Psychiatric Liaison Team Leader | Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK healthcare provider is looking for a Band 7 team leader for their Psychiatric Liaison Team at Northwick Park Hospital. This role involves providing day-to-day leadership and management, ensuring a high-quality service 24/7, and collaborating with a range of professionals. Applicants should be registered mental health nurses, social workers, or occupational therapists with extensive experience. The position offers various benefits including training opportunities and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

Specialised training

Childcare vouchers

Health and wellbeing services

Qualifications

• Extensive relevant experience in mental health practice.
• Ability to work rotating shifts or standard hours.
• Mandatory registration with a governing body.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and management to the Psychiatric Liaison Team.
• Ensure high quality service delivery 24/7.
• Collaborate with various stakeholders to enhance service effectiveness.

Skills

Leadership

Mental health assessment

Collaboration

Clinical governance

Education

Registered mental health nurse or equivalent

Job description

Overview

An exciting Band 7 opportunity has arisen for suitably qualified liaison practitioners to apply for a Band 7 team leader role for the Psychiatric Liaison Team at Northwick Park Hospital, commencing as soon as possible. The opportunity is open to registered mental health nurses, social workers or occupational therapists. The successful applicants will be expected to be able to work either on rotating shift patterns (day and nights) or 9-5 shifts to ensure there is provision of leadership in the liaison team 24/7.

The post is open to staff with Band 6 experience. They must be able to show evidence that they have extensive relevant experience and possess the skills and knowledge necessary for this challenging role.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership, coordination, management and clinical support to the Psychiatric Liaison Team, ensuring a consistent, responsive, high quality and user friendly service 24/7.
• Work with the Team Manager, Consultant Psychiatrists and other senior team members to develop the Psychiatric Liaison Service and implement service developments.
• Undertake delegated managerial duties and deputise for the Team Manager in their absence or as required.
• Ensure evidence-based assessment and treatment that incorporates cultural preferences and respects differences in gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion and disability.
• Lead joint delivery of specialist mental health education to Acute Trust staff to increase awareness and empower staff, aiming to improve the service user experience in an Acute Trust setting.
• Collaborate with the Consultant Psychiatrists and local Lead Psychologists to maintain and develop links with Clinical Health Psychology and other joint interests.
• Work with key stakeholders to enhance interfaces between the Psychological Medicine Service Line, CNWL Service Lines and Acute Trusts.
• Provide leadership in developing and managing the Mental Health assessment lounge and improving patient experience.
• Provide clinical assessment and review of patients transferred to the MHEC and manage day-to-day running of the MHEC on certain shifts (including medication administration, complex case review and liaison with outside services for safe discharge plans).

There will also be contact with patients or service users, and some rostered shifts in the Mental Health Emergency Centre (MHEC) as the MHEC RMN.

Responsibilities (Continued)

• To ensure that clinical practice is based on guidelines and best evidence; monitor standards of clinical practice and ensure objectives for Clinical Outcomes are met.
• Maintain coherent clinical governance within the Team and contribute to acute sector Clinical Governance frameworks.
• Provide reliable, timely information about care and treatment and the patient experience; support innovative approaches to the management of mental health breaches and delayed discharges.
• Ensure safe and effective delivery of high-quality health and social care, recognising staff stress and supporting them in a demanding environment.
• Ensure compliant discharge of Mental Health Act 2003 and Mental Capacity Act 2005 responsibilities and advise acute colleagues as needed.
• Promote advocacy, autonomy and the recovery model; act as safeguarding Lead after appropriate training and be a knowledge source for vulnerable adults and children.
• Ensure service involves carers and families in treatment, management and care plans; report Team performance data weekly to the Team Manager.

See attached Job Description for detailed description of role and main duties/responsibilities of the Team Leader role.

Benefits and Other Information

• Flexible working opportunities where possible to encourage a healthy work/life balance.
• Commitment from the team to develop you; induction and time with co-located teams (HTT, FRT, Perinatal) plus training with other medical teams on request (Emergency Department / acute medicine / integrated medicine / surgery).
• Specialised training within the team (Drug and Alcohol / older adult assessment / biopsychosocial assessment / handover structure).
• Opportunities to shadow neighbouring services (e.g., HTT, First Response Service); mentoring and coaching with team leaders; Liaison Summer School (5 days).
• Clear objectives and a pathway to develop your career further; excellent staff benefits including childcare vouchers, health and wellbeing services, season ticket loans and cycle to work scheme.

GENERAL

• To ensure that the Psychiatric Liaison Team at Northwick Park Hospital delivers a consistent, responsive, high quality and user-friendly service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• To provide day-to-day leadership, coordination, management and clinical support to the Psychiatric Liaison Team.
• To provide a visible, accessible and authoritative presence in all areas of responsibility for staff, service users and carers.
• To work closely with the Team Manager, the Consultant Psychiatrists and other senior members of the Team to develop the Psychiatric Liaison Service.
• To regularly undertake delegated managerial responsibilities and deputise for the Team Manager in their absence or as required.
• Enable evidence-based assessment and treatment that incorporates cultural preferences, health beliefs, behaviours and traditional practices, respecting differences related to gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion and disability.
• To enable joint delivery of specialist mental health education to Acute Trust staff and develop links with Clinical Health Psychology where appropriate.
• To work with key stakeholders to enhance interfaces between CNWL service lines and Acute Trusts; develop the Mental Health assessment lounge and improve patient experience.
• To provide clinical assessment and review of patients transferred to the MHEC and manage the day-to-day running of the MHEC on certain shifts.

EXIT STATUS

This advert closes on Thursday 2 Oct 2025