Job summary
Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to join the innovative Liaison Service?
The liaison psychiatry service aims to provide mental health advice and support to individuals receiving care and treatment at any of the general hospitals in Kent and Medway. The teams work closely with their General Hospital colleagues to ensure that mental health and wellbeing is effectively treated alongside any physical health needs.The general hospital staff can refer anyone over the age of 18 who attends A&E or is an inpatient on a medical or surgical ward. The team can then offer advice, support or a full mental and psychical health assessment as appropriate.
Are you highly motivated and a qualified Mental Health Nurse or Occupational Therapist?
If you are then this may be the opportunity you have been waiting for, there are Full-time and part-time posts available.
Part time posts will also be considered where possible.
Main duties of the job
- To 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.
- Providing a mental health consultation, liaison and advice service throughout the departments.
- Delivering a range of evidence based psychosocial interventions to individual patients as required.
- Assisting and supporting general hospital colleagues in making decisions about treatment and care in complex situations.
- Providing formal and informal education and case consultation to registered and unregistered staff.
- Representing mental health services within the Hospitals.
- Providing 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.
About us
We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway. Our teams support adults with a wide range of mental health needs. Because we cover the whole county and both hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the 1.8 million people of Kent and Medway. Rated 'Good' by the CQC, we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 in the community each year.
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. And 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 doing well together.
Check out our recruitment videos Recruitment - YouTube
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see job description for full details on vacancy description, responsibilities and person specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see job description for full details on vacancy description, responsibilities and person specification.
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Professional Qualification in Mental Health Nursing or Occupational Therapy including registration with the relevant regulatory body.
- If not a qualified mentor, commitment to work towards this
Desirable
- Registered General Nurse (as a dual trained practitioner)
- Post Graduate Degree/Masters programme
- Qualified Mentor (998 or equivalent)/ Accredited Practice Educator (APPLE programme for OT).
Experience
Essential
- Experience of liaising with a variety of stakeholders both internal and external to the mental health trust
- Minimum of 18 months post qualification practice experience in mental health - any age
Desirable
- Experience of leading service developments
- Experience of clinical audit and research
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Up to date knowledge of national and local guidance relevant to liaison psychiatry (e.g. Parity of esteem agenda, Crisis Care Concordat, National Suicide Prevention Strategy, Relevant NICE Guidelines)
- A working knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act, Duty of Candour
- Knowledge of the effects of physical health and long term conditions on mental health and wellbeing
- Interpersonal skills: good communicator, problem solving abilities, calm under pressure, engaging, alignment with KMPT values. Ability to work according to Trust Values at all times, especially in complex and challenging situations
- Clinical skills: Robust mental health needs assessment, including risk and Mental State Examination/Formulation ability.
- Training: Ability to deliver in ad hoc and formal education sessions
- Information Technology: Ability to use IT systems effectively and in a timely way
- Travelling: Ability to travel between sites in a timely manner
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Professional Qualification in Mental Health Nursing or Occupational Therapy including registration with the relevant regulatory body.
- If not a qualified mentor, commitment to work towards this
Desirable
- Registered General Nurse (as a dual trained practitioner)
- Post Graduate Degree/Masters programme
- Qualified Mentor (998 or equivalent)/ Accredited Practice Educator (APPLE programme for OT).
Experience
Essential
- Experience of liaising with a variety of stakeholders both internal and external to the mental health trust
- Minimum of 18 months post qualification practice experience in mental health - any age
Desirable
- Experience of leading service developments
- Experience of clinical audit and research
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Up to date knowledge of national and local guidance relevant to liaison psychiatry (e.g. Parity of esteem agenda, Crisis Care Concordat, National Suicide Prevention Strategy, Relevant NICE Guidelines)
- A working knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act, Duty of Candour
- Knowledge of the effects of physical health and long term conditions on mental health and wellbeing
- Interpersonal skills: good communicator, problem solving abilities, calm under pressure, engaging, alignment with KMPT values. Ability to work according to Trust Values at all times, especially in complex and challenging situations
- Clinical skills: Robust mental health needs assessment, including risk and Mental State Examination/Formulation ability.
- Training: Ability to deliver in ad hoc and formal education sessions
- Information Technology: Ability to use IT systems effectively and in a timely way
- Travelling: Ability to travel between sites in a timely manner
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
