Mental Health Liaison Practitioner

Sussex Partnership Nhs Foundation Trust; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 42,000; Part time

Job summary

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a permanent part-time Mental Health Liaison to work with GP-led primary care teams and secondary care services. You will assess, advise and develop care plans for adults with mental health needs, ensuring safe and coordinated pathways.

Based with Mid Sussex NMHT, the role involves collaboration with GPs, IAPT and other statutory partners, risk management, and adherence to NICE guidelines.

Qualifications

• Registered Mental Health/OT/Social worker qualification.
• CPD evidence and 3 years post-qualifying clinical experience.
• Experience partnering with statutory and non-statutory teams.
• Experience managing a caseload and prioritising clinical work.
• Experience delivering a range of clinical interventions for mental health problems.

Responsibilities

• Screening and assessment of patients referred by GPs to determine the most appropriate intervention.
• Support GPs and primary care teams in assessing and managing risk.
• Facilitate the patient's journey to secondary services and coordinate care with secondary services.
• Provide advice and consultation to GPs and primary care teams.
• Publish and share information about the practitioner role locally.
• Attend supervision and CPD activities.

Skills

Partnership working

Caseload management

Clinical interventions

Education

Registered Mental Health/OT/Social worker qualification

Post Basic Courses / relevant Study Days

UK professional registration

Job description

To work as part of the secondary care mental health service, acting as a link clinician to primary care teams. Clinical work will be carried out within primary care settings. To work with GPs and primary care teams, specifically colleagues in IAPT (West Sussex Talking Therapies), providing support, advice, consultation and shared care for adults, regardless of age and diagnosis, presenting with a functional mental illness, to enable safe management of clients within primary care. To work in partnership with GPs and other primary care colleagues around individual patients and to work jointly with them to develop care plans for the client. To assess individuals with complex presentations, prior to referral to secondary care and if required, directing them into the appropriate specialist service within secondary care ensuring they are not passed between services. To maintain a close working relationship with local secondary care teams, keeping them informed of developments within primary care.

Working for our organisation Our organisation is expanding and we're looking for people with the right values, skills and/or potential to join us. We need people with energy, expertise, enthusiasm to help us provide the very best possible specialist NHS mental health and learning disability care. This involves helping us achieve our strategy to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve through People, Prevention and Partnerships.

Clinical

1. 1. The post-holder will be both a member of a number of GP led primary care teams and a member of secondary care mental health services.
2. 2. To undertake screening and assessment of patients with mental health problems referred by GPs to determine the most appropriate intervention and offer support and advice using the philosophy of least intervention possible and of a recovery, strength based approach.
3. 3. To support GPs and primary care teams in assessing and managing risk.
4. 4. To facilitate the patient's journey to secondary services and other statutory services as needed including acting as broker between secondary care services to avoid clients being "bounced" around teams.
5. 5. To be aware of service users with complex needs who are discharged from secondary care to primary care, and to liaise with their GPs to ensure that the discharge is well managed.
6. 6. To support and work alongside GPs in the implementation of patient-centred care packages and treatment for use within primary care.
7. 7. To support GPs with issues relating to medication, and to liaise with psychiatry colleagues about medication advice and diagnostic advice as required.
8. 8. To contribute to the development of assessment skills of other practitioners in primary care to promote more accurate identification of mental health problems.
9. 9. To provide, where required, supervision for students and other mental health trainees.
10. 10. To ensure that clinical practice is evidence-based and consistent with relevant NICE Guidelines, and Trust policies and procedures.
11. 11. To work in a flexible way in providing cover in other GP practices when needed.

Consultation and training

1. 1. To provide advice and consultation to GPs and primary care teams.
2. 2. To provide high quality information to GPs and primary care teams on local resources and services
3. 3. To publish and make available information about the practitioner role to local people
4. 4. To attend supervision from appropriate clinical practitioners in nursing and psychological care, approved by the service manager.
5. 5. To provide formal and informal training in a range of mental health issues identified by GPs for GPs and Primary Care Mental Health Teams and present cases, literature reviews and research findings at clinical and other meetings as appropriate.

Networking and service provision

1. 1. To work closely with other practitioners, local day services, local education establishments, employment agencies and third sector services
2. 2. To maintain close working relationships with secondary care services.
3. 3. To provide information to patients, and their carers, about their care and options available to them.
4. 4. To ensure that the service is equitable and accessible to clients and carers.

Quality and audit

1. 1. To ensure that assessment and interventions are provided to agreed standards.
2. 2. To keep GPs and primary care teams well informed on outcomes of interventions and therapies provided to their patients.
3. 3. In association with GPs, other practitioners and service managers, to involve patient, carers and the general public in improving service responses and service pathways.
4. 4. To ensure that complaints and plaudits are logged and appropriate action is taken, in line with the Trust's policies and procedures, and national guidelines.
5. 5. To observe and ensure adherence to the relevant professional code of Professional Conduct and the Trust's Policies and Procedures.
6. 6. To act in all circumstances to ensure the safety and welfare of people, their relatives, and staff.
7. 7. To ensure that approved policies, clinical procedures and regulations are understood and followed, and to take appropriate remedial action where deviations from these standards occur.
8. 8. To keep the Team Leader aware of and informed about any untoward occurrences that may affect the service professionally or administratively, or in other ways.
9. 9. To be aware of the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation in relation to confidentiality and freedom of information.
10. 10. To engage in individual performance reviews and continuing professional development, identifying training needs in relation to personal development and development of the post.
11. 11. To review with the GP and service manager the post-holder's personal workloads and levels of clinical and other activity.
12. 12. To undertake any other duties in line with the grade and scope of the post.

Qualifications and experience

• Registered Mental Health/OT/Social worker qualification
• Post Basic Courses / relevant Study Days
• Evidence of CPD, Three years' post-qualifying experience of clinical work with people with a range of mental health problems
• Experience of partnership working within and across various different statutory and non- statutory teams and agencies
• Experience of successfully managing a caseload and prioritising clinical work.
• Experience of providing a range of clinical interventions to people with a variety of mental health problems

SPFT is committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We particularly welcome applications from people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and from disabled candidates, as these groups are currently underrepresented. Successful candidates are normally appointed to the bottom of the pay scale unless previous NHS experience in a similar role can be evidenced.

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

At SPFT we put people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You'll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development. We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it's part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we'll explore what works for you and the role. We recognise that tools like AI are becoming part of everyday life and you may choose to use them when preparing your application. We welcome this, as long as what you submit reflects your own experience, skills and voice. AI can be helpful for structuring or refining your answers, but it should not replace your own examples or create content that isn't based on your real experience. Our recruitment process is designed to get to know you, and we'll explore your examples further at interview, so it's important your application genuinely represents what you bring. You can read more about using AI in applications and interviews on our recruitment process page. We're shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve.

Mid Sussex Neighbourhood Mental Health Team (NMHT) currently has an exciting opportunity for a permanent Part time Mental Health Liaison post. Applications are welcome from Registered Mental health nurses/social workers or Occupational Therapists. Mid Sussex is a lively and friendly team where you will be offered mentorship and supervision from senior nursing colleagues, active management support and the chance to undertake training courses relevant to your professional practice. You will also have access to regular professional supervision. Hours of work are generally between 9am and 5pm from Monday to Friday.