Mental Health Liaison Team Manager

NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK NHS FOUNDATION TRUST; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Clinical Team Leader for the Mental Health Liaison Team at Ipswich Hospital. You will oversee 24/7 access, lead a multi-disciplinary group and ensure timely, person-centred care in a fast-paced hospital setting.

You will guide staff, review performance and KPI data, and support recruitment and staff development while maintaining strong hospital relationships to optimise mental health care within acute services.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading mental health teams within acute settings.
• Ability to manage risk and safeguard processes in a busy hospital
• Experience working with multi-disciplinary colleagues across hospital services

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership to the Mental Health Liaison Team, ensuring safe, effective and compassionate care.
• Support and guide staff in managing complex mental and physical health presentations within the acute hospital.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues across Ipswich Hospital to ensure a proactive and seamless interface between mental health and physical healthcare.
• Lead on reviewing team performance, activity data and KPIs, reporting into the wider care group and contributing to service development.
• Oversee and support high-quality clinical documentation, safeguarding processes, and adherence to Trust policies.
• Provide leadership presence across the service, supporting staff with decision‑making, risk management and escalation.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary meetings and promote shared clinical decision‑making.
• Support timely discharge planning and ensure mental health input into complex cases.
• Offer guidance and education to acute hospital colleagues to enhance understanding and management of mental health presentations.
• Participate in recruitment, HR processes, supervision, and staff development.
• Promote a positive, flexible, "can-do" culture within the team.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Risk management

Multi-disciplinary collaboration

Staff supervision

Discharge planning

Communication

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced mental health professional to take on a Clinical Team Leader post within our established multi-disciplinary Mental Health Liaison Team (MHLT) based at Ipswich Hospital.

The NSFT East Suffolk Mental Health Liaison Service is an age-inclusive service, responding to referrals for people of all ages within the acute hospital.

This is a key leadership role within a fast-paced environment, providing oversight of specialist mental health assessment, risk management and short-term intervention for individuals presenting with a wide range of mental health needs. The service offers a single point of access for referrals from Ipswich Hospital, operating 24/7 and playing a vital role in supporting the acute hospital to deliver timely, person-centred care.

You will work closely with the existing leadership team to ensure high-quality service delivery, effective operational management, and strong collaborative relationships with acute hospital colleagues., As Clinical Team Leader, you will:

• Provide day-to-day operational leadership to the Mental Health Liaison Team, ensuring safe, effective and compassionate care.
• Support and guide staff in managing complex mental and physical health presentations within the acute hospital.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues across Ipswich Hospital to ensure a proactive and seamless interface between mental health and physical healthcare.
• Lead on reviewing team performance, activity data and KPIs, reporting into the wider care group and contributing to service development.
• Oversee and support high-quality clinical documentation, safeguarding processes, and adherence to Trust policies.
• Provide leadership presence across the service, supporting staff with decision‑making, risk management and escalation.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary meetings and promote shared clinical decision‑making.
• Support timely discharge planning and ensure mental health input into complex cases.
• Offer guidance and education to acute hospital colleagues to enhance understanding and management of mental health presentations.
• Participate in recruitment, HR processes, supervision, and staff development.
• Promote a positive, flexible, "can-do" culture within the team.

This role requires confidence in managing competing demands, prioritising effectively, and supporting staff in a high‑pressure environment.

Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.

Why work for us?

We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.

Why Norfolk and Suffolk?

The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.