Liaison Psychiatry Practitioner

Dorset Healthcare University Nhs Foundation Trust; Southmoor; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Enhanced pay on weekends/public hols

Relocation package up to £5,000

Job summary

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Liaison Psychiatry Practitioner to join the Dorchester Psychiatric Liaison service. You will assess patients referred from ED and wards, manage crises, and work with the MDT to ensure safe, holistic care.

The role is full-time with weekend and public holiday enhancements, and a generous relocation package is available. The service operates 24/7 with varied shifts; NHS Band 6 scale applies with Agenda for Change.

Qualifications

• Must hold current professional registration (NMC/HCPC) and be able to work autonomously in crisis situations.
• Experience in mental health risk assessment, crisis management and multidisciplinary collaboration is essential.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work with MDT, hospital staff and external agencies.

Responsibilities

• Assess patients referred from ED and hospital wards.
• Provide risk assessment, crisis intervention and care planning.
• Collaborate with MDT and external services to ensure safe discharge and follow-up.

Skills

Risk assessment

Communication skills

Autonomous working

Education

RMN with NMC registration

Occupational Therapist with HCPC registration

Social Worker with HCPC registration

Job description

Job summary

Are you a Registered Mental Health Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker? The Dorchester Psychiatric Liaison service are looking for a dynamic and enthusiastic Liaison Psychiatry Practitioner to join their well-established supportive team. As a Practitioner you will assess patients referred from a variety of sources including the Emergency Department and wards within the hospital. Patients seen may present with mental health problems, self harm, or a psychiatric crisis. You will also work with patients presenting with psychosomatic disorders as well as a variety of psychological issues relating to a physical disorder. You will need to be confident in your risk assessment skills and be able to demonstrate a clear understanding of the legislation, polices and guidance which underpin our clinical practice. You will be required to work autonomously, therefore clinical skills and experience relating to crisis management and assessment are essential. You will need excellent communication and interpersonal skills as you will be required to work affectively with both the multidisciplinary team, our acute colleagues based in the general hospital, other mental health services and external supporting agencies. This post is a full-time role, we would accept part time applications and can be flexible. The service is 24/7 with shift patterns which include weekends, nights, and public holidays.

Weekend and public holidays at enhanced pay!

Main duties of the job

By joining Liaison Psychiatry as a Practitioner you will be offered a comprehensive induction period before starting in the role and be part of a continued developing service. You will be involved in team meetings, case presentations, reflective practice and receive regular group and individual supervision. You will have the opportunity to attend courses which support your individual development and growth as a practitioner in line with the appraisal process.

Shift Patterns available:

• Early - 7:30 - 15:30
• Late - 12:30 - 20:30
• Long day - 7:30 to 20:30
• Nights - 20:00 - 8:00

We welcome informal discussions and visits to meet the team, please contact Golda Devadason, Team Leader at [e-mail] or on 01305 253946. Applications from candidates that require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are unfortunately ineligible to apply for this position. Employment in this post requires an Enhanced/Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which the Trust will cover the cost of. If you are interested in moving to Dorset, we also offer a generous relocation package of up to £5,000. For further details on relocation expenses please email [e-mail]

About us

At Dorset HealthCare we're on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined-up healthcare services. We're a dynamic, forward-looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people. We do things differently here - it's one of the reasons the CQC rated us 'outstanding' in 2019. It's also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you're looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities. Our 7,000-strong workforce is at the heart of what we do and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities and we celebrate diversity. We're an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves. Working with us you'll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don't know. And you'll be working towards our vision to be better every day through excellence, compassion and expertise in all we do.

Details

Band: Band 6

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 152-M367.26

Closing date: 29 October 2026

Job responsibilities

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post. We understand that using AI can be a useful and supportive tool when completing your application. However, we have also seen an increase in the over-reliance of AI tools which is negatively impacting applications as they remove candidates individuality, and it becomes much harder to get a sense of who you are and your authentic experience. If you do use AI, it should be used to enhance your application and not to create your supporting statement in its entirety. If we suspect you have used AI to create your supporting statement and this does not match your experience, we may withdraw your application. As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact [e-mail]

Person Specification

Essential

• ENB 998 or equivalent teaching and accessing qualification. Ability to act as practice supervisor / assessor or equivalent
• RMN with current NMC registration or Occupational Therapist with HCPC registration or Social Worker with HCPC registration.
• Significant post registration experience working with clients with severe and enduring mental illness
• Experience of assessing, planning and implementing programmes of care, particularly in an acute or community setting
• The ability to work under pressure in acute situations without supervision
• Demonstrate an ability to negotiate and problem solve in contentious and/or antagonistic situations where agreement is required, or communicate clear decisions and rationale where agreement cannot be reached, e.g. in situations where the Mental Health Act may be required
• Subject to the provisions of the Equality Act, able to travel using own vehicle on Trust business

Desirable

• Clinical Supervision training
• Qualification in Psychosocial Interventions/CBT
• Community Mental Health Team experience or equivalent
• Basic skills and knowledge of information technology, e.g. familiar with use of Patient Administration Systems, Email and Word Documents

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Dorset County Hospital, Williams Avenue, Dorchester, DT1 2JY, United Kingdom

Contact: Golda Devadason, Team Leader, [e-mail], 01305253946

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust is an equal opportunities employer.