Liaison and Diversion Practitioner

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT); Peterborough; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) is recruiting a Band 6 Mental Health Nurse for the Liaison and Diversion Service. The post involves working in police custodies and magistrates' courts, screening and assessing service users and diverting where appropriate, with travel across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

The role requires autonomous working, strong risk assessment skills, and collaboration with police, court and probation staff.

Qualifications

• NMC registration and post-registration training relevant to Liaison and Diversion.
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD).
• Mentorship course or professional equivalent completed.
• Experience with multidisciplinary teamwork and risk assessments.

Responsibilities

• Screen and assess service users in police custody and courts.
• Divert individuals to appropriate services when no public protection issues.
• Provide vulnerability screening and risk management in custody.
• Deliver teaching and awareness sessions with partners and maintain partnership working.

Skills

Clear communication

Autonomy

Decision making

Conflict management

Time management

Willingness to travel

Education

NMC registration

Post-registration training

CPD evidence

Mentorship course completed

Job description

Please note: A police vetting check is required for this post. This is completed by Cambridgeshire Constabulary and is a thorough background and security screening which checks on Criminal record and History, Financial Status, Personal Associations, Digital footprint and Residency.

An exciting opportunity has become available for a qualified Band 6 Mental Health Nurse to join Cambridgeshire Liaison and Diversion Service, who support people with vulnerabilities, of all ages who find themselves in the criminal justice system.

Practitioners are based in courts and police custody units across the county. Their role is to screen and assess service users of all ages and where appropriate divert them out of the criminal justice system where there are no public protection issues.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be working in police custodies and the Magistrates courts across the county, and will either be based in Cambridge or Peterborough. This may also include visiting rural areas to ensure that there is an equitable service for all service users to access.

The role will include working in host environments, working at times autonomously from the main team but with the support from police, court and probation staff.

Please note for this role you will be required to travel independently around the county meeting strict time deadlines. You will need to hold a full UK driving licence* and have use of a vehicle. You cannot use public transport for this role as this is not a reliable form of transport and will not allow you to meet service needs.

*DVLA have a number of reciprocal arrangements with overseas countries, for further information please visit the DVLA website

Working for our organisation

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting and empowering them to lead fulfilling lives.

Our clinical teams deliver a wide range of NHS services across inpatient, primary care and community settings, including children’s, adult and older people’s mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, and research and development.

To achieve our goals, we recruit high calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities’ employer, we welcome applications from all sections of the community, particularly under represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

All appointments are subject to the successful completion of a probationary period.

Please note we reserve the right to close adverts early should we receive sufficient applications.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all roles. If you apply for a post that does not attract sponsorship, your application will be withdrawn from the process.

For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at https://www.cpft.nhs.uk

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

• The successful candidate will be working predominantly within Police custodies and courts across the county offering vulnerability screens to individuals who become involved in the criminal pathway.
• They will also help with support and advise partners that the team work closely with in the management of risk while in custody.
• The aim is to assess and then signpost to appropriate services and divert out of the criminal justice system where there are no public protection issues.
• The role also includes teaching and awareness sessions to all key partners and to ensure that there is robust partnership working at all times.

Person specification

Education /Qualifications

• NMC Professional Registration
• Post registration training relevant to the service area
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Completion of mentorship course or professional equivalent

Experience

• Experience of multidisciplinary working
• Experience of working in mental health settings as well as working with service users will a range of vulnerabilities such as drug and alcohol, homelessness and physical health issues
• Experience of partnership working across various statutory and non statutory teams and agencies
• Experience of conducting clinical assessments including risk assessments
• Experience of supervising junior staff
• Understanding of mental health challenges
• Experience of working within the criminal justice systems such as custody and courts

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrable commitment and enthusiasm for working with an all age service
• Able to assess people with complex vulnerabilities
• Able to record information clearly and accurately
• Clear communication skills both written and verbal
• Able to work autonomously and have the confidence to make clinical decisions
• Able to manage conflict and change
• Able to manage pressure of working in an intensive environment
• Able to undertake/seek out supervision as required
• Able to liaise with and establish close links with range of people and professionals
• Evidence of Continuing professional development
• An awareness of the criminal justice systems and the National programme for Liaison and diversion
• Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act (1983 / 2007) Knowledge of relevant professional Standards Working knowledge of Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Children Act (1989)
• Knowledge of the role and purpose of clinical supervision
• Working knowledge and understanding of safeguarding
• A working Knowledge of Nationally approved assessment and screening tools for all age groups with mental health and other vulnerabilities such as homelessness, physical health, drug and alcohol misuse
• A good working knowledge of youth and criminal justice systems

Other

• Routine and regular use of computer
• Post holder must be able to travel across all Trust and criminal justice sites across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire therefore must be independently mobile
• Be able to work flexibly and within the rota of a service which delivers an 8-8 service seven days a week.
• Demonstrable commitment to continuing professional development

Here at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) we are dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion. We deliver many of the NHS services that are provided outside of hospital and in the community such as physical, mental health and specialist services.

We are a health and social care organisation, offering a wide range of services, including:

• Integrated physical and mental health services for adults and older people;
• Specialist mental health and learning disability services;
• Children’s community services in Peterborough;
• Ground-breaking research

We strongly encourage applications from all sections of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people and members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities. For further information about our positive equality, diversity and Inclusion work, please visit https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/equalityanddiversity .

CPFT is looking to build upon its pool of temporary workers with Temporary Staffing Services (TSS). You will be asked at interview if you would be willing to register with TSS. This is an excellent opportunity for those looking to take on additional hours that are flexible around your personal circumstances.

Please be advised that in line with the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List, 2020 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust currently are unable to accept applications from overseas candidates whose country of residence is classed as a ‘Red List’ country.

Applicants who require entry into the UK will be required to provide a valid police certificate from the relevant authority from each country (except the UK) where the applicant has been present for 12 months or more, 10 years before the date of visa application, while aged 18 or over.

If you are successful at interview you will be subject to pre-employment checks, including a DBS (if appropriate), references and Occupational Health. To ensure a smooth process please bring all identity documents to your interview. A list of required identity documents will be attached to your interview invitation.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.