Mental Health Liaison Practitioner

NHS; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider is seeking motivated mental health practitioners for their mental health liaison service in Ipswich. The role involves conducting mental health assessments and providing interventions to patients in an acute hospital setting. Ideal candidates will be registered mental health professionals with ongoing development and crisis management experience. Key responsibilities include assessing risks, collaborating with medical staff, and participating in multidisciplinary team meetings. This full-time position offers a salary range of £38,682 to £46,580.

Benefits

Comprehensive in-house and external training programmes

Career progression

Starting annual leave of 27 days increasing to 33 based on service

Qualifications

• Registered qualification and relevant training in mental health practice.
• Ongoing professional development towards degree level if applicable.
• Experience with risk assessment and clinical interventions.

Responsibilities

• Undertake comprehensive mental health assessments of patients.
• Assess and manage risk of harm to self or others.
• Provide evidence-based brief interventions and advice.

Skills

Effective analytical and decision-making skills

Care planning skills

Education

Registered Mental Health or Learning Disability Nurse, Occupational Therapist or Social Worker

Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor training

Recognised Leadership/Management training

Higher degree or post graduate certificate in clinical/therapeutic practice

Job description

The NSFT East Suffolk Mental Health Liaison Service, based in Ipswich Hospital, are looking for highly motivated and enthusiastic mental health practitioners, who are looking to expand their skills and knowledge base, within the acute hospital setting.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a fast-paced environment providing specialist mental health assessment, risk management, and short-term intervention to patients presenting with a range of mental health needs.

The Mental Health Liaison Service offers a single point of access for referrals from Ipswich Hospital and provides a range of mental health specialities within one multidisciplinary team. Our team operates 24/7 and plays a vital role in supporting the acute hospital, ensuring timely, person-centred care for individuals experiencing acute mental health difficulties.

We respond to a diverse range of referrals, covering both liaison psychiatry and emergency assessment functions for all ages.

Main duties of the job

A flexible 'can do' attitude, with a willingness to build links with general hospital colleagues is essential to ensure that a proactive interface is created between mental health and medicine. You will have the relevant post qualification experience, including acute mental health and crisis management and be able to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the differing needs of people within the general hospital.

Undertake comprehensive mental health assessments of patients referred from A&E, medical/surgical wards.

• Assess and manage risk of harm to self or others, including suicide and self-neglect
• Provide evidence-based brief interventions, advice, and signposting to appropriate services
• Offer support and education to acute hospital colleagues in managing mental health presentations
• Maintain high-quality clinical documentation
• Support timely discharge planning, including mental health input to complex cases
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and contribute to shared clinical decision-making

About us

• Benefits included with this role are:-
• a comprehensive in house & external training programmes
• career progression
• starting annual leave of 27 days per annum increasing to 33 days pa based on length of service (plus paid bank holidays)
• NHS discounts and many more.

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Job responsibilities

You will be key in the efficient delivery of the liaison service; in improving response and management of referrals; in improving knowledge and understanding of mental health issues within the acute hospital; in helping the team meet their key performance indicators and be proactive in helping explore and develop partnerships and pathways to improve patient prognosis and outcometeam is a 24/7 service. Therefore you will be required to work Long Days, including nights. We will provide a full induction. We have a genuine commitment to training and development with shared opportunities across the two Trusts. We are proud of our culture of honesty, team involvement and ownership to both patient care and job satisfaction.

Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Mental Health or Learning Disability Nurse, Occupational Therapist OR Social Worker with the relevant professional registration
• Practice Assessor and Practice Supervisor training (NMC registrants) or Practice Educator (AHP & Social Worker Registrants)
• Ongoing professional development working towards degree level ( if professional registration is following a diploma level course)
• Recognised Leadership/Management training
• Higher degree or post graduate certificate in area of clinical / therapeutic practice

Experience

• Able to demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of mental health practice from previous experience
• Able to demonstrate effective risk assessment and risk management experience
• Experience in the delivery of clinical interventions
• Experience in supporting service development

Skills

• Effective analytical and decision-making skills
• Care planning skills

Knowledge

• The ability to use clinical assessment tools and outcome measures effectively and collaboratively
• Knowledge of medication and the monitoring of its effects

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.

£38,682 to £46,580 a yeargross per annum (pro rata)