Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner (MHWP)

Required Training for this Role

The mental health and wellbeing practitioner training programme is open to applicants with the right aptitude to learn how to work collaboratively in a mental health team. Most importantly, you’ll need to be able to demonstrate a willingness to work in a hopeful and productive way with adults with severe mental health difficulties. You do not need previous experience of working in mental health, but you will need to demonstrate your ability to study at degree level or above. 

Opportunities to apply for mental health and wellbeing practitioner roles are advertised on the NHS Jobs website. Set up an alert for ‘Mental health and wellbeing practitioner' to find training opportunities near you.

Once employed as a trainee, the NHS will offer you a package of learning and support including: 

• fully funded one-year Postgraduate Certificate Qualification (if a graduate) or Graduate Certificate Qualification (if a non-graduate)
• a band 4 AfC salary
• opportunity to develop and practice evidence-based skills under supervision in an adult mental health community service

Once qualified, your employer will provide you with ongoing training to keep your skills and knowledge up to date. To support your practice and your wellbeing as a practitioner, you will be provided with regular supervision. 

You’ll need: 

• excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build trusting and productive relationships with a range of people
• to be able to work well within a multidisciplinary team
• a good understanding of mental health issues
• strong written and verbal communication skills, tailored to a variety of audiences
• the ability to work independently and use initiative to think quickly on the spot in often challenging situations
• creativity to solve problems and tackle obstacles
• effective time management for managing competing demands in a busy and sometimes pressured work environment

While on the one-year training programme, you’ll spend one day a week studying at university and the remainder of the time (three to four days) working in or undertaking specific training tasks in a community mental health service. You will have regular meetings with your supervisor to support you to deliver high quality, evidence-based interventions.

Entry Requirements to Train for this Role

Qualifications

You can train for a postgraduate or graduate certificate, depending on whether or not you already have a degree qualification. You will need to apply for a position as a trainee mental health and wellbeing practitioner.

To apply, you will need:

• demonstrable interpersonal skills and values consistent with providing hopeful, person-centred care
• commitment to working with people with complex mental health needs
• demonstrable ability to study at degree level or above
• good communication and interpersonal skills
• motivation and commitment to undertake and complete the course

Your training will be fully funded, and you’ll earn a band 4 salary while you train.  

Experience

The mental health and wellbeing practitioner training programme is open to applicants with the right aptitude to learn how to work collaboratively in a mental health team.  Most importantly, you’ll need to be able to demonstrate a willingness to work in a hopeful and productive way with adults with severe mental health difficulties.  You do not need previous experience of working in mental health, but you will need to demonstrate your ability to study at degree level or above. 

Salary Expectations

As a trainee mental health and wellbeing practitioner, you’ll be paid on the Agenda for Change (AFC) pay system at band 4. After qualifying, you’ll be paid at band 5. In the future, there may be more senior roles too.  

Future Career Options

You could progress to: 

• a supervisory role
• teach others
• undertake further training in another psychological profession (for example CBT therapist, or clinical psychologist)

If you progress to a supervisory role, you will be trained to support trainee and qualified mental health wellbeing practitioners with their work.

If you start NHS-funded training from April 2022, you will normally be unable to access further NHS-funded training for a new occupation in the psychological professions until two years after your qualifying exam board. Visit the funding for psychological professions training programmes web page for more information on NHS funding.

Registering or Accrediting Body

There is currently no individual accreditation or registration scheme for Mental health and wellbeing Practitioners, although this is being actively pursued at present and it is intended that this will be implemented retrospectively.

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