Mental Health Liaison Practitioner

Job overview

We are looking for Mental Health Practitioners with experience with the patient groups to which the service will be delivered.  It is expected that your primary role will be to carry out comprehensive Bio-Psychosocial Assessments in line with NICE Guidelines and Evidence Based Treatment Pathways for persons presenting to the Acute hospital. You will need to demonstrate high functioning in risk management, communication skills, and exceptional personal qualities to deliver high-quality care and assessment to patients.

This post will provide operational support as part of our Mental Health Liaison Service (MHLS) working in partnership with United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, and aims to provide emergency and urgent mental health support to people in A&E and General Wards. It will also review and signpost those who have been admitted with regards to CAMHS and drug & alcohol related mental health needs.

Furthermore, we require those who can demonstrate strong values to create and foster a culture that supports and enables the development of the Liaison Service.  We need individuals who are dynamic, passionate, and committed to achieving quality outcomes that will ensure, above all else, that the needs of the patient are paramount in everything we do.

For further details please contact either Debbie Judge (Clinical Lead) 07812 483486 or 01205 445153

Email: [email protected]

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for the assessment of and appropriate liaison for a defined group of service users (16 +) admitted to Hospital. The post holder will provide assessment and professional advice as well as support to the Emergency Department and Wards, staff/teams and all other relevant agencies to ensure that any patients with mental health needs have a timely admission and are linked into appropriate LPFT teams/services upon their discharge if appropriate.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To provide a high standard of clinical care ensuring safe and effective assessment, treatment and comprehensive discharge planning using highly developed clinical reasoning skills and appropriate assessment tools.
• Operational hours are over 24 hours, 7 days a week.
• To delegate aspects of the patient treatment plan to other members of the team, whilst maintaining overall responsibility for patients care, where appropriate.
• To manage case-load and service delivery in accordance with and in order to contribute towards the attainment of Service/Trust productivity requirements. (Key Performance Indicators)
• Work with individuals to assess their mental health, recognise mental illness and identify their related needs and circumstances; and enable them to understand, manage and where appropriate change their behaviour.
• Plan, implement, review and improve interventions to meet people’s identified needs and manage their inherent risk with comprehensive Clinical Risk Formulation
• To assess carers’ and families needs and develop, implement and review programs of support for carers and families.
• Protect people from abuse, neglect and harm.
• To work collaboratively and promote effective working relationships with members of the multi-disciplinary team, ensuring effective and appropriate clinical decision-making, with other professionals and agencies.
• To maintain accurate and timely clinical records and to co-ordinate and monitor those of the team.
• To adhere to N.M.C. or other professional codes of conduct and ethics, plus associated legislation.
• To develop clinical practice having due regard for the NICE Guidelines for Liaison Psychiatry 2016
• To demonstrate empowering leadership skills within the Mental Health Liaison Team and seek opportunities in local and national area as to promote and develop the profession.
• To participate in Clinical Governance activities, including induction, supervision, personal development review, health and safety, risk management and audit.