Court Liaison & Diversion Practitioner

Job overview

This is a great opportunity for healthcare professionals with interest and experience of assessment and risk management to join ELFT  in a collaborative partnership with other NHS and 3rd sector providers across London delivering the Liaison & Diversion service for East London.

The successful candidate will join the established all-age/all-vulnerability L&D service partnership within the North London Forensic Collaborative, to ensure that individuals presenting with mental health problems or other health and social vulnerabilities are supported through the justice pathway and can be diverted into the healthcare pathway when this is necessary.

There is currently one F/T vacancy available, working in rotation across 5 custody sites based in City & Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Waltham Forest.

This is a 365 day service and some weekend an public holiday cover is a requirement.

You will work within the wider East London L&D Service, including our practitioners based within police custody, courts and the community link.

Suitable candidates must hold current  professional registration within the field of mental healthcare. If you are a mental health or learning disability nurse, a social worker, speech language therapist or OT with established experience in crisis work and clinical management of acute risk, looking for variety and autonomy within a fast-paced setting, this role could be what you are looking for!

Main duties of the job

• To act as an autonomous practitioner in the context of the alleged offence and the criminal justice system, implementing a care plan and follow-up for each individual.
• Have the ability to undertake a full mental state and risk assessment, gathering a background history and collateral information for individuals with a range of needs.  These would include those with a serious mental illness or personality disorder, plus associated neuro divergence, learning, social, personal, dependency and drug use issues who are in police custody.
• To prepare accurate written reports following assessment in line with quality standards.
• To make clinical judgements in custody on situations as they arise, or change.
• The ability to enhance and strengthen relationships within Criminal Justice Services and the  links between Health and Social Services and the Criminal Justice System itself is an essential role of the post holder.
• You will work in a collaborative way with our justice partners, local community Mental Health Services, and other statutory/non-statutory agencies to  ensure a high quality liaison and diversion service is provided to individuals.
• Engage with monthly clinical/managerial supervision, data collection, QI projects and reflective practice.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinically, the post holder will:

Be able to assess an individual’s mental state and risk, and within the context of the alleged offence and the criminal justice system implement a care pathway for each service user.

Proactively screen and receive reports from custody suites, responding in a timely manner to prioritise assessment of detained people deemed to have health or social vulnerabilities.

Possess the appropriate knowledge regarding legal issues, court procedures and the role of other professions.

Provide specialist advice and liaison to all colleagues encountered within health settings, social services and professions within the criminal justice system.

Conduct thorough mental state and risk assessments and the collection of background history for individuals presenting with a wide variety of needs. These may include those with a serious mental illness or personality disorder, plus associated learning, social, personal, dependency and substance misuse issues.

Prepare accurate written reports following assessment, in line with agreed quality standards.

Make safe clinical judgements in court on situations as they arise, or change.

Take appropriate measures to ensure personal safety and that of patients, colleagues and the general public.

Possess a high standard of interpersonal skills required to manage the complex and often conflicting focus and needs of those involved in the process-both detainee and criminal justice agencies.

Develop and maintain effective communication pathways with the main court departments and criminal justice agencies: list office, clerks, judiciary, CPS, probation, PECS, defence teams, police and prison service.

Appropriately access confidential multi-agency sensitive information and be aware of the potential public and media interest that this may generate, dealing with these issues in line with Trust policies regarding confidentiality.

Facilitate appropriate signposting and onward referral, and/or provide interventions in close collaboration and liaison with other relevant agencies based on a good working knowledge and understanding of local services.

Facilitate appropriate diversion to mental health services as necessary. Awareness of admission pathways and MHA processes are essential.

Provide awareness training for the judiciary, court staff, prosecution and defence representatives, probation and other staff regarding court assessments and liaison and diversion services.

Understand and follow the rules, regulations and protocols as specified by the Magistrate’s Court.

Participate in multi-disciplinary team/business meetings and huddles.

Maintain attendance and participation at appropriate clinical forums whenever possible.

Ensure that the Liaison service provided is sensitive to individual needs, paying particular attention to their ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Seek out appropriate opportunities to contribute to the delivery of health education and promotion within the community.

Ensure that appropriate staff are fully briefed of any referral that may give rise to clinical or other concerns.

Advise on prescribed medication as and when necessary, monitoring effects of prescribed medication in conjunction with court FMEs and HCPs.

Ensure that nursing practice is in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and mental health legislation, which incorporates and respects differences in respect of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, religion, culture and disability.

Encourage shared knowledge and skills within the clinical area to sustain a supportive learning environment.

Be responsible for the assessment, development, implementation and evaluation of programs of care for patients, incorporating risk assessment, to ensure safe and acceptable standards of care.

Be responsible for the maintenance and accurate recording of patient information in the documentation systems and to ensure the effective dissemination of patient information throughout multidisciplinary teams and partners.

Ensure effective working relationships and review of working practices within the multidisciplinary team, other professionals and all relevant agencies the team works in collaboration with.

Comply with required Trust and national Safeguarding Adults and Children’s policies, ensuring that you have the required knowledge and skills to work within these procedures to support the safety of vulnerable adults and children.

Recognise the role of advocacy, promoting the concept of autonomy and self-empowerment where possible and ensuring other members of the team work in concordance with this.

Contribute to the induction of new staff, participate actively within educational programs for staff and to evaluate and identify your own educational needs, insuring professional updating and development takes place as appropriate.

Assist the Lead and Data Administrator with the collection of monthly and quarterly audit data as per Trust and Commissioning requirements.

Participate in audit and research to enhance service development and Trust provision.

MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILTIES:

Comply with relevant policies and procedures pertaining to the East London NHS Foundation Trust services, as well as the procedures laid down by the hosting establishments (Police Stations and Courts).

To work within the Trust and Criminal Justice Team guidelines and policies at all times.

Contribute to the development of the service by participating in the evaluation of clinical audit.

Receive regular clinical and managerial supervision on professional practice from the Senior Practitioners and service managers.

Participate in and actively encourage the promotion of mental health awareness, by organizing and participating in seminars, lectures and workshops for other agencies (NHS staff; the Police; Universities etc.).

Receive professional visitors into the Criminal Justice Liaison pathway and provide them with informative and positive experiences.

Utilise knowledge of the principles and practice-research to create an environment where research awareness and an analytical approach to client care in the mental health Issues are valued by all staff.

Act as a constructive agent for change and managing, implementing and supporting agreed changes in line with trust strategy and policy.

Exercise professional accountability and responsibility.

Maintain an environment in which there are equal opportunities and a commitment to diversity in its broadest sense in a non-discriminatory and inclusive manner

Practice with an awareness of the legal, ethical, socio economic and organizational aspects of care and health policy.