Prison Liaison practitioner (Clinical)

Job overview

We are seeking an experienced and confident advanced clinical practitioner to join our Trust and Provider Collaborative secure and forensic patient flow and bed management team. Working across Sussex, Kent and Surrey, and closely with prison healthcare services, this role will support the effective identification, clinical review and timely admission of men requiring transfer from prison to secure inpatient care. Based within secure services and working into the male prison estate, including HMP Lewes, HMP Wandsworth and HMP Elmley, the post holder will provide expert clinical advice, oversight and support to prison mental health teams and secure inpatient services. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to safe, coordinated pathways for men with complex mental health needs while working collaboratively across a specialist regional network

Main duties of the job

• Based within the Forensic Healthcare Services and providing clinical support to teams in prison healthcare within male prisons and secure inpatient teams this post provides expert advanced level clinical expertise and support to men awaiting transfer to secure services from prison and the clinical teams responsible for their care. This requires the post holder to assess and review patients using advanced level clinical skills whilst in prison and in secure services in an unpredictable environment. The post holder does not provide treatment directly but provides expertise to prison based mental health services.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Five key responsibilities

• Provide advanced clinical assessment and expert advice for men referred from prison to secure mental health services.
• Coordinate timely referrals, assessments, admissions and remissions, ensuring safe transitions and compliance with the Mental Health Act.
• Maintain clinical oversight and manage risk for patients awaiting transfer, including developing crisis and behavioural support plans.
• Work collaboratively across prison healthcare, secure services and patient-flow teams throughout Kent, Surrey and Sussex to support effective care pathways and bed management.
• Lead clinical improvement and workforce development through supervision, training, audit, evaluation and the implementation of consistent standards and protocols.

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.