What jobs are available in NHS mental health services?

NHS mental health services employ mental health nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, social workers, support workers, and many other professionals. Roles span community teams, inpatient wards, and specialist services.

What qualifications do I need for NHS mental health roles?

Requirements vary by role. Mental health nurses need a nursing degree and NMC registration. Psychologists need a doctorate and HCPC registration. Support workers may enter with relevant experience and complete training on the job.

How much do NHS mental health professionals earn?

Salaries vary by profession and band under the 2026/27 pay scale. Mental health nurses typically work at Band 5-7 (£32,000-£57,000). Psychologists work at Band 7-8 (£49,000-£109,000). Support workers work at Band 2-4 (£25,000-£31,000).

Which NHS trusts hire mental health professionals in London?

Major NHS employers for mental health professionals in London include Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and more.

Mental Health Jobs in London

Mental health nurse jobs make up the largest share of NHS mental health vacancies, spanning community teams, inpatient wards, crisis services, and specialist settings like forensic or eating disorder units. This page also covers psychologists, psychiatrists, OTs, social workers, support workers, and peer support staff working in mental health services. The profession and band determine entry requirements, pay, and scope.

20 live vacancies in London · 8 NHS employers · updated hourly

View all NHS jobs in London

Open Positions

£33k - £73k

Salary Range

NHS Trusts

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Working in Mental Health roles in London

London has more NHS employers than any other UK city. Roles span major teaching hospitals, standalone specialist centres like Great Ormond Street, community trusts, and mental health providers. High-cost area supplements of up to 20% apply to most posts. For mental health candidates, this means roles can appear across acute hospitals, community services, specialist teams, mental health providers, and integrated care settings depending on the local NHS workforce mix.

Job Clerk is currently tracking 20 live mental health vacancies in London from 8 NHS employers. New posts can include permanent, fixed-term, bank, part-time, and rotational opportunities, so it is worth checking both the broad Mental Health results and the band-specific pages below.

Recent salary data for these mental health roles ranges from about £33,262 to £73,496 per year, depending on band, specialist experience, and whether high-cost area supplements apply.

Common work areas

Risk assessment, safety planning, and safeguarding decisions
Care coordination and CPA (Care Programme Approach) management
Delivering or supporting specific therapeutic interventions (CBT, DBT, family work)
Mental Health Act assessments and knowledge (for approved roles)

Typical requirements

Professional registration relevant to the role (NMC for nurses, HCPC for psychologists/OTs, Social Work England for social workers)
Post-qualification experience in a mental health setting
Specialist training relevant to the team or service (e.g. CBT, AMHP, approved clinician)
Enhanced DBS with barred list check

Local employers

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
East London NHS Foundation Trust
North London NHS Foundation Trust
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Bands hiring in London

Current mental health pages for London include Band 7, Band 8, and Band 6. Use these band pages when you want salary expectations, seniority, and job descriptions narrowed to a specific level.

Local practical context

Most major NHS sites are reachable by Tube, Overground, or bus. Commuting from outer London or the home counties is common, and journey time should factor into shift-based role decisions.

London is the most expensive UK city for housing. Inner London posts receive a 20% HCAS (capped at roughly £5,800-£8,700 depending on band), outer London 15% (roughly £4,500-£5,800), and fringe areas 5%. The zone is determined by workplace postcode, not home address, so two hospitals a few miles apart can fall in different zones. After tax and NI, the net benefit is roughly 65-72% of the headline figure.