Senior Liaison and Diversion Practitioner

HwC Ventures; Guildford; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a passionate team dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable individuals within the justice system. As a Senior Liaison and Diversion Practitioner, you will utilize your clinical expertise to conduct thorough mental health assessments and develop care plans that address the unique needs of each person. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work collaboratively with various services, ensuring that individuals receive the support they need. With a focus on professional development and clinical excellence, you will make a meaningful impact while navigating a dynamic and supportive environment. If you are motivated to make a difference in the lives of others, this role is for you.

Qualifications

• Registered mental health professional with experience in assessments.
• Ability to develop care plans and manage risks effectively.

Responsibilities

• Conduct vulnerability assessments and develop care plans.
• Collaborate with various services to support individuals in custody.
• Provide clinical supervision and support to junior staff.

Skills

Mental Health Assessment

Clinical Expertise

Risk Management

Person-Centered Approach

Effective Communication

Team Collaboration

Crisis Intervention

Education

Registered Mental Health Professional

Relevant Clinical Qualifications

Job description

Surrey Liaison and Diversion Service are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic, highly motivated, registered mental health professional to join our Police Custody and Court Team, as a Senior Liaison and Diversion Practitioner.

Our passionate team seeks to support those who have come into contact with the youth and criminal justice system with a caring, compassionate, person-centered approach to vulnerability screening and assessment for all those above the age of 10. This continues through to providing high-quality community-based interventions to not only improve health and social care outcomes but also aim to reduce future re-offending.

You will work collaboratively with Mental Health Services, Drug and Alcohol Services, Social Care, Probation, Prison Healthcare, Court, and Custody colleagues.

This role requires you to provide clinical expertise, be organized, efficient, and will be based within police custody or Surrey Courts for the majority of time. You will, at times, be required to travel between Surrey Police Custody and Courts locations during the working day. A full driving license is required. The police custody suites are located in Staines, Guildford, and Salfords. Our service operates shifts 07:00 – 19:00.

You will assess vulnerable individuals focusing on health, social circumstances, and risk information as part of your vulnerability and Mental Health Assessments. These will cover mental health concerns, substance misuse, learning disabilities, from which you will develop clear care plans and risk management plans to promote the safe onward care of vulnerable people as they leave police custody, whether they are remanded to a court or prison, or are returning to the community.

You will also provide clinical expertise to the Liaison and Diversion Team, Surrey Police, and associated teams and peers. Your written assessments and supportive plans will support police and court decision-making and respond to the assessed person’s needs appropriately.

If you are keen to learn and grow your skills in clinical excellence, by making a real difference in a person's life within a fast-paced, rapidly growing team, this may be the role for you.

This role requires both enhanced DBS clearance and Sussex Police clearances (NPPV level 2), which we will assist the successful candidate to apply for.

Our Liaison and Diversion Service is committed and dedicated to developing our Practitioners by encouraging and providing opportunities for Continued Professional Development, participation in Quality Improvement initiatives, and driving clinical excellence.

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is the leading provider of health and social care services for people of all ages with mental ill-health and learning disabilities in Surrey and North East Hampshire. We also provide social care services for people with a learning disability in Croydon and ASD and ADHD assessment services in Hampshire.

We actively seek to engage people who use our services and our communities in improving the mental well-being of the local population. We work closely with other NHS and voluntary sector organizations that provide services and support people who use services and carers.

Surrey is a beautiful county lying just 30 minutes away from Central London and from the South Coast. Our historic market towns and bustling districts are enveloped in wonderful countryside, and our excellent road and rail networks bring the rest of the country within easy reach.

For international travel, both Gatwick and Heathrow airports are nearby.

Please note that we reserve the right to close posts as soon as sufficient applications are received.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Complete person-centred assessments to explore identified key vulnerabilities and provide a timely referral to services to meet needs. The assessment must include:

• Capacity for effective participation in criminal justice procedures
• Cultural and gender needs
• Safeguarding
• Age and development-related needs, including transition to adulthood and older person needs
• Social circumstances (including relationships, leisure requirements, daily living, educational and occupational needs, employment/vocational needs, housing, finance)

Liaise with any professionals working with the individual to discuss and agree on onward referral and supportive plan of care.

Accurately identify when an individual’s presentation is in acute mental distress to then complete a comprehensive mental health assessment focusing on risk management, seeking assistance if required.

Build, develop and maintain positive relationships with statutory and voluntary agencies relevant to the role.

Liaise with and advise appropriately, members of the criminal justice system, including the police, magistrates, lawyers, Crown Prosecution Service, and Probation Services.

Provide written and/or oral reports to agencies as appropriate.

Promote the understanding of mental health and related issues to other agencies through liaison and education.

To participate in the maintenance and monitoring of service standards, collect and collate data/information effectively for the purpose of audit, research, and service performance.

Support Liaison and Diversion Practitioners to complete assessments of vulnerability.

Provide both formal and informal clinical supervision to junior staff, students, and outreach workers.

Provide clinical support and guidance for unqualified team members.

Be a resource for specialist advice and information to other colleagues, agencies, organizations, and people who use the service.

To take accountability for own professional development.

Provide evidence-based interventions in accordance with NICE guidelines.

To undertake any other duties at the request of the line manager which are commensurate with the role, including project work, internal job rotation, and absence cover.