Clinical Lead Liaison Psychiatry

Devon Partnership NHS Trust; Exeter; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional health authority in Exeter seeks a Clinical Lead to join the Liaison Psychiatry Service. The successful candidate will provide clinical leadership, undertake specialist mental health assessments, and ensure high standards of care. The role requires strong clinical knowledge, risk assessment skills, and the ability to work autonomously. A degree in a relevant field and training in therapeutic interventions are essential. Working hours include a mixture of shifts, ensuring the provision of 24/7 mental health service.

Benefits

Flexible working applications considered

Development opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a Band 6 role or above.
• Strong knowledge of mental health disorders and risk management.
• Ability to make autonomous clinical decisions.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership within Liaison Psychiatry.
• Undertake specialist mental health assessments.
• Support and develop practitioners through clinical supervision.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Mental health assessment

Risk assessment and management

Autonomous decision-making

Therapeutic communication

Education

Degree or Diploma in relevant qualification

Training in relevant interventions (e.g., CBT)

Job description

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is seeking an experienced and motivated Band 7 Clinical Lead to join the Liaison Psychiatry Service based at the District General Hospital in Exeter. This is a Clinical Lead role, not a Practice Lead role, with a clear expectation that the post holder will provide visible clinical leadership, lead on clinical excellence and role model best practice across Liaison Psychiatry pathways.

The service provides a 24/7 specialist mental health assessment, consultation and intervention service for adults aged 18 and over who present to, or are admitted within, the acute hospital. A significant proportion of referrals involve self-harm, suicidal behaviours, complex mental health needs, medically unexplained symptoms and long-term health conditions.

The post holder will work clinically within a shift rotation, including out-of-hours provision, comprising a mixture of twilight shifts (4pm to midnight, Monday to Friday) and weekend working on an every-other-weekend pattern.

The role requires the ability to make autonomous clinical decisions, promoting positive risk taking in line with Trust policy, while ensuring safe, timely, personalised and recovery-focused care. You will represent Devon Partnership Trust within the acute hospital setting, supporting effective partnership working and contributing to high-quality patient outcomes.

Main duties of the job

• Provide clinical leadership within Liaison Psychiatry, ensuring high standards of assessment, formulation, intervention and decision-making across assigned clinical pathways.
• Act as a visible role model for clinical excellence, autonomous practice and positive risk management in line with Trust policies and professional standards.
• Undertake specialist mental health assessments and interventions for adults presenting within the acute hospital, including complex presentations involving self-harm and suicidal behaviours.
• Lead on quality improvement, audit activity, and compliance with CQC and PLAN accreditation standards, ensuring learning from incidents, complaints and compliments informs practice.
• Support and develop practitioners through clinical supervision, education and day-to-day professional leadership, fostering a therapeutic and safe clinical environment.
• Provide specialist consultation, advice and liaison to acute hospital clinicians, contributing to complex decision-making and integrated care pathways.
• Contribute to service development, training delivery and strengthening professional links across the acute and mental health systems.
• Work clinically within a rotational shift pattern, including twilight and weekend working, contributing to the 24/7 Liaison Psychiatry service.

This is a purely clinical leadership role with no expectation to deputise for the Team Manager or undertake Practice Lead responsibilities.

About us

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.

We would encourage making contact with the Service Manager for more information on this role.

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Knowledge of key areas of mental health practice / Specialist knowledge of mental health disorders.
• Knowledge of risk assessment and management, particularly in relation to suicide / Knowledge of the clinical and demographic risk factors associated with suicide and self-harm.
• Knowledge of risk assessment and clinical management in relation to dementia, delirium and depression in older adults.
• Knowledge of complex health and social care systems and how these integrate to ensure the right treatment at the right time.
• Application of teaching theory into practice.
• Ability to undertake a lone comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessment and formulation leading to robust discharge goal based care packages.
• Sufficient clinical knowledge to be able to make autonomous decisions, based on an analysis of complex presenting problems and judgement about available options.

Qualifications

• Evidence of commitment to life-long learning and continuing professional development.
• Educated to degree or Diploma level in relevant qualification.
• Liaison Psychiatry Core Competency Framework.
• Training in relevant interventions (e.g. Solution Focussed Brief Therapy, CBT).

Experience

• Significant number of years in Band 6 equivalent clinical role or above.
• Significant experience is completing biopsychological assessments and provide intervention with a range of mental health presentations.
• Ability to complete robust risk assessments and formulate safety plans.
• Evidence of working therapeutically with individuals.
• Ability to interpret research and apply to practice.
• Delivery of training through a range of means including presentations.
• Experience of working within Liaison Psychiatry.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.