Mental health work is a crucial profession within society. While sometimes demanding, careers in mental health allow workers to have the chance to make a huge, positive difference in patients’ lives.
In this guide, we explore the responsibilities of a mental health worker, the potential salaries and career progression. Read on if you’re considering job opportunities in mental health, from community support work to hospital-based psychotherapy or children’s mental health support.
Why start a career in mental health?
There are lots of reasons why pursuing a career in mental health can be a good idea.
First, though, it’s important to understand the context. According to the most recent NHS survey in 2014, a sixth of adults in England experience common problems like anxiety or depression each week, while an older NHS study found around 25% deal with some form of mental health problem each year. 2021 ONS statistics also show mental health difficulties have become more common during the pandemic. And 2021 NHS statistics found that 17.4% of children aged 6-16 likely had a mental disorder – up from 11.6% in 2017.
The causes for these significant numbers are extremely varied, making mental health a complex and common issue that requires professionals with a diverse skill set.
It’s due to these figures that mental health job opportunities are common. The 2014 survey found only 39% of adults aged 16-74 with mental health conditions currently access treatment. And as part of a £1.3 billion investment, the government is looking to add another 21,000 positions in mental health to help drive the sector forward and provide training for new and existing staff – this is a great time to join.
There are many different careers in mental health in the UK, from helping institutionalised individuals improve their quality of life to providing support in the community for people with difficulties navigating day-to-day life.
It’s also a career in which there are often opportunities to move sideways, so people that are just starting out can take time to find out where their talents lie before having to commit to a particular direction.
What does a career in mental health involve?
Although careers in mental health vary significantly, there are some activities common to all of them:
- Face-to-face work – You’ll communicate directly with patients to assess their needs, explain the options available to them and engage in direct therapeutic work, such as teaching cognitive behavioural techniques to people with depressive illnesses.
- Empowerment – With mental health awareness a crucial part of improving health outcomes, you’ll need to provide information to patients and make sure they can access services. This is extremely important when assisting patients in recovery.
- Advocacy – You’ll need to ensure patients’ rights are respected and that their concerns are addressed as effectively as possible. You’ll also likely be helping patients access other services, such as support for physical health problems.
- Resource provision – It’s also important providers have the right information at their fingertips, so you’ll likely be involved in ensuring that local GPs, community organisations and others in a position to help have access to information about mental health problems and the support available.
In many roles, mental health support workers are expected to set their own schedules and do extensive reporting and follow-up work. Therefore, they need to be well-organised and meticulous about dealing with paperwork.
Learn more about what being a mental health nurse involves during the day-to-day with our helpful job description guide. To find out about the many different mental health job opportunities available in the NHS, check out the NHS’s handy resource.
What salaries can mental health workers expect?
According to Randstad statistics, the average annual salary for a mental health worker in the UK is £17,600, with a range of £12,700 to £36,000. This differs significantly depending on the role, though; 2022 Prospects figures for mental health nurses note a range between £25,600 for newly qualified nurses, rising to over £53,000 for experienced nurse consultants.
Most jobs in this sector involve working for around 37.5 hours per week, but there is often part-time work available. Shift work and overtime are common. Rates of pay are often higher for mental health careers in big cities such as London, and in coastal towns where there are a lot of older people who are more likely to require services.
Usually, mental health workers are based in hospitals or within the community. Working in a hospital environment means you can expect to see a higher volume of patients as opposed to working as a community mental health support worker or in a GP setting, where the number of patients will be smaller but treatment will be much more focused.
For more information on what your salary could be with a career in mental health, use our salary calculator.
How can you boost your salary as a mental health worker?
Other than age and experience, the biggest factor influencing rates of pay in the profession is education. Due to there being many unpredictable issues within the field, such as it being common for patients to have more than one kind of problem, wide-ranging experience is particularly welcome.
This means that opportunities to undergo further training should not be missed. Training makes it easier to move into supervisory and, later, management roles. Additionally, mental health workers can also improve their chances of promotion by gaining tangential skills such as record keeping.
What mental health nursing career progression opportunities are there?
From psychotherapy to mental health nursing, career progression is certainly possible within the field.
If you work for a single employer, such as a private company or an NHS trust, pay and job requirements at each career stage will remain linked to the agreement reached in the hiring stage. In the NHS, for example, pay will relate to progression via the band system.
Specific mental health career progression opportunities wholly depend on the specific role; however, training and experience are the most common means of moving up the ladder. If further education and expertise can be gained either through training or the length of time spent on the job, you can be sure opportunities will come your way. If not, moving to a new organisation can increase your chances of attaining better pay at the next level.
Take the next step in your mental health career
A career in mental health is a rewarding and valuable prospect for all sorts of people. If you’re considering moving into the field, be sure to check out our guide to writing a mental health care job cover letter and view our list of common interview questions for mental health jobs. With these resources, you can improve your chances of making a successful application. View our current roles in healthcare and social care today, and please get in touch if you need any help.
