Senior Practitioner for the Crown Court

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mental health service provider in the UK is seeking a Senior Practitioner for the Criminal Justice Mental Health Service. The role focuses on delivering high-quality mental health assessments and liaising with various criminal justice entities. This position offers an opportunity to be part of a dedicated team committed to improving patient outcomes in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Flexible working arrangements

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Registered Mental Health Nurse or equivalent with post-basic study.
• Evidence of working with Mentally Disordered Offenders.
• Demonstrated experience in mental health services.

Responsibilities

• Provide a proactive mental health screening assessment for detained persons.
• Enhance relationships within Criminal Justice Services.
• Work collaboratively with mental health and criminal justice staff.

Skills

Crisis management

Risk assessment

Patient engagement

De-escalation techniques

Education

Registered Mental Health Nurse

Masters in Forensic or Criminal Psychology

Job description

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South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good'.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

The Criminal Justice Mental Health Service (CJMHS) is a Liaison and Diversion service providing a proactive assessment, liaison and diversion service in all Police Custody Suites and Magistrates' Courts within the catchment of the South London and Maudsley. Our Liaison and Diversion service provides a service to Brixton Police Station, Walworth Road Police Station, Lewisham Police station, Croydon Custody suite (Windmill Road) and also provides a service to Croydon Magistrates Court. We have an office based on the Lambeth Hospital site.

A more recent development has seen the service expand into the Crown Court with Liaison and Diversion services now provided at Inner London Crown Court and at Croydon Crown Court and coming soon to Southwark Crown Court.

Liaison and Diversion services are responsible for providing a proactive mental health screening assessment for detained persons. Where detained persons are identified who require further assessment and intervention they will provide it or ensure appropriate referrals are made. The service will cover all vulnerabilities and all ages. The post holder will be part of an established liaison and diversion service, working in partnership with the health sector, social services and the criminal justice system primarily focusing on the Crown Court.

Main duties of the job

Enhancing and developing relationships within Criminal Justice Services and building strong links between Health, Social Services and the Criminal Justice System itself is an essential role of the post holder. You will work in a collaborative way with Liaison and Diversion colleagues, local community Mental Health Services and other statutory/non-statutory agencies ensuring a high quality liaison and diversion service is provided to individuals.

To promote continuity of service across all locations, to provide a flexible service to our stakeholders, or as part of an extended induction programme into Liaison and Diversion, successful candidates may be rostered to work across all of the previously mentioned locations and this may include some shift or weekend work.

Predominantly, the candidate will be based at one or more of the crown court sites where the service operates Mon-Fri between the hours of 9 am and 5pm.

Main duties include:

Provide a Liaison and Diversion service at Southwark Crown Court up to 3 days a week.Provide support to Crown Court practitioners at other locations

Support information sharing between other parts of Liaison and Diversion and courts including Magistrates Court on Saturdays (pilot).

Working for our organisation

About South London and Maudsley:

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.

SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community.

By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field. SLaM delivered more than 14,000 training experiences in 2014; providing an extensive range of learning opportunities for staff at all levels.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Registered Mental Health Nurse (Part 3 or Part 13 of NMC register) or equivalent* and evidence of post-basic study. (*RMN CQSW, OT, DipSW British Psychology Society registered Psychologists**) (AI) ** For Registered Psychologists, candidates must currently be a member of a suitable sub-domain of the British Psychology Society having completed a Masters in Forensic or Criminal Psychology. (A)

Desirable criteria

• ENB 998 or equivalent teaching and assessing qualification. (A) Educated to Degree or Diploma Level Nursing; substantial evidence of ongoing education and other courses relevant to Forensic and Liaison Psychiatry to Masters Level or equivalent (A)

Experience

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable experience working in MH services, particularly in crisis management services with acutely unwell people (A+E liaison, CMHT, Home Treatment, for example). (AI)
• Prior experience of working with Mentally Disordered Offenders and the Criminal Justice System including Liaison and Diversion experience (AI)
• Evidence of autonomous working and/or shift coordination (AI)
• Demonstrable evidence of risk assessment/management. (AI)

Desirable criteria

• Experience of conflict management and resolution. (AI)
• Demonstrable working knowledge and understanding of Mental Capacity Act (2005) (AI)

Knoweldge and Skills

Essential criteria

• Ability to engage challenging and/or acutely distressed patients in potentially hostile and/or antagonistic situations and use de-escalation techniques effectively.
• Have knowledge and skills to work with specialist groups of people, including young people, people with dual diagnoses and personality disorder (AI).

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of the needs of Mentally Disordered Offenders
• Working knowledge of the criminal justice system, Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 and the PACE Codes of Practice 2004

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online
• That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
• That we are a smoke-free Trust

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion , Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe'

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• Combined JD and PS - Senior Practitioner (PDF, 277.3KB)
• SLaM Staff Benefits (PDF, 1.1MB)
• Happy to Talk Flexible Working (PDF, 680.1KB)