Mental Health Practitioner

Full time permanent

Location: York

Salary: £35,302 to £40,704 per annum 

Introduction to YSJ university

Situated in the heart of the historic city of York, and with the addition of our London Campus, York St John University has a long and proud tradition as a distinguished higher education provider. Our success is founded on the quality of academic teaching and research, our thriving campus environments, our professional and pastoral support, and our values of an inclusive, innovative and ambitious community with a strong sense of belonging.

The Team

The Student Wellbeing Service is responsible for the delivery of excellent mental health and wellbeing support to students via several routes. 

The Wellbeing team have two key areas of responsibility; delivering clinical mental health support to students and ensuring the effective coordination of the University’s response to complex and serious wellbeing and welfare incidents (such as domestic violence, serious assault, etc.). The team is made up of Mental Health Practitioners (Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Social Workers), and accredited Counsellors. Within the team we also have and a Complex Case Lead to provide clinical leadership on students with complex mental health needs. 

The Role

We are looking for a mental health practitioner to join our multi-disciplinary service of counsellors, mental health practitioners, welfare practitioners and disability practitioners who provide a range of supportive interventions for students. 

As a clinical mental health practitioner, with a professional registration in mental health nursing, Occupational Therapy or mental health social work, you will be a key member of York St John University’s multi-disciplinary Wellbeing Team. Your role will involve managing and coordinating a caseload of students carrying out mental health assessments, risk assessments, and providing brief interventions to support the mental wellbeing of students.

The successful candidate will also work in the Wellbeing drop-in service where you will be responsible for providing in person support and guidance to students. Students attend the Wellbeing drop-in service on an as needed basis and your role will be to respond adaptively and effectively to a range of presentations, including students presenting high levels of clinical risk or in crisis. The drop-in service provides mental health support to students who may be experiencing anxiety, stress, thoughts of suicide, difficulties related to studies, relationship difficulties, and other concerns. 

You will have experience of the clinical assessment and management of risk, and be able to utilise these skills in a fast-paced environment where high levels of situational awareness are essential to ensure agility of response. The candidate will have strong skills and experience of delivering effective brief interventions.

A key part of the role involves collaborating with other key University services and academic departments/School teams, making clinically appropriate referrals to ensure that the support students receive from the wider University is properly coordinated. You will also liaise with internal and external stakeholders following serious student incidents, such as a student being hospitalised or an incidence of serious self-harm, to ensure such cases are properly coordinated across the University. 

Other teams will look to you for clear and effective guidance on how to respond effectively to concerns regarding student wellbeing. You will also contribute to the delivery of training across the University to academic and professional services colleagues on how to respond to students in distress, receive and respond to disclosures and de-escalate risk.

The successful candidate will be required to obtain an Enhanced DBS check to carry out this role.

Key requirements

Candidates will be mental health practitioners with a current registration with either the NMC, HCPC or Social Work England (mental health nurse, Occupational Therapist, mental health social worker).

Further information

For further information and informal enquiries, please contact Sonia Rooney, Head of Student Wellbeing, Disability and Inclusion, [email removed].

Unfortunately this role is not eligible for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship however we welcome your application if you are able to evidence right to work in the UK via an alternative route.

It is anticipated that the selection process will include an interview. Further details will be provided if you are shortlisted for interview.

Closing Date: 20 Nov 2026

Programme/Section: Admin & Technical (Including Research vacancies)

Salary: £35,302 to £40,704 per annum