Job Description

This is an exciting opportunity for a Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner to join the new Single Point of Access (SPOA) in West Sussex.
The SPOA is designed for children, young people, their families, carers and relevant professionals to ensure that they can access the most appropriate emotional wellbeing, mental health support and intervention which meets their needs at the earliest possible stage and with the minimum delay.
The SPOA aims:

• An integrated aligned and co-ordinated service is in place
• More CYP have access to appropriate mental health services first time
• More CYP have positive experiences of care and support
• Time taken to receive treatment and support is reduced
• Improved data collection and evaluation of CYP's outcomes

Main duties of the job
Main duties of the job:

• Offer high quality screening of referrals, discussing with referrers as required and ensuring they receive an appropriate and clinically sound response.
• To direct children and their families to the most appropriate service in order to meet their emotional and mental health needs.
• The SPOA clinicians will also be required to undertake risk assessments, ensure appropriate signposting for referrals that do not meet the criteria for services within the SPOA, with clear written responses containing a rationale for the decision, liaise with agencies receiving referrals from SPOA, identify opportunities for support whilst waiting for the referral to be processed and respond to any queries or concerns from professionals / parents.
• To decide on an appropriate course of action alongside other professionals involved, providing advice, support and knowledge of appropriate resources for the emotional well-being and mental health of children, young people and their carers.

About us
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across West and East Sussex and Brighton & Hove.
West Sussex CAMHS services build on CYP-IAPT learning. Users of our services help shape continuing service transformation with their lived experience.
Supported by our Clinical Academic Groups (CAGs), we work to put research, innovation and learning into practice. We offer a career, not just a job, in a team and a Trust committed to delivering the best possible care to the community and to supporting the wellbeing of our staff, who are our greatest asset.
Working in Sussex:

• Travel easily between coast and stunning countryside
• Easy access to Brighton, London, Gatwick and Heathrow

We encourage flexible working. We know that a positive work/ life balance brings about huge health-related benefits, which has a positive impact on the care we provide. Please speak to us about flexible working, for example, home-working, part time hours, flexible start/ finish times or anything else. If it works for you and works for the role, we'll do our best to make it happen.
Details
Date posted
19 September 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 6
Salary
38,682 to 46,580 a year Per Annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
354-CS-21781
Job locations
Swandean Hospital
Arundel road
Worthing
BN13 3EP
Job description
Job responsibilities
Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Skills and experience in screening referrals is desirable.
• Working as part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency SPOA team ensuring that referrals are screened swiftly and referrers are contacted and informed of referral outcomes.

Please refer to Job description for further responsibilities. Job description
Job responsibilities
Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Skills and experience in screening referrals is desirable.
• Working as part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency SPOA team ensuring that referrals are screened swiftly and referrers are contacted and informed of referral outcomes.

Please refer to Job description for further responsibilities.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered professional Qualification
• Evidence of post Registration Training

Desirable

• Completion of mentorship course or equivalent

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Relevant post qualifying experience
• Experience supervising staff and students
• Knowledge of interventions specific to service area
• Awareness of Trust Policy and Values
• Knowledge of managing and working with people with complex needs
• Able to effectively manage risks
• Able to formulate individualised care plans

Desirable

• Lived experience of mental illness

Communication/interpersonal
Essential

• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Communication effectively with other parties (carers, relatives, other professionals etc
• Work effectively with other services
• Able to work to service objectives

Management/organisational
Essential

• To have a good knowledge of service objectives
• Able to manage and delegate tasks
• Able to lead clinical discussions
• Provide supervision to staff
• Work well within a team

Skills/values
Essential

• IT skills
• Able to work well under pressure
• Able to prioritise caseload
• Able to deal with incidents effectively
• Able to travel between sites
• Awareness of human rights
• Flexible and punctual
• Non-judgemental

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered professional Qualification
• Evidence of post Registration Training

Desirable

• Completion of mentorship course or equivalent

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Relevant post qualifying experience
• Experience supervising staff and students
• Knowledge of interventions specific to service area
• Awareness of Trust Policy and Values
• Knowledge of managing and working with people with complex needs
• Able to effectively manage risks
• Able to formulate individualised care plans

Desirable

• Lived experience of mental illness

Communication/interpersonal
Essential

• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Communication effectively with other parties (carers, relatives, other professionals etc
• Work effectively with other services
• Able to work to service objectives

Management/organisational
Essential

• To have a good knowledge of service objectives
• Able to manage and delegate tasks
• Able to lead clinical discussions
• Provide supervision to staff
• Work well within a team

Skills/values
Essential

• IT skills
• Able to work well under pressure
• Able to prioritise caseload
• Able to deal with incidents effectively
• Able to travel between sites
• Awareness of human rights
• Flexible and punctual
• Non-judgemental

Skills Required