Early Days in Custody Mental Health Practitioner
The closing date is 25 January 2026
Job summary
To ensure that new prisoners are supported with their mental health needs during their first 14 days in the prisonTo Identify the wider needs of patients, through the completion of a comprehensive mental health assessment andworking in partnership with them and wider prison services, to co-produce a written care plan that addresses their health and social care needs.
Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible to take part in reception screening for new prisoners on the day of first entry into prison. This will identify immediate health, risks, and safety needs.To be able to develop initial mental health crisis plans for patients who are presenting as particularly at risk of a mental health crisis and to review as part of the nursing process.The post holder will be responsible for carrying out comprehensive mental health assessment, obtain / check collateral and review as part of secondary screening, within fourteen days for all prisoners referred.For people that decline this assessment the team an assertive outreach approach will be needed to ensure a care plan is in place for any known risks and vulnerabilities and will proactively work with the person to undertake a secondary screen at a later stage.
About us
Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.
Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:
- We're Kind
- We're Fair
- We Listen
- We Care
Details
Date posted
15 January 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 6
Salary
£46,419 to £55,046 a year pa inc
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
277-7721114-WAND
Job locations
HMP Wandsworth
Heathfield Road Wandsworth
London
SW18 3HS
Employer details
Employer name
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Address
HMP Wandsworth
Heathfield Road Wandsworth
London
SW18 3HS
Employer's website
http://oxleas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)











Employer contact details
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Supporting documents
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