Complex Emotional Needs Pathway Operational LeadNHS AfC: Band 8a

Job overview

Are you passionate about ensuring better outcomes for people with complex emotional needs? An exciting opportunity has arisen for a suitably qualified Mental Health Practitioner who is highly experienced in working with service users with complex emotional needs. You will provide operational leadership in the development, implementation, delivery and evaluation of the Complex Emotional Needs (CEN) Pathway, working in collaboration with service users, carers, front line staff, clinical leads and operational managers across services for Bradford, Aire Wharfe and Craven.

Closing Date: 1st November 2026 at midnight

Shortlisting Date: 4th November 2026

Interview Date: 18th November 2026

Main duties of the job

• Lead the operational delivery and implementation of the Complex Emotional Needs (CEN) Pathway, ensuring safe, effective and recovery-focused care.
• Work closely with the CEN Clinical Lead, clinical leads, operational managers and partner agencies to support pathway development and delivery.
• Support the delivery of a sustainable system-wide training programme for the CEN Pathway.
• Contribute to a standardised framework for individuals with high-intensity service use.
• Develop and implement multi-agency response plans for high-risk and high-frequency service users.
• Support the reduction of inappropriate Section 136 detentions, unnecessary A&E attendances and avoidable hospital admissions through coordinated care planning.
• Act as Clinical Lead for Structured Clinical Management (SCM).
• Coordinate, deliver and supervise SCM within the CEN Pathway, ensuring compliance with governance and best practice standards.
• Provide consultation, supervision and training to staff supporting the pathway and SCM delivery.
• Hold operational management responsibility for CEN Practitioners.
• Maintain clinical expertise through the provision of direct clinical care in line with evidence-based SCM practice.

Working for our organisation

Everything we do is underpinned by our core values: -

We Care - We act with respect and empathy, and always value difference

We Listen - We understand people’s views and respond to their individual needs

We Deliver - We develop and provide excellent services and support our partners

We will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements to enable staff to balance their work and home lives and support staff by offering a fantastic range of benefits including :

Increase mileage rates for > 4500

A wide range of health and wellbeing support packages

A range of internal and external development and learning opportunities

Plus many more.

We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.

Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. It is in the candidate’s best interest to apply as soon as possible

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please read the attached Job description and person specification for further details about this role.

Right to Work in the UK

Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.

Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trust’s eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.

As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.

Person specification

Qualification

Essential criteria

• BSc or MSc in a core profession (Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Social work). or Doctorate level training in clinical or applied psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical, psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology. If *BSc - working towards or prepared to undertake a master’s degree programme. AND Registration with a professional body e.g. Health & Care Professions Council, NMC, Social Work England OR Specialist post graduate training to masters level or equivalent in a psychotherapeutic modality - including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Systemic Therapy AND Accreditation from a recognised Psychological Therapy body e.g. BABCP,BACP (accredited membership), UKCP, HCPC via: (a) Professional route; requiring previous mental health qualification e.g. Clin. Psych., RMN, Dip. SW. or (b) where applicable, the KSA (knowledge, skills and attitude) route.

Desirable criteria

• Leadership Qualification

Training

Essential criteria

• Completion of SCM Basic Training and ongoing professional development and attendance at 12 group supervision sessions, with presentation of clinical material in at least five
• Demonstrated competence in SCM assessment, formulation, therapy modules, and collaborative care planning
• Teaching (clinical practice) qualification/certificate or equivalent experience.

Desirable criteria

• SCM Supervisor Training
• Supervision (clinical) qualification/certificate or equivalent experience.
• SCM Supervisor Training

Experience

Essential criteria

• Clinical experience in delivering SCM with a minimum of four patients, covering the Initial, Treatment, and Ending phases
• Significant experience of providing clinical care to people with complex emotional needs and trauma – at least 3 years post qualification
• Experience of Service Development or Clinical/pathway leadership experience.

Desirable criteria

• Clinical experience in delivering SCM with a minimum of eight patients, covering the Initial, Treatment, and Ending phases
• Experience of managing people

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Able to contain, explore and formulate an understanding of high levels of distress both directly with patients and indirectly via supervision or case reviews with other staff.
• Knowledge of best practice approaches in working with CEN, risk assessment and safety planning
• Knowledge of evidenced based psychological therapies.

Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. It is in the candidates best interest to apply as soon as possible.

In view of Home Office Immigration Regulations all applicants must state their current immigration status, including expiry dates.

Bradford District Care Trust is an award-winning Trust that provides a range of innovative services that have been recognised as best practice nationally. As a provider of care for people of all ages who have mental and/or community health needs we are dedicated to providing a high-quality service, close to where people live and as much as possible tailored to an individual’s needs.

The Trust’s purpose is to create connected communities and help people to feel as healthy as they can be at every point in their lives and our vision is to connect people to the best quality care, when and where they need it and be a national role model as an employer and provide our staff with the best place to work.

Bradford has been awarded the coveted status of UK City of Culture 2025. The year is set to deliver more than 1000 new performances and events including 365 artist commissions, a series of major arts festivals as well as exciting national and international collaborations. Its themes will be rooted in the unique heritage and character of Bradford and will reveal the magic of the district that is held in its people, its ambition, and above all, its potential.

We would welcome applicants with lived experience of providing unpaid care and/or support to a family member or friend with a disability, health condition, frailty, mental health problem, addiction or other health and care needs.

We welcome people from all backgrounds and in particular Bradford District Care Trust is keen to reflect the population we serve, we are currently underrepresented in terms of black and minority ethnic staff. Applications are encouraged from these groups, but it must be stressed that selection will be solely on merit and in accordance with the Trust recruitment policy.

BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

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.