Senior Mental Health Assistant Practitioner

Job overview

Fancy a New Challenge and make a Difference to Young People Across Norfolk and Waveney?

We are excited to announce that we have a vacancy for a Band 5 Senior Assistant Practitioner to join our Mental Health Advice, Support and Access team (MHASA).

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with experience in mental health services who is passionate about supporting children, young people, and their families. Working within our busy and supportive team, you will play a key role in providing advice, support, and access to the right services for young people across Norfolk and Waveney.

This a part time post: 22.5 hours (9am – 5pm working across Monday – Friday).  Non working day to be determined at interview

This is a rewarding role where no two days are the same, offering the chance to make a real difference to the lives of children, young people, and families at the point they need support most.

Please note that this is a non-patient facing role.

Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 23/07/2026

Main duties of the job

We are looking for someone who:

Has experience working within mental health services.

Brings transferable skills from working with children, young people, and families.

Thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys working as part of an experienced multidisciplinary team.

Has a good understanding of self-help and self-care resources to support a range of mental health presentations.

Can provide reassurance, containment, and support to anxious children, young people, and family members.

Has knowledge of local mental health services and voluntary/community sector organisations available across Norfolk and Waveney.

Demonstrates excellent communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Purpose:

Senior Mental Health Assistant Practitioner for the Mental health Advice, Support and Access Team (MHASA) based with the Just One Number service.

The post holder will be an experienced mental health practitioner and provide clinical expertise to allow the review, information gathering and triaging of mental health referrals for children, adolescents, and young people (0-25) within Norfolk and Waveney at the Single Point of Access – Just One Number (JON).

They will also provide advice, guidance, and support to people with mental health care needs via telephone and other forms of digital technology.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• To have clinical expertise in the mental and emotional health needs of children, young people, and their families, (covering 0-25 years of age) and be able to elicit information from professionals, carers and young people to support a robust triage via telephone and other forms of digital technology, this is a non- patient facing role which enable timely clinical decisions to be made.
• To have a robust understanding of local emotional health provision and be able to give children, young people and their families and referrers appropriate advice and guidance and as needed make appropriate referrals and support colleagues to make referrals to the appropriate service.
• To have knowledge of child and young people’s mental health needs and local services. This will involve information gathering, risk assessment and care planning including safety planning advice, with children, young people, parents, teachers and being an active link for other stakeholders such as schools, GPs, mental health, and voluntary sector organisations.
• To develop skills and confidence to support colleagues within the wider Just One Number service, especially in understanding mental health need, risk and care planning.
• To develop skills to contribute to production and maintenance of digital resources on Just One Norfolk and promotion of these within JON and with other stakeholders – allowing the identification of appropriate use of self-help material and understanding when further clinical assessment is indicated.
• Use of measures to monitor effectiveness and establish outcomes and share these within JON, EEC and NSFT.
• Uphold the clinical standards and work within the MHASA standard operating procedures (SOPs) and EEC policies and procedures. Actively participate the development and review of specific SOPs with colleagues in the MHASA team.
• Under the supervision of a specialist mental health practitioner, support clinical decisions and demonstrate a high level of clinical understanding. Follow the robust clinical risk management processes that are in place and contribute to ensuring they are adhered to within JON.
• Demonstrate that evidence is translated into sound clinical practice.
• To maintain a clinical profile being visible, accessible and approachable to staff, stakeholders and the public, to ensure that open and honest communication channels are sustained.
• Support staff within Just One Number and wider services to fully understand and use the clinical pathways to ensure the most appropriate and safest outcome for the CYP.
• Ensure the voice of the child and young person is pivotal in all aspects of clinical practice and development.
• Act as a mentor to students and junior staff – promoting the work of the MHASA service
• Participate in recruitment, selection, and induction of junior staff.

Communication

• Reports and is accountable directly to operational lead and Clinical Lead for mental health and the operational lead.
• To establish positive and effective internal and external working relationships.
• The post holder is required to utilise a wide range of communication skills and will be required to sensitively communicate on complex issues to a wide range of audiences, including children, young people, parents and schools and other organisations, to inform and influence clinical decisions.
• Use sophisticated communication skills to impart difficult or unwelcome news to patients and staff for example complaints, patients experience,
• To maintain necessary communications and liaison with all members of the Just One Number Team.
• To maintain regular contact with the Line Manager and participate in clinical and other relevant meetings

People Management

Development of junior staff

Maintaining own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal and KSF process

Clinical and Practice Governance

• Observe and maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any patient/family/staff/records and information in line with the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
• Any data that is taken/shared as part of a phone call or transferred electronically must be undertaken with regard to the Trust Information Governance and Information Security policies.
• The post holder must adhere to the Trust risk assessment and risk management processes
• The post holder must adhere to infection control policies and procedures
• Undertake mandatory training and any other training relevant to the role as required by East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust.
• The post holder must participate in clinical and other audits as required
• Provide patients and their families /carers with information on standards they should expect from the team.
• Participate in clinical supervision, safeguarding supervision on a regular basis
• The post holder is required to participate in relevant emergency preparedness process for their team.

General

Safeguarding people responsibility

Safeguarding children and adults at risk of abuse or neglect is a collective responsibility.

There is an expectation that all staff develop and maintain their role relevant safeguarding people competencies and comply with local safeguarding partnerships practice. Alongside this employee who are registrants are reminded of their professional duty of care.

Safeguarding means protecting a citizen’s health, wellbeing, and human rights; enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect. It is an integral part of providing high-quality health care.

Those most in need of protection include: •    Children and young people •    Adults at risk, such as those receiving care in their own home, people with physical, sensory, and mental impairments, and those with learning disabilities

The post holder must always carry out their duties with regard to East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Policy.

To be aware of the responsibilities of all employees to maintain a safe and healthy environment for patients, visitors and staff.

All post holders must adhere to the trust code of conduct on confidentiality and be aware of and adhere to all Trust policies and procedures.

This job description is intended only as a guide to the range of duties involved. The post holder will need to be flexible and adaptable in order to respond to other duties that may be required from time to time and the changes and developments within the Trust.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) Order 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure and Barring Service to be made to check for any previous criminal convictions. East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential staff or users in line with its equal opportunities policy and policy statement on the recruitment of ex-offenders