Mental health nurse : Salary and conditions

• Nursing pay scales under the National Health Service (NHS) Agenda for Change  are as follows: Band 5 (newly qualified nurse) £21,176 - £27,625; Band 6 (specialist nurse) £25,528 - £34,189; Band 7 (advanced nurse) £30,460 - £40,157; Bands 8 A - C (nurse consultant) £38,851 - £67,134.
• Extra allowances of 5% - 20 % are payable in the London area, depending on the proximity to inner London.
• Working hours are typically 37.5 hours per week. This may include evenings, weekends and bank holidays. In residential and hospital settings 24-hour care is usually required, meaning shift work is typical. Nurses working in the community are more likely to have regular hours although some carry out on-call duties for emergency situations. 
• The vast majority of mental health care is now community-based, with some functions provided by health care or social care assistants.
• It is common for mature graduates to enter nursing (including mental health nursing) and many do so as a second career.
• Vacancies occur throughout the UK, particularly in the main urban areas. Specialties, such as child and adolescent mental health services and inpatient services, sometimes experience skills shortages.
• A positive work/life balance may be difficult to maintain due to the level of personal commitment and working patterns required. In spite of widespread 'zero tolerance' policies, there is a risk of exposure to violence by patients in some environments. Paperwork is also on the increase, partly in response to the threat of litigation.
• The need for overnight absence from home is dependent on the nature of the post and shift patterns. Travel during the working day is common for CPNs.

Salary data from NHS Careers. Salary figures are intended as a guide only.