When you picture a nurse, do you think of someone taking blood pressure or helping patients recovering from serious surgery? While this type of nurse certainly exists, there are also nurses who deal with the more unseen areas of health - the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that can so often be overlooked or ignored. This is the world of the mental health nurse, where the focus lies more on rebuilding a person's sense of self and mental stability than healing any broken bones. It’s one of many types of nursing practised across the UK, each with its own training path and specialisms, such as pediatric nursing.
In the following article, we'll be taking an in-depth look at the topic of mental health nursing. We'll talk about what the job involves, the qualifications needed to become one, and the kind of salary you're likely to earn in 2025. So sit back, relax, and join the team at Superprof as we guide you through all the details you need to know to develop a successful career as a mental health nurse.
| Type of Nurse | Key Responsibilities | Average Salary (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Nurse | Support people living with conditions such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Work in hospitals, secure units, or community settings. Deliver therapy, monitor medication, and build long-term patient relationships. | £28,000 – £52,000 (senior roles up to £50K+, London weighting may apply) |
| Adult Nurse | Care for adults with a wide range of physical health conditions. Provide treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term support in hospitals, GP practices, and community care. | £28,000 – £34,000 |
| Children’s Nurse | Work with babies, children, and teenagers across wards, clinics, and community teams. Provide specialist care and emotional support for young patients and their families. | £28,000 – £34,000 |
| Learning Disability Nurse | Help people with learning disabilities live fulfilling, independent lives. Support with physical health, mental wellbeing, and social inclusion in schools, homes, and community services. | £28,000 – £35,000 |
What is a Mental Health Nurse?
“The desire to help people through their darkest moments, and be a steady presence in someone’s recovery journey… It’s a calling to offer compassion, understanding and support to those who often feel unheard or forgotten
Nurse Stuart O’Neill
Simply put, a mental health nurse is a type of nurse who works on the front line of psychological care. Their main role is to help people of all ages deal with or overcome mental health struggles. This could range from mild social anxiety and depression, all the way to serious conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Mental health nurses often work in places you might not expect. For example, alongside the obvious places like hospitals and psychiatric wards, they can also be found in care homes, primary and secondary schools, and even in prisons.
| Setting | Who They Support |
|---|---|
| Hospitals & Psychiatric Wards | Adults and older patients with acute or long-term conditions, including crisis cases. |
| Care Homes | Residents with dementia, depression, or age-related mental health needs. |
| GP Practices | Patients referred by GPs for ongoing management of conditions like anxiety or bipolar disorder. |
| Schools & Colleges | Children and teenagers dealing with anxiety, eating disorders, or behavioural difficulties. |
| Prisons & Secure Units | Offenders with complex needs, including personality disorders or substance misuse issues. |
| Community Teams | People requiring long-term support outside hospital; individuals reintegrating into daily life. |
| Patient Homes | Vulnerable individuals who need support in their own environment, often to build trust and independence. |
What Do Mental Health Nurses Do?
If you asked a group of mental health nurses what their day looks like, you'd probably get a bunch of different answers. Similar to other nursing roles, like paediatric nursing, the work is constantly changing. Below, we've written down some of the most common tasks and responsibilities expected of NHS mental health nurses to help you get a better idea of what the job actually involves.
Not so long ago, mental health care in the UK often meant being placed in a large institution, sometimes for years, with little chance of patients getting their lives on track. Fortunately, nowadays modern mental health nursing is largely focused on keeping each patient's dignity while supporting them to recover or manage their condition so they can live as independently as possible.
How Do You Become a Mental Health Nurse in the UK?
Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing
Pele
Keen to become a mental health nurse yourself? If so, you'll need to dedicate yourself to several years of training, academic study, and supervised practice before you're trusted to support people in mental health care.
Here in the UK, every nurse must work towards completing an NMC-approved nursing degree and then register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) once qualified. Confused about where to start? Don't worry, this section outlines it all in an easy-to-follow way, breaking down each step bit by bit.
Are There Any Other Training Routes into Mental Health Nursing?
Although the most common way to qualify is through a three-year undergraduate degree, it's not the only option available to you. In fact, in recent years, the NHS has widened access to nursing by creating various pathways for both medical nurses and mental health nurses, making it much easier to train while already working or to switch careers later in life. Check out our handy chart to learn more about this.
| Route | Length | How It Works | Who It Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing Degree Apprenticeship | Around 4 years | Employed as a healthcare support worker while completing your degree part-time. Training is split between paid work and university study. | People who want to earn a salary while training, or those already working in healthcare. |
| Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA) → Nurse | 2 years (TNA) + 2 years (top-up degree) | Begin as a Nursing Associate in the NHS, then complete a shorter 'top-up' degree to become a registered nurse. | Healthcare support staff wanting to progress step by step into full nursing registration. |
| Postgraduate Accelerated Programme (PgDip/MA) | 2 years | For graduates in psychology, biology, or related subjects. Condensed programme that meets NMC requirements in a shorter time frame. | Career changers who already have an undergraduate degree and want a quicker route into nursing. |
No, not really, the term psychiatric nurse is older and was more commonly used when most mental health care took place in psychiatric hospitals or asylums. Now the official term is Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN).
How Much Do Mental Health Nurses Earn?
Pay for mental health nurses in the UK is set by the NHS's Agenda for Change system, which essentially places staff into salary bands linked to overall experience and responsibility.
In general, most new nurses will begin at band 5 after qualifying, with opportunities to move up quickly to the next band as they take on more responsibility or work towards becoming an advanced nurse practitioner. By the time you manage to reach band 7 or band 8, your overall salary should be a lot higher, especially if you've moved on to become an advanced practice nurse or qualified for a leadership role in the same vein.
| Band | Typical Role | Career Stage | Salary Range (2025–26, England) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 5 | Staff Nurse | Newly qualified nurse, usually during preceptorship year | £31,049 – £37,796 |
| Band 6 | Specialist Nurse, Community Nurse, Deputy Ward Manager | 2–5 years’ experience, often with specialist training (e.g. CAMHS, forensics, dementia care) | £38,682 – £46,580 |
| Band 7 | Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Ward/Team Leader | Senior nurse managing staff, leading services, or working in advanced practice roles | £47,810 – £54,710 |
| Band 8a | Matron, Service Manager | Management/leadership of a department or service | £55,690 – £63,320 |
| Band 8b | Senior Manager, Head of Nursing | Overseeing multiple teams or services | £64,000 – £73,000 |
| Band 8c–8d | Consultant Nurse, Director of Nursing | Strategic leadership at trust or regional level | £74,000 – £105,000+ |
Being a mental health nurse in the NHS also comes with a few juicy extras. For example, all workers are given a solid holiday allowance that grows the longer you work, rising from 27 days a year to more than thirty after long enough in service. On top of that, the NHS pension scheme is one of the most reliable in the country.
Mental Health Nursing Pay in London
Because the cost of living in London is so much higher, nurses in London (no matter whether they're a neonatal or mental health nurse) actually receive a high cost-of-living allowance on top of their basic NHS salary. However, how much you'll be given will depend on where exactly you live in the capital:
- Inner London - an extra 20% of your base salary, usually adding between £5,600 and £8,400 a year. This is the highest supplement and applies to central areas such as Westminster, Camden, and Kensington
- Outer London – an extra 15%, worth roughly £4,700 to £5,900 per year. This applies to boroughs just beyond the city centre
- Fringe London – an extra 5%, up to about £2,000 per year, covering areas on the very edge of the capital
To put this into context, imagine you're a qualified band 5 mental health nurse starting on around 32,000 a year. With this allowance applied, you could potentially be taking upwards of 40,000 a year instead, although you of course have to factor in the higher cost of living.
Sources and References
- Agenda for change pay rates - https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/working-health/working-nhs/nhs-pay-and-benefits/agenda-change-pay-rates
- Career profile: the psychiatric or mental health nurse - https://online.qmu.ac.uk/blogs/career-profile-the-psychiatric-or-mental-health-nurse/
- NHS explore roles, mental health nurse - https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/nursing/roles-nursing/mental-health-nurse
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