Senior Liaison Psychiatry Practitioner

We are looking for a dedicated and motivated Social Worker or Occupational Therapist to join ELPS. You will be a senior member of a growing and dynamic service where learning, professional development and a supportive environment are promoted. Sound clinical knowledge and experience of the crisis and acute mental health pathway is essential to the role.

The team has a mix of Consultant Liaison Psychiatrists, Trainee doctors, Foundation Year doctors, Liaison Psychiatry Practitioners and Team Administrator. We are keen to expand the skills in the team and to open this role to a social worker. ELPS has office spaces in Ealing Hospital and provides a service to the acute trust primarily. Excellent working relationships have already been developed with both clinicians and managers of EH. The role has clinical, leadership and managerial elements to it. Critical thinking and motivation for innovation and development are essential, as you will be involved in patient care and experience, team development and service improvement.

We pride ourselves on providing a standard of care that we would be happy for our loved ones and ourselves to receive. If this is your motivation as a practitioner, you will fit well in the team and we will nurture your caring attitude. Wellbeing of team members and team cohesion are high on our agenda as they are essential to providing quality care and improving patient and carer experience.

ELPS is commissioned to see patients aged 16 and above. You will undertake biopsychosocial assessments for patients who attend UTC or ED or are admitted on medical wards and have mental health needs. They may present with emotional problems, self-harm or in psychiatric crisis. They may also present with psychosomatic disorder and a variety of psychological issues related to physical disorders.

You will represent ELPS in Ealing Hospital and provide specialist support to referring clinicians and clinical teams. You will offer a person-centred approach to patients' treatment, recovery and well-being. You will make clear autonomous decisions based on an analysis of complex presenting problems. You will promote carer/family involvement and will liaise with colleagues from other areas of health and social care to coordinate safe discharge plans.

You will demonstrate organisational and multitasking skills by effectively prioritising in a fast paced environment and efficiently delegating and allocating workload. You will offer formal and informal training to ELPS and EH colleagues to promote high quality of care. You will provide clinical and managerial supervision to junior colleagues in ELPS. You will be encouraged to share your views and ideas to enhance and support service improvement. You will take responsibility for projects associated with service provision and development. You will have dedicated management time to fulfil these tasks and develop your leadership skills.

About us: West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation. Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over 500m. The Trust is rated as 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'. The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Job responsibilities: The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required.

• Knowledge
• Specialist knowledge of mental health disorders as well as their relationship to physical disorders
• Assessment and treatment of self-harm
• Risk assessment/management and crisis intervention skills
• Use of psychosocial assessment methods
• Knowledge of counselling skills / cognitive behavioural skills, psychosocial interventions
• Ability to assess clinical situations quickly and use initiative
• Knowledge of Mental Capacity Act (2005)
• Clear understanding of the Mental Health Act (1983), and National Policy
• Ability to engage challenging and/or acutely distressed patients in potentially hostile and/or antagonistic situations and use de-escalation techniques effectively
• Sufficient clinical knowledge to be able to make autonomous decisions, based on an analysis of complex presenting problems and judgement about available options
• Management and organisation skills that enable a number of complex activities and clinical work to be undertaken, revising and adjusting these according to the needs of individual patients and the service
• Clear understanding of the process of supervision
• Qualifications & Training
• Professional Qualification as RMN/RN (Mental Health) or Registered Occupational Therapist or Registered Social Worker with professional registration (HCPC)
• Mentorship In Practice (Teaching & Assessing in Clinical Practice) or equivalent teaching qualification
• Assisted Year In Practice (ASYE) if social work qualified
• Experience
• Demonstrable post qualifying experience in the mental health crisis pathway with evidence of relevant experience at Band 6
• Experience of supervising junior staff within own and/or other disciplines
• Experience of mentoring students through placements
• Experience of working with people who have experienced serious ongoing mental health problems
• Experience of assessing and managing crisis with those with a severe mental illness
• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of teaching/ training in a formal or informal setting
• Personal qualities
• Ability to manage own time effectively through robust prioritising of own and others workloads
• Ability to frequently work under pressure and maintain intense concentration, particularly in unpredictable situations where there will be exposure to highly distressed and/or disturbed patients, often exhibiting challenging behaviours and the risk of physical violence
• Self-motivated, able to work autonomously and independently with confidence
• Exercise initiative, flexibility, tact and self-awareness
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Team/self-management and organisation skills that enable a number of complex activities and clinical work to be undertaken, revising and adjusting these according to the needs of individual patients and the service
• Be aware of the limitations in own competencies and seek appropriate senior advice and leadership
• Act as a positive role model, dynamic, motivated caring and supportive
• Ability to work closely and form excellent working relationships with a wide range of people
• Other
• Higher level communication skills, both written and oral
• Commitment to Equal Opportunities
• Ability to be reflective and accept constructive criticism to further develop oneself
• Be able to work flexibly if required
• Sickness (or attendance) record that is acceptable to the Trust