Liaison Psychiatry Practitioner

Job summary

Are you a confident, experienced mental health clinician looking for a rewarding challenge?

We are expanding our vital service into a full 24-hour operation, and we're looking for exceptional practitioners--including Mental Health Nurses--to help us grow.

In this role, you will work dynamically across the acute general hospital, providing high-quality mental health assessments, care, advice, and training to both the Emergency Departments and inpatient wards.

You'll be working with both working-age and older adults, utilising your strong clinical skills to create tailored care formulations.

You will have excellent interpersonal skills that you will use to facilitate high quality mental health assessments, and to build good working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

You will be committed to the parity of esteem agenda, and work closely with both physical and mental health clinicians to ensure a seamless delivery of care.

It is a 24 hour service 7 days a week at Tunbridge Wells Hospital, and when required Maidstone General Hospital.

In return for the above, we offer real commitment to your professional development, and regular supervision within a supportive working environment.

Main duties of the job

• Work as part of a psychiatric liaison team providing a liaison and assessment service 7 days per week that will involve working unsocial hours and public holidays.
• Offer an assessment service to patients aged 18+ (with no upper age limit) presenting at the general hospital with a broad range of mental health and psychological problems, and diagnosed psychiatric illnesses.
• Provide a mental health consultation, liaison and advice service throughout the departments.
• Deliver a range of evidence based psychosocial interventions to individual patients as required.
• Assist and supporting general hospital colleagues in making decisions about treatment and care in complex situations.
• Provide formal and informal education and case consultation to registered and unregistered staff.
• Represent mental health services within the Hospitals.
• Provide a communication structure between secondary mental health services, primary care and non-statutory services, as a means of ensuring the highest possible standards of patient care.

In return for the above, we offer real commitment to your professional development, and regular supervision within a supportive working environment.

About us

We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.

Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.

Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification

Person specification

Training, Qualifications and Registration

Essential

• Registered Professional Qualification in Mental Health Nursing, Occupational Therapy or Social Work, including registration with the relevant regulatory body.

Desirable

• Qualified Mentor (998 or equivalent)/ Accredited Practice Educator (APPLE programme for OT).

Knowledge

Essential

• Up to date knowledge of national and local guildance relevant to Liaison Psychiatry Service

Desirable

• Service development
• Experience in older adult assessment

Assessment

Essential

• Robust Mental Health Needs assessment including risk, mental state and formulation

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 18 months post qualification practice experience in mental health - any age