCN in Sutton, providing support to GP practices for children and young people (CYP) presenting with mental health problems. This support will include provision of advice, education, support and psychoeducation to GPs CYP and carers through consultation, advice and signposting.

You will also provide expert advice and education to primary care staff across the 4 GP Practices in Central Sutton PCN. The post holder will be an effective member of a multi-disciplinary team. You will have access to appropriate clinical supervision and an appropriate named individual in the PCN to provide general advice and support on a day to day basis

Main duties of the job

  • Improve access for CYP with mental health conditions through early identification
  • Increase access for marginalised and disadvantaged groups
  • Support engagement with existing mental health services and GP practices
  • Provide psychoeducation and advice and information on well-being for CYP and their carers
  • To monitor and support patients in between their GP appointments
  • To provide psychoeducation and advice for children, young people and their carers, presenting with mental health problems
  • Assist in supporting early intervention pathways and supporting and liaising with local CAMHS SPA teams
  • To work with patients and team members to support engagement with appropriate services and treatment which may include onward referral to secondary mental health services or signposting to other mental health services, social prescribers, voluntary services and community-based support groups
  • To support patients to stay well within their local communities, including signposting and access to psychological techniques and/or guided self-help that promote well-being

About us

Central Sutton PCN Sutton is looking to employ Child and Adolescent Mental Health Practitioner under the additional roles reimbursement scheme to work directly to support GP practices for children and young people (CYP) presenting with mental health problems. This support will include provision of advice, education, support and psychoeducation to GPs CYP and carers through consultation, advice and signposting. This role will be working autonomously, but will have the support of a multi-professional primary care team made up of doctors, nurses, clinical pharmacists, physician associate, health coaches, social prescribers and paramedics. You will have strong experience and knowledge of working with children and young people (CYP) across a diverse population. You will have excellent communication skills in addressing and providing expert advice and education to the 4 GP Practices within Central Sutton . You'll be joining a great team in a great place, where your commitment will be genuinely valued, your skills respected, and your ambition rewarded. Thank you for taking the time of submitting your application and agreeing to meet with the Clinical Directors for the next stage of the recruitment process.

Details

Date posted

24 July 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£35,000 to £43,000 a year Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

A2700-25-0040

Job locations

Thomas Wall Centre

52 Benhill Avenue

Sutton

Surrey

SM1 4DP


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Improve access for CYP with mental health conditions through early identification
  • Increase access for marginalised and disadvantaged groups
  • Support engagement with existing mental health services and GP practices
  • Provide psychoeducation and advice and information on well-being for CYP and their carers
  • To monitor and support patients in between their GP appointments
  • To provide psychoeducation and advice for children, young people and their carers, presenting with mental health problems
  • Assist in supporting early intervention pathways and supporting and liaising with local CAMHS SPA teams
  • To work with patients and team members to support engagement with appropriate services and treatment which may include onward referral to secondary mental health services or signposting to other mental health services, social prescribers, voluntary services and community-based support groups
  • To support patients to stay well within their local communities, including signposting and access to psychological techniques and/or guided self-help that promote well-being
  • Work always to promote the safety and the well-being of service users and their families/carers
  • To develop a close relationship with the relevant Primary Care practice, attending practice meetings and having regular informal contact
  • To work closely and in partnership with colleagues within primary care and the Trust in a collaborative way, ensuring that decisions are made that ensure the best care for service users and that there is a seamless pathway
  • To use multiple clinical patient record systems

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Improve access for CYP with mental health conditions through early identification
  • Increase access for marginalised and disadvantaged groups
  • Support engagement with existing mental health services and GP practices
  • Provide psychoeducation and advice and information on well-being for CYP and their carers
  • To monitor and support patients in between their GP appointments
  • To provide psychoeducation and advice for children, young people and their carers, presenting with mental health problems
  • Assist in supporting early intervention pathways and supporting and liaising with local CAMHS SPA teams
  • To work with patients and team members to support engagement with appropriate services and treatment which may include onward referral to secondary mental health services or signposting to other mental health services, social prescribers, voluntary services and community-based support groups
  • To support patients to stay well within their local communities, including signposting and access to psychological techniques and/or guided self-help that promote well-being
  • Work always to promote the safety and the well-being of service users and their families/carers
  • To develop a close relationship with the relevant Primary Care practice, attending practice meetings and having regular informal contact
  • To work closely and in partnership with colleagues within primary care and the Trust in a collaborative way, ensuring that decisions are made that ensure the best care for service users and that there is a seamless pathway
  • To use multiple clinical patient record systems

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Relevant clinical experience
  • At least twelve months experience of working with children and young people who have experienced mental health problems
  • Experience of research based and reflective practice e.g. understanding and ability to use supervision to reflect on skills attitude and knowledge and develop these by using evidence-based practice.

Desirable

  • Experience of supervision and or mentoring of junior staff and students
  • Experience of working as an assistant psychologist in CAMHS services
  • Experience of providing guided self help and resources with children and young people with mental health problems
  • Working knowledge of Emis

Qualifications

Essential

  • An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
  • Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society Evidence of continuing professional development
  • Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology and mental health practice such as delivery of evidence based psychological therapies for mental health problems

Desirable

  • Training in supporting children and young people with mental health difficulties

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Able to proactively and independently manage workload
  • Ability to provide quality care that is responsive to service user needs
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Good organisational skills
  • Resilient able to cope in difficult interpersonal situations
  • Approachable
  • Self aware self confident and intrinsically motivated to do a good job and to motivate others
  • Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance
  • An understanding of psychological therapy applied to severe and enduring mental health problems and an adequate theoretical knowledge of CBT
  • An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a primary care mental health context
  • An understanding of psychology applied to mental health care
  • Training in evidence-based psychological therapy

Desirable

  • Knowledge of academic publications
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Relevant clinical experience
  • At least twelve months experience of working with children and young people who have experienced mental health problems
  • Experience of research based and reflective practice e.g. understanding and ability to use supervision to reflect on skills attitude and knowledge and develop these by using evidence-based practice.

Desirable

  • Experience of supervision and or mentoring of junior staff and students
  • Experience of working as an assistant psychologist in CAMHS services
  • Experience of providing guided self help and resources with children and young people with mental health problems
  • Working knowledge of Emis

Qualifications

Essential

  • An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
  • Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society Evidence of continuing professional development
  • Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology and mental health practice such as delivery of evidence based psychological therapies for mental health problems

Desirable

  • Training in supporting children and young people with mental health difficulties

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Able to proactively and independently manage workload
  • Ability to provide quality care that is responsive to service user needs
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Good organisational skills
  • Resilient able to cope in difficult interpersonal situations
  • Approachable
  • Self aware self confident and intrinsically motivated to do a good job and to motivate others
  • Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance
  • An understanding of psychological therapy applied to severe and enduring mental health problems and an adequate theoretical knowledge of CBT
  • An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a primary care mental health context
  • An understanding of psychology applied to mental health care
  • Training in evidence-based psychological therapy

Desirable

  • Knowledge of academic publications

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).

Additional information

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Sutton Primary Care Networks

Address

Thomas Wall Centre

52 Benhill Avenue

Sutton

Surrey

SM1 4DP


Employer's website

https://www.suttonpcns.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sutton Primary Care Networks

Address

Thomas Wall Centre

52 Benhill Avenue

Sutton

Surrey

SM1 4DP


Employer's website

https://www.suttonpcns.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

HR Lead Sutton PCNs

Godfred Asare

g.asare@nhs.net

07957836412

Details

Date posted

24 July 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£35,000 to £43,000 a year Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

A2700-25-0040

Job locations

Thomas Wall Centre

52 Benhill Avenue

Sutton

Surrey

SM1 4DP


Supporting documents

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