Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust

Liaison Psychiatry Practitioner

The closing date is 17 November 2025

Job summary

Please note, at this stage, the role is open only to internal staff (including NHSP and Agency staff currently on placement within our organisation) and staff substantively employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts and the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB). Any individual who is at risk of redundancy will be given priority, provided they meet the essential criteria.

Liaison Psychiatry is a challenging and rewarding service to work in, we need the best quality of candidates to help us grow our service further into a 24-hour service operating from the William Harvey Hospital and, when required, the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital.

Mental Health Nurses & Occupational Therapists encouraged to apply.

We are looking for a confident and experienced mental health clinician, who will work across the acute general hospital to provide mental health assessments, care, advice and training to both the Emergency Departments and in-patient wards.

You will be able to meet the assessment and formulation needs of both working age adults and older adults have a good insight into your training needs to fulfil this role and 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.

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 support 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.

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 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.

Take a look at our Community Nursing Video

Date posted

03 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

380-NK234

Job locations

Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham

Windmill Road

Gillingham

ME75NY

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached job description for full details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role.

Previous applicants need not apply.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached job description for full details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role.

Previous applicants need not apply.

Person Specification

Training, Qualifications and Registration

Essential

Registered Professional Qualification (NMC or OT)
12 months post qualification experience

Desirable

Qualified Practice Assessor
Evidence of continuing professional development

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Up to date knowledge of national and local guidance relevant to Liaison Psychiatry Service
Significant knowledge of and ability to apply relevant legislative frameworks and policies relating to care e.g. Mental Capacity Act
A comprehensive understanding and ability to apply principles of risk assessment and risk management
To be competent in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care

Desirable

Ability to support and develop an environment which ensures effective clinical care and innovation
An understanding of the broad aims of current national and local healthcare policy and an appreciation of the implications of this on clinical practice

Experience

Essential

Significant experience at Band 5
Experience of delivering clinical supervision

Desirable

Experience of working within the NHS
Experience of being involved in service developments or audits
Expereince in older adult assessment

Person Specification

Training, Qualifications and Registration

Essential

Registered Professional Qualification (NMC or OT)
12 months post qualification experience

Desirable

Qualified Practice Assessor
Evidence of continuing professional development

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Up to date knowledge of national and local guidance relevant to Liaison Psychiatry Service
Significant knowledge of and ability to apply relevant legislative frameworks and policies relating to care e.g. Mental Capacity Act
A comprehensive understanding and ability to apply principles of risk assessment and risk management
To be competent in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating care

Desirable

Ability to support and develop an environment which ensures effective clinical care and innovation
An understanding of the broad aims of current national and local healthcare policy and an appreciation of the implications of this on clinical practice

Experience

Essential

Significant experience at Band 5
Experience of delivering clinical supervision

Desirable

Experience of working within the NHS
Experience of being involved in service developments or audits
Expereince in older adult assessment

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

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust

Address

Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham

Windmill Road

Gillingham

ME75NY

Employer's website

https://www.kentmedwaymentalhealth.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust

Address

Medway Maritime Hospital, Gillingham

Windmill Road

Gillingham

ME75NY

Employer's website

https://www.kentmedwaymentalhealth.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)