Mental Health Liaison Practitioner

Overview

The Liaison Psychiatry service for working age adults provides a liaison psychiatry service to Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) at the QMC and City Hospital campuses on a 24-hour basis. The focus includes urgent assessments for self-harm and mental health emergencies, advice and support to wards for patients with mental health problems, and work in areas such as Medically Unexplained Symptoms.

• Undertake comprehensive assessments and work to agree a therapeutic plan of care and risk management strategy.
• Offer short-term follow-ups using brief interventions.
• Rotate within A&E to triage and assess patients, presenting with a wide range of conditions, and act as a first point of contact to enable timely patient care and improve the overall patient experience.
• Determine management plans and, where appropriate, deliver short-term psychological treatments for people referred after self-harm or as psychiatric emergencies based on a comprehensive psychosocial, risk and needs assessment.
• Assess whether people presenting with suicidal behaviours or thoughts are safe to be discharged from the general hospital and manage risk accordingly.
• Provide psychological treatment/support to people who have physical illness or difficulties and associated mental distress or disorder to improve functioning or quality of life.
• Demonstrate strong teamwork and focus on patient and carer satisfaction; maintain high-quality clinical practice, evidenced by achievement of Psychiatric Liaison Accreditation Network (PLAN) accreditation.

• We offer a thorough induction package with sufficient training and time as supernumerary staff to ensure comfort in the role before autonomous work. A robust supervision system supports decision making.
• No previous experience in liaison psychiatry is required to apply.
• When fully established in the role, key performance areas include effective teamwork, written and spoken communication, ability to work under pressure to deliver compassionate, person-centred care, and sound risk and mental health assessments.

• Professional qualification and registration (nurse).
• Appropriate mental health experience.
• Commitment to reflective practice and ongoing learning and development.

We welcome applicants seeking full-time and part-time hours. The service operates 24/7, and night shifts are part of the working pattern.

Disability Confident employer: applicants declaring a disability and meeting minimum criteria will generally be offered an interview. For more details see the employer information. DBS checks: applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check; costs are deducted from salary following appointment (standard £26.40, enhanced £54.40). You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service (annual fee £16).