Liaison and Diversion Practitioner

The Methodist Church in Britain; West Wick; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

Wellbeing resources and support

Job summary

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust seeks a professional to assess vulnerabilities and risks within police custody suites and courts. The role involves identifying unmet needs, offering referrals, and liaising across agencies to support planning and interventions, including brief community-based work and informing sentencing decisions.

Suitable qualifications include RMN or social work. The post requires a degree or equivalent experience and recognition as a health/social care

Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant subject or demonstrable evidence/experience relevant to the field.
• Recognised professional qualification such as RMN, learning disability nurse, social worker or occupational therapist.

Responsibilities

• Assess a range of vulnerabilities using validated tools.
• Assess risk and share information so people can access appropriate services and so the safety of clients and others is managed.
• Provide assessments to people in the criminal justice system in police custody suites and courts across Lancashire and Cumbria.
• Identify unmet need and vulnerabilities that lead to or worsen offending, and offer referrals.

Skills

Mental health knowledge

Criminal justice knowledge

Health screening tools interpretation

Education

Degree in relevant subject or demonstrable experience

Tools

Electronic records

Job description

This role sits in the Liaison and Diversion Team at Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, working in police custody suites and magistrates courts. The core work is identifying unmet need, screening, assessing risk with validated tools and referring people on to other services. It also includes brief community-based intervention and informing sentencing decisions, with assessments covering capacity, social circumstances and vulnerabilities. Fit depends on a degree or equivalent experience and a recognised professional qualification such as RMN or social work.

What the job involves

• Assess a range of vulnerabilities using validated tools
• Assess risk and share relevant information so people can access appropriate services and so the safety of clients and others is managed
• Provide assessments to people in the criminal justice system in police custody suites and courts across Lancashire and Cumbria, including voluntary attendees
• Identify unmet need and vulnerabilities that lead to or worsen offending, and offer referral and signposting
• Liaise across agencies to support onward planning and intervention
• Provide brief community-based intervention to help people access and engage with services
• Give timely, relevant information to decision makers to support sentencing and disposal outcomes
• Give an opinion on a person's capacity to take part effectively in criminal justice procedures
• Assess cultural and gender needs, and age and development needs including transition to adulthood and older person needs
• Assess social circumstances, including relationships, leisure, daily living, education, employment, housing and finance

Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant subject, or demonstrable evidence or equivalent experience relevant to the field
• Recognised professional qualification such as RMN, learning disability nurse, social worker or occupational therapist

Experience

• Initial assessment of health and social needs
• Assessment of risk to self and others
• Timely and accurate documentation on electronic records

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge of mental health issues and/or learning disability
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system, including the roles and responsibilities of staff within it
• Knowledge of using and interpreting health screening tools

What’s offered

• Flexible working options such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi-time
• Wellbeing resources, tools and support