Mental Health Practitioner – Sussex Mental Healthline
Experienced mental health professionals in the UK may want to consider this Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner opportunity with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The permanent role is based at Warwick House in Seaford, East Sussex, and involves supporting people experiencing mental health crises through the Sussex Mental Healthline, a 24-hour service providing urgent mental health support.
The vacancy is particularly relevant to UK-based Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Social Workers who have the required professional registration and experience. The Trust also states that applications from candidates requiring current Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside other applications.
The role offers a salary of £38,682 to £46,580 per year, together with flexible working, enhanced rates for unsocial hours and a £2,000 Golden Hello or relocation incentive, subject to the applicable terms and conditions.
Job Details
- Job title: Mental Health Practitioner – Sussex Mental Healthline
- Employer: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Band: Band 6
- Salary: £38,682–£46,580 per year, pro rata for part-time
- Contract: Permanent
- Working pattern: Full-time, flexible working
- Location: Warwick House, Seaford, East Sussex
- Postcode: BN25 1FG
- Job reference: 354-AB-21133
- Date posted: 11 September 2026
- Closing date: 23 September 2026
- Professional registration: NMC, HCPC or Social Work England
- Sponsorship: Skilled Worker sponsorship applicants are welcome and will be considered
- Additional incentive: £2,000 Golden Hello or relocation incentive, subject to terms and conditions
About the Sussex Mental Healthline
The Sussex Mental Healthline is a 24/7 mental health crisis service supporting people who are experiencing a mental health crisis or urgently need help.
The service is available to people of all ages and can also be accessed by relatives, friends, carers and healthcare professionals who are concerned about someone’s mental health.
The service is not a counselling service. Instead, clinicians and operators listen to callers, help them identify their immediate difficulties, explore ways of coping and, where appropriate, direct them towards urgent or alternative sources of support.
As a Mental Health Practitioner, you will play an important clinical role in helping callers receive appropriate support and ensuring that people presenting with significant risks are directed to the appropriate services.
About the Role
The Trust is looking for experienced mental health clinicians to join its busy and supportive team.
You will work with callers across Sussex who require support with their own mental health or the mental health of someone they care about.
As a clinician, you will receive training in triage, risk formulation and risk assessment, building on your existing professional experience.
You will use these skills to assess callers, provide appropriate support and, where necessary, signpost or escalate cases to urgent care services across Sussex.
The role also includes supporting other members of the team. You will supervise and provide pastoral support to Call Operators and act as a point of escalation when they encounter complex or challenging calls.
Key Responsibilities
Your responsibilities are expected to include:
- Supporting people experiencing complex mental health needs and crisis situations.
- Conducting clinical assessments and risk assessments.
- Completing risk formulation and contributing to appropriate risk management.
- Triaging calls and determining appropriate levels of support.
- Identifying when callers require urgent or specialist intervention.
- Signposting people to appropriate mental health and urgent care services.
- Providing clinical advice and support to Call Operators.
- Supervising members of the team where required.
- Acting as a point of escalation for complex calls.
- Working collaboratively with statutory and non-statutory services.
- Providing appropriate clinical interventions based on individual needs.
- Working within clinical governance requirements.
- Maintaining professional standards and safe clinical practice.
Who Can Apply?
The vacancy welcomes applications from appropriately qualified professionals including:
- Mental Health Nurses
- Occupational Therapists
- Social Workers
Applicants must hold current UK professional registration through the relevant professional body.
This means applicants should have registration with one of the following:
- Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Social Work England
The Trust specifically states that applicants must have current UK professional registration.
Essential Experience and Requirements
To be considered for this Band 6 position, candidates should have significant post-qualification experience in the relevant care group.
The successful candidate should have experience of working with people who have complex health needs and should be comfortable working in a demanding clinical environment.
Essential experience includes:
- Significant post-qualifying experience in the relevant care group.
- Experience working with people with complex health problems.
- Experience supervising staff.
- Experience providing a range of clinical interventions.
- Experience working consultatively with other professionals.
- Experience conducting clinical assessments.
- Experience conducting and managing risk assessments.
- Experience working in partnership with different teams and agencies.
- Understanding of clinical governance.
- Previous community working experience.
- Ability to work autonomously.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced and varied environment.
Crisis and Urgent Care Experience
Experience within an urgent care, crisis or liaison service would be advantageous.
This could make the vacancy particularly suitable for experienced mental health professionals who have already worked in environments where rapid assessment, risk management and appropriate escalation are important parts of the role.
However, applicants should carefully review the full person specification and job description before applying.
Working Pattern
This is a full-time position with flexible working.
The service operates around the clock, meaning flexibility is an important part of the role.
Successful applicants must be able to work shifts that can include:
- Evenings
- Weekends
- Nights
The Trust states that working these unsocial hours attracts increased rates of pay in accordance with Agenda for Change guidelines.
The role is telephone-based, but staff are required to work from the Trust’s office base in Seaford, East Sussex.
Salary and Benefits
The position is offered at Band 6, with a salary of:
£38,682 to £46,580 per year
Part-time staff would receive the salary on a pro-rata basis.
Additional benefits and incentives include:
- Permanent NHS employment.
- Flexible working opportunities.
- Enhanced pay for eligible unsocial hours.
- £2,000 Golden Hello or relocation incentive, subject to the Trust’s terms and conditions.
- Professional development and training.
- Training in mental health triage and risk formulation/assessment.
- Opportunities to supervise and develop clinical leadership skills.
The Trust also reports positive staff survey results, including strong responses around flexible working, opportunities to make suggestions and opportunities to show initiative.
Skilled Worker Sponsorship
Skilled Worker sponsorship is explicitly mentioned in the vacancy.
The Trust states that applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside other applications.
This makes the vacancy potentially relevant to UK-based professionals who currently require sponsorship or may need a sponsor change.
However, sponsorship should not be treated as automatic. Eligibility depends on the applicant meeting the relevant immigration, professional and job requirements, as well as the employer’s ability to sponsor the particular appointment.
Candidates should therefore check their individual circumstances and the latest UK immigration requirements before applying.
Important UK-Based Applicant Information
This vacancy is particularly relevant to professionals already based in the UK who meet the registration and experience requirements.
If you are currently working in the UK and are considering a move to another NHS employer, career progression into a Band 6 position, or a role where Skilled Worker sponsorship may be considered, this opportunity could be worth reviewing.
Applicants should note that the role is office-based in Seaford, East Sussex, despite the telephone-based nature of the service.
Candidates should therefore be able to travel to and work from the Seaford office and meet the required shift pattern.
Training and Development
Successful candidates will be trained in specialist areas relevant to the Mental Healthline service, including:
- Mental health triage.
- Risk formulation.
- Risk assessment.
- Supporting complex calls.
- Appropriate escalation and signposting.
The role also provides opportunities to develop supervisory and clinical leadership experience by supporting Call Operators and acting as an escalation point for complex cases.
About Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and related services across Sussex.
The Trust highlights the benefits of working in Sussex, including access to coastal communities, countryside, Brighton and London, as well as transport connections through Gatwick, Heathrow and the wider UK rail network.
The organisation also promotes flexible working and a positive work-life balance.
Application and Selection
Applicants should ensure that they meet the essential professional registration, experience and working-pattern requirements before applying.
The recruitment process may assess your clinical experience, ability to undertake risk assessments, professional judgement, communication skills and ability to work with people experiencing mental health crises.
Candidates should ensure that their application clearly demonstrates relevant experience, particularly experience involving:
- Mental health crisis.
- Risk assessment and management.
- Clinical assessment.
- Complex mental health needs.
- Supervision.
- Multi-agency working.
- Community mental health.
- Urgent or crisis services where applicable.
Closing Date
The closing date for applications is:
23 September 2026
Applicants are advised not to wait until the final day to submit their application.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This position is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check under the relevant provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.
Applicants should be prepared to complete the required checks as part of the recruitment process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Skilled Worker sponsorship available for this job?
The Trust states that applicants requiring current Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside other applicants. Sponsorship is therefore explicitly addressed in the vacancy, but individual eligibility and sponsorship approval are not guaranteed.
Can UK-based applicants apply?
Yes. The vacancy is suitable for eligible professionals already working and living in the UK, provided they meet the professional registration, experience and other requirements.
Which professionals can apply?
The advert specifically welcomes applications from Occupational Therapists, Mental Health Nurses and Social Workers, subject to the required professional registration and experience.
What professional registration is required?
Applicants must have current UK professional registration with the relevant professional body, including NMC, HCPC or Social Work England, depending on their profession.
What is the salary?
The Band 6 salary is £38,682 to £46,580 per year, pro rata for part-time employment.
Is the job permanent?
Yes. The advertised contract is permanent.
Is the role full-time?
Yes. The advertised working pattern is full-time and flexible working.
Does the job involve night and weekend work?
Yes. Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and nights is essential because the Mental Healthline operates 24 hours a day.
Where is the job based?
The role is based at Warwick House, Seaford, East Sussex, BN25 1FG.
Although the work involves telephone-based mental health support, staff are required to work from the office base.
Is there a relocation incentive?
Yes. The vacancy offers the Trust’s £2,000 Golden Hello or relocation incentive for Band 6 Nurses and Practitioners, subject to the applicable terms and conditions.
When is the application deadline?
The closing date is 23 September 2026.
How to Apply
If you are a UK-based Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker with the required professional registration and experience, this could be an opportunity worth considering.
Candidates who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship are also explicitly invited to apply, subject to meeting the relevant requirements.
Job Source
Employer: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Original vacancy: NHS Jobs
Reference: 354-AB-21133
Closing date: 23 September 2026