Mental Health Practitioner - Gender Service | Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Posting date:	02 February 2026
Salary:	Not specified
Additional salary information:	£47,810 - £54,710 p.a. pro rata
Hours:	Part time
Closing date:	04 March 2026
Location:	Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
Company:	Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	7741685/180-E-267018

Summary

Cambridge University Hospital Foundation Trust (CUH) is seeking highly skilled and compassionate individuals to join the new NHS Children and Young People's Gender Service (East of England) in the role of Mental Health Practitioner.

Based within the Paediatrics Department at CUH, you will have extensive experience of delivering high quality, evidence-based assessments and care to children and young people.

You will provide and support with assessments, supervision and consultation to staff and be a source of clinical expertise to the MDT.

The Cass Review into gender services for children and young people has recommended that staff should maintain a broad clinical perspective by working across related NHS services in order to embed the care of children and young people with gender-related distress within a broader child and adolescent health context. In order to facilitate this, we encourage part-time applications from staff already working in other NHS or related services. We can also work with successful candidates applying for full-time roles to agree a job plan that includes a mix of gender service activity and activity in another clinical area.

The service operates Monday-Friday. Full or part-time (minimum 3 days per week) considered

The post holder will work collaboratively to provide clinical risk and mental health assessment, formulation and contingency planning for children and young people presenting with mental health needs along with physical health needs presenting to the acute hospital. The post holder will also work closely with the Consultant Psychiatrist and CUH colleagues to support the development of the mental health team within CUH, with a focus on the regional District General Hospitals from a point of view of teaching and training to staff within paediatrics to support children and young people who present with mental health needs to the acute hospital. The post holder will also be involved in teaching and training initiatives including debriefs and facilitating reflective practice sessions for general hospital staff within CUH.

The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) will be able to use a range of brief solution focused interventions to empower patients, carers, families and colleagues in decision making and assist in identifying and referring on to a range of health and social care resources for support.

The MHP will work flexibly to support patients and colleagues and assist in care plans where appropriate and required. The MHP will foster an amicable working relationship with the wider Paediatric teams and work closely with other mental health and acute services and agencies, as required.

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values –Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent– are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:
- applied for a Graduate visa
- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment
- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start

For NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough based roles, all applicants from NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have identified that they are at risk of redundancy will be prioritised over those not at risk. However, interviews cannot be guaranteed.

This vacancy will close at midnight on 16 February 2026

Interviews are due to be held on 6 March 2026

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.


This advert closes on Monday 16 Feb 2026