Hospital Liaison Practitioner

• Undertake comprehensive mental health, psychosocial and risk assessments for patients presenting to the Emergency Department and acute hospital wards.
• Provide timely assessment, intervention and care planning for individuals experiencing mental health crises within the acute hospital setting.
• Manage a caseload of patients, coordinating care and ensuring effective referral, discharge and follow-up arrangements.
• Deliver specialist mental health advice, support and consultation to acute hospital staff and multidisciplinary teams.
• Assess and manage clinical risk, including safeguarding concerns, and implement appropriate risk management plans.
• Work collaboratively with community mental health services, primary care, social care and third-sector organisations to ensure seamless patient care.
• Facilitate admission avoidance where appropriate and support timely discharge planning from acute hospital services.
• Maintain accurate clinical records, documentation and reports in accordance with Trust policies and professional standards.
• Participate in clinical supervision, audit, training, service development and quality improvement activities.
• Contribute to the achievement of service performance targets and response standards within the Hospital Liaison Service.

Essential

• Registered Mental Health Nurse
• Evidence of post registration training
• ENB 998 or other NMC approved mentor qualification or mentor qualification appropriate to discipline

Desirable

• Psychosocial Interventions Training
• Formal Risk Assessment Training
• Nurse Prescribing

Essential

• Demonstrable post registration experience as a Registered Mental Health Nurse working within the Older Adult Mental Health Pathway
• Previous experience of working autonomously
• Experience of MDT working
• Skills in coordinating and planning inter-agency approaches in mental health care
• Experience of assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care and risk
• Experience of Safeguarding
• Experience of Crisis work

Desirable

• Experience of working in the community
• Previous experience within an assessment/liaison workplace
• Experience of working with statutory and non statutory agencies.
• Experience of working at Band 6 level
• Experience of delivering evidence based treatments

Essential

• Ability to use initiative and work without immediate supervision
• Ability to demonstrate an understanding, empathic approach
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Skills in co-ordinating and planning interagency approaches in mental health care
• An understanding of current mental health issues relating to the provision of Mental Health Liaison Services
• Demonstrate a thorough knowledge, understanding and practical experience of risk assessment and risk management
• Knowledge and understanding of the legislative framework for mental health services, particularly the Mental Health Act ,DoLs and Mental Capacity Act
• Demonstrate excellent problem solving and conflict resolution skills
• Demonstrate an ability to make balanced clinical judgments and decisions
• Excellent report-writing skills
• IT skills
• Ability to work as part of a multi-professional team
• Demonstrate an understanding of the expectations, pressures and demands of acute hospital wards
• Understanding of the importance of user/carer involvement in care planning
• Demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively and respectfully with colleagues from a range of different professional backgrounds and across professional and organisational boundaries

Desirable

• Skills in CBT
• Ability to work in a changing environment
• Knowledge and understanding of the roles of other professionals within both mental and general health
• Ability to elaborate on the translation of personal and professional skills into practice