Mental health nurse

Your role is to promote and support a person’s recovery, helping them live independent and fulfilling lives. 

Why choose mental health nursing

There are many reasons why you should consider a career as a mental health nurse. It offers you the chance to make a difference, a high degree of flexibility and a career with excellent employment prospects. 

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Working life 

Your role is to build effective relationships with people who use mental health services, and also with their relatives and carers. You might help one person to take their medication correctly while advising another about relevant therapies or social activities. 

Success comes from being able to establish trusting relationships quickly and to help individuals understand their situation and get the best possible outcome. You'll be trained about the legal context of your work and also be able to identify whether and when someone may be at risk of harming themselves or someone else.

You'll usually based in hospitals, for example on a psychiatric ward or specialist unit, or in the community where you could work in a community health centre or in someone's home. If you work in a residential setting, you may do shifts and provide 24-hour care.

You'll work as part of a team which includes GPs, psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, arts therapists and healthcare assistants.

Cherie Lawrence

Mental health nurse and clinical team leader
I also love that I have a guaranteed job for life, which I enjoy – a lot of my friends are jealous!

Entry requirements

To become a mental health nurse the main route is through a degree course at university. Entry requirements for these courses can vary depending on where and how you’d like to study so it's important to check with universities. You can find a mental health nursing courses at the bottom of this page. 

Typically you'll need a minimum of five GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, possibly in English language or literature and a science subject, plus two A levels or equivalent level 3 qualifications, such as a T level or BTEC for an undergraduate degree. Some universities may ask for three A levels or equivalent. If you already have a degree, you might be able to study for a postgraduate qualification. 

There are other routes into mental health nursing such as nurse degree apprenticeships and nursing associate apprenticeships.

Annual payments 

If you're eligible, you'll receive at least £6,000 a year towards your studies while at university. Your personal circumstances may mean you could receive more. And the good news? You'll never have to pay it back. Find out more. 

Other routes into mental health nursing

Nursing degree apprenticeships are available with some employers and numbers are expected to continue to grow. Increasing opportunities to apply for nursing associate apprenticeships are also expected. This can lead to nursing degrees or nurse degree apprenticeships. 

Must have skills 

Don’t forget - academic qualifications aren’t everything. Communication and interpersonal skills are crucial, as well as strong judgement, be able to teach advise and manage people. 

If you're applying for a role either directly in the NHS or a university course, you'll be asked to show how you think the values of the NHS Constitution apply in your everyday work. 

Training and career development 

Once you have qualified as a mental health nurse, there are a wide range of opportunities. You could specialise in working with children and adolescents, as a primary mental health worker; or women or in a field such as transcultural psychiatry, looking at how mental disorders and their treatment can be influenced by cultural and ethnic factors. You may want to work or move into management, teaching or clinical research. 

Pay and benefits 

Your standard working week will be around 37.5 hours on shift pattern which can include nights, early starts, evenings, weekends and bank holidays.  As a mental health nurse, you’ll be paid on the Agenda for Change (AFC) pay system, typically starting at band 5.

You’ll also have access to our generous pension scheme and health service discounts, as well as 27 days of annual leave plus bank holidays.

  • Displaying 1 - 5 of 184 matches

    Nursing (Adult and Mental Health)

    Edge Hill University

    View course Opens in a new window
    • Qualification
      Master of Science (with Honours) - Msci (Hon)
      Study mode
      Full-time
      Duration of the course
      4 Years
      Leading to a career in
      Nursing (Adult), Nursing (Mental Health)
    • Contact details
      [email protected]
      +44 (0)1695 657000
    • Region
      North West
      Admissions address
      St Helens Road
      Ormskirk
      L39 4QP
      United Kingdom

    Nursing (Adult and Mental Health)

    Robert Gordon University

    View course Opens in a new window
    • Qualification
      Bachelor of Science (with Honours) - BSc (Hons)
      Study mode
      Full-time
      Duration of the course
      4 Years
      Leading to a career in
      Nursing (Adult), Nursing (Mental Health)
    • Contact details
      [email protected]
      01224 262728
    • Region
      Scotland
      Admissions address
      Garthdee House
      Garthdee Road
      Aberdeen
      AB10 7QB
      United Kingdom

    Nursing Adult and Mental Health

    University of Southampton

    View course Opens in a new window
    • Qualification
      Master of Nursing - MN
      Study mode
      Full-time
      Duration of the course
      4 Years
      Leading to a career in
      Nursing (Adult), Nursing (Mental Health)
    • Contact details
      [email protected]
      023 8059 5500
    • Region
      South East
      Admissions address
      Highfield
      Southampton
      SO17 1BJ
      United Kingdom

    Adult and Mental Health Nursing (pre-registration) MSc

    City, University of London

    View course Opens in a new window
    • Qualification
      Master of Science - MSc (PG)
      Study mode
      Full-time
      Duration of the course
      3 Years
      Leading to a career in
      Nursing (Adult), Nursing (Mental Health)
    • Contact details
      020 7040 8716
    • Region
      London
      Admissions address
      The Admissions Office
      Northampton Square
      London
      EC1V 0HB
      United Kingdom

    Nursing - Adult and Mental Health (Dual Award)

    Birmingham City University

    View course Opens in a new window
    • Qualification
      Master of Science - MSci
      Study mode
      Full-time
      Duration of the course
      4 Years
      Leading to a career in
      Nursing (Adult), Nursing (Mental Health)
    • Contact details
      [email protected]
      0121 331 6295
    • Region
      West Midlands
      Admissions address
      Westbourne Road
      Birmingham
      B15 3TN
      United Kingdom
  • If you can't find a vacancy in your area, visit NHS Jobs where you can find a more detailed search. 

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