Band 6 Custody Practitioner

Transformationunitgm; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 38,000 - GBP 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare service provider in Birmingham seeks an experienced Band 6 Custody Practitioner to join their Health and Justice Vulnerability Service. This full-time role involves working with vulnerable individuals within custody suites, aiming to reduce health inequalities and divert individuals from criminal justice systems. Candidates should hold relevant professional registration with experience in diverse settings. The position offers excellent career progression opportunities and is vital for improving healthcare access for marginalized groups.

Benefits

Career progression opportunities

Relocation expenses reimbursement

Qualifications

• Experience working in a range of settings for at least 12 months.
• Ability to promote recovery as part of the individual and team philosophy.
• Experience working with vulnerable individuals as a qualified professional.

Responsibilities

• Work within various custody suites across the city.
• Identify and assess needs of vulnerable individuals.
• Promote decision making for individuals with complex care needs.

Skills

Team player

Autonomy

Collaborative working

Assessment skills

Complex care needs understanding

Education

Professional Registration (e.g., Social Worker, Occupational Therapist)

Job description

Main area Health and Justice Vulnerability Service Grade Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (A mixture of long and short days, 7 days a week, 365 days a year service) Job ref 436-7715424

Employer Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Perry Barr Custody Suite Town Birmingham Salary £38,682 - £46,580 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 25/02/2026 23:59 Interview date 04/03/2026

Band 6 Custody Practitioner - Health and Justice Vulnerability Service

Band 6

Please note that this post may close earlier than the indicated closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.

Job overview

Are you a experienced Healthcare professional: registered with a professional body looking for a new and exciting challenge working with individuals who have come in to contact with the criminal justice system? If so, this job could be perfect for you!

BSMHFT are currently recruiting for a fulltime, experienced Band 6 Practitioners to join the Health and Justice Vulnerability Service

The successful candidates will have the exciting opportunity to work within various custody suites based across the city as well as supporting other areas of the service on a ad hoc basis

We are looking for experienced, versatile, motivated , qualified nurses, social workers or allied health professionals with post qualification experience to deliver a service to vulnerable individuals who are often the most marginalised within society. You will offer them hope and support in reducing their health inequalities and support with diversion away from the criminal justice system.

We have a committed, motivated, hardworking and skilled team and offer excellent career progression opportunities. The team holds a strong recovery focused ethos, and you will hold an integral role working alongside partner agencies, including the police and third sector organisations to help those accessing the service obtain positive outcomes.

Main duties of the job

• Extensive post qualification experience working in a range of settings of at least 12 months,
• To be a strong team player and able to work autonomously,
• Abilities to work collaboratively with partner agencies
• Be able to identify, assess and support onward referrals for vulnerable individuals
• To demonstrate sound assessment skills to inform clinical decision making and risk formulations.
• To be able to inform and promote decision making around those with complex care needs (mental health, substance misuse, homelessness, learning disability, youth or any other vulnerability).

The aim of the service is to;

• Improve access to healthcare and support services for vulnerable individuals and a reduction in health inequalities
• Divert individuals, where appropriate, out of the youth and criminal justice systems into health, social care or other supportive services
• Deliver efficiencies within the youth and criminal justice systems
• Reduce re-offending or escalation of offending behaviours

We recognise that this is a bespoke role and would strongly encourage that individuals looking to apply reach out to Custody Lead Jeneen Niblett to discuss the role further.

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Working for our organisation

Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, and specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.

Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people’s lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.

Person specification

QUALIFICATIONS

• Current Professional Registration – including; Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, Psychology, RMN(H) RLDN or other allied health professional relevant to the role (degree level).

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• Ability to promote recovery as an embedded part of the philosophy of the individual and team.
• Ability to screen referrals and clarify when consultation is appropriate and/or onward referral to specialist services is needed.
• Evidence of ability to complete comprehensive/vulnerability assessments
• Understanding of multiple and complex needs
• Experience of working autonomously and making decisions around patient care
• Ability to liaise effectively with statutory and voluntary services

EXPERIENCE

• Extensive experience of working with vulnerable individuals as a qualified professional
• At least 1 year post qualified experience
• Experience working within the criminal justice systems.
• Experience of working in a diverse range of settings

Analytical and judgement skill

• Ability to analyse complex facts and situations, making clinical interpretations and formulating outcomes with corresponding follow‑up

Our Trust is committed to treating individuals fairly and ensuring they have the same opportunities to fulfil their potential, even if this means doing things differently for different people sometimes. We are working hard to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity within Birmingham and Solihull and that our services meet the needs of all diverse service users and carers.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. As part of our safe recruitment practice pre‑employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. As part of the selection process you may be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, however all cases of criminal record history are dealt with on a case by case basis.

Please note, if applicable for your role you will be required to cover the cost of your DBS certificate. This will be deducted from your salary over 3 months. You will also be required to sign up to the DBS Update Service before commencement with the Trust. The Trust will reimburse this. You will be contractually obliged to maintain your subscription.

All successful applicants will be required to complete the Trust’s induction programme. The Fundamental (Statutory and Mandatory) training will be in an e‑learning format. You will be required to complete training modules online (approx. 9–14 hours depending on post) by the end of your second week with us.

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage of the recruitment process we may contact you via email to advise you of the interview details. Please ensure you access your email account from which you applied regularly once the position has closed. Our selection process may involve more than one interview or assessment.

Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom (UK) are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. However, please ensure that you check if this role meets the eligibility criteria for sponsorship. Non UK /Republic of Ireland candidates wishing to apply can self‑assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here Browse: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) . The minimum salary threshold for a Health and Social Care is £25,000 and for the Skilled Worker route is £38,700. If the starting salary for this role is below this, we will not be able to provide sponsorship.

Relocation expenses may be reimbursed subject to eligibility. The policy provides for reimbursement up to £8,000.

Please note - if you are applying for a role within Police custody, due to Police Vetting requirements you must have been a UK resident for the last years.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.