Liaison & Diversion Practitioner

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A public healthcare organization in the UK is seeking a Liaison & Diversion Practitioner to enhance access to health services for individuals in the criminal justice system. The ideal candidate should be a qualified healthcare professional with experience in mental health and support services, working collaboratively to manage cases and ensure effective information sharing among agencies. Competitive salary range from £38,682 to £46,580 per annum, with a commitment to staff wellbeing and professional development.

Benefits

Comprehensive occupational health services

Career development opportunities

Employee-led networks for diversity and inclusion

Qualifications

• Experience of direct clinical work with a range of social and health needs.
• Experience in risk assessments/management.
• Knowledge of health, social care, and criminal justice systems.

Responsibilities

• Conduct vulnerability assessments and risk evaluations.
• Support service users throughout the justice system.
• Liaise with community services for support access.

Skills

Communication skills

Multi-agency working

Experience with mental health issues

Ability to manage stress

Organisational skills

Non-judgmental approach

Education

Registered with relevant professional body (e.g., NMC, HCPC)

Job description

Liaison & Diversion Practitioner

The closing date is 16 December 2025

We are looking for innovative and motivated Health/Social Care professionals to work in the Liaison and Diversion Service. The service covers Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County and we're based in Nottingham Custody Suite, Mansfield Custody Suite, Nottingham Magistrate Court and Nottingham Crown Court. The service runs over 7 days providing cover in the police stations from 8am - 8pm.

The L&D Service aims to improve the access to, and engagement with, services for people coming into contact with the criminal justice system (court, police custody etc.). Whilst not a service which provides long term clinical interventions, the L&D Service offers liaison, advocacy, signposting and short term support to those coming into contact with the criminal justice system to support engagement in community‑based health and support services. This approach aims to support the wellbeing of people being arrested to reduce inequalities and address health‑related drivers of offending behaviours. We are an all vulnerability all age service providing care for people from age 10 upwards.

If you would like a challenge and the opportunity to be an inclusive, creative practitioner, this job may be for you.

Main duties of the job

The team is made up of Nurses, Social Workers, Support Workers, Peer Support Workers, Speech and Language Therapist and Psychologist. We work with and support our service users from the earliest point of contact with Criminal Justice Agencies and, if required, up to the point of sentencing and, in some cases, beyond. The services assess and formulate an initial plan of care within the time frames of the PACE clock in custody and into the community. To ensure robust support and information sharing, the team liaise with services and share information to ensure the best care is provided safely in the immediate environment and onwards into the community/court/prison. The service has some capacity for staff to carry a small community caseload, involving collaboratively working with service users in the community providing assessments and support into services where needs are identified.

Suitable applicants will be a qualified RMN/RNLD, Occupational Therapist/AHP or Social Worker and have experience of working with people with mental health problems, particularly working with service users with complex presentations/engagement issue.

About us

TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.

We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We offer a variety of employee‑led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

The health and wellbeing of our colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in‑house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.

The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net‑zero commitment.

Job responsibilities

This service has several L&D Practitioners, and you will be one of these working in the team in supporting assessments and holding a small caseload of service users to ultimately improve health and social outcomes for children and adults who are in contact with the criminal justice system, ensuring good information sharing across agencies.

Assessment - Completion of all vulnerability assessments, highlighting factors that impact on the wellbeing of a child or adult within the criminal justice service. Due to the nature of the people, we work with, skill and experience in undertaking risk assessments is essential.

Active engagement & Caseload - Assertive follow up and support through the justice system and encourage engagement within a service user population who often experience stigma and discrimination leading to significant impact on engagement.

Develop good working relationships - To effectively liaise and develop links with services within the criminal justice services and, in the community, to establish effective pathways. Referring, liaising and supporting adults and children access relevant services and support to services within health, social care, third sector agencies and Criminal Justice agencies. Supporting the team to provide awareness training for a range of services and agencies working within the Criminal Justice Pathway i.e. Police, court staff, probation and youth offending teams.

Appointed applicants will have access to robust clinical and managerial supervision and career development opportunities. The service is committed to ensuring the staff in the team are well equipped to work with the complex service users accessing the service and so training is well supported and there is a range of access to robust supervision.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.

A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Well‑developed skills to communicate effectively, both written and orally, both within and outside the NHS.
• Interface of the Health, Social Care and Criminal Justice Systems.
• Knowledge and understanding of the risks, concerns and responsibilities/duties in relation to safeguarding.
• Awareness and understanding of confidentiality and professional responsibilities.
• Understanding, and experience of, the importance of maintaining boundaries in the workplace.
• Mental Health/Human Rights Act/systems & legislation

Experience

• Experience of direct clinical work with people with a range of social and health needs, inclusive of mental health/learning disability.
• Experience of risk assessments/management.
• Working with vulnerabilities – working with a broad, diverse range of individuals.
• Using computerised systems.
• Multi‑agency working.
• Experience in working within the Criminal Justice setting.

Skills

• Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and hold the stress/distress of others.
• Ability to balance competing service demands.
• To have a non‑judgmental approach towards people within the criminal justice system and/or those with vulnerabilities.
• Skill in forming and maintaining positive working relationships.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Prioritising and organisation skills.
• Ability to manage and seek support for own wellbeing.
• Experience in delivery of training

Values and Behaviours

• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Values: Trust, Honesty, Respect, Compassion, Teamwork.
• All colleagues are expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and how it applies to their role. The Trust's expectations are highlighted within our EDI Policy, and associated EDI and Human Rights legislation.

Physical requirements

• Ability to undertake relevant mandatory training and engage in the management of violence and aggression to break‑away level, commensurate to the role.
• Requirement to use a computer for significant periods on occasions.
• Requirement to travel around the community to different locations.

Qualifications

• Registered with relevant professional body e.g. NMC, HCPC

Contractual requirements

• Ability to adapt to changing services and be flexible in approach.
• A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.

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.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum (pro rata for part time)