AMHP - Approved Mental Health Professional

Overview

Are you a qualified Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) looking for an opportunity to make a real difference in people's lives during times of crisis? We are seeking dedicated and experienced professionals to join our highly respected Out of Hours AMHP Service, providing vital support across the county.

As part of our centralised and collaborative service, you will play a crucial role in ensuring individuals receive timely, person-centred and legally compliant Mental Health Act (MHA) assessments when they need them most. We are committed to delivering an outstanding service that balances the needs of some of our most vulnerable residents with the wellbeing, development and support of our workforce.

Working alongside a skilled and supportive team, you will have the opportunity to contribute to a service that is recognised for its professionalism, partnership working and commitment to continuous improvement. Whether you are seeking a flexible sessional role or a permanent position with greater leadership responsibilities, this is an excellent opportunity to further your AMHP career within a forward-thinking organisation.

We currently have the following opportunities available:

2 Permanent AMHP (Out of Hours) roles:

• 1 Full-Time position
• 1 Part-Time position (18 hours per week)

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

About the role

You will be part of the out of hours AMHP service in Buckinghamshire and undertake duty shifts from our base at the Whiteleaf Centre in Aylesbury.

You will be responsible for taking and processing requests for Mental Health Act assessments (MHAAs) and following these up in a timely manner.

You will work closely with our health service colleagues under the current Section 75 arrangement.

You will play a key role in developing and maintaining effective partnerships with a range of stakeholders, including inpatient services, community mental health teams, the police and ambulance services.

You will help promote a person centred, social care focus in your work and be expected to an active integration of the national AMHP competences in your practice.

Fixed
As a ‘fixed’ worker, you’ll spend most of your time in the same location, which will likely be a fixed office or location where your role is performed. Typically, you’ll be based in the same location as the rest of your team, because you provide a particular service from that fixed location or need access to information there.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Significant post-registration experience (at least 12 months) within a mental health, learning disabilities, or adult social care setting.
• Registered and approved as an AMHP
• Proven experience of working collaboratively with professionals and partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes for individuals.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the Mental Health Act, associated legislation and the Mental Health Act Code of Practice.
• A strong understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and experience of identifying and appropriately escalating safeguarding concerns.

For further information about the role and person specification, please refer to the attached role profile.

Other information

For an informal discussion about the role, terms and conditions please contact – David Glover-Wright, team manager [email protected]

Closing date: Sunday 23rd August 2026. 

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Our values

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:
• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/