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Job summary

Main area
Mental Health
Grade
Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
351-FYL629-SRP
Employer
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals
Town
Blackpool
Salary
£47,810 - £54,710 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
17/11/2025 08:00

Employer heading

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust logo

Mental Health Liaison Practitioner

Band 7

Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism and community based services for the populations we serve.

As an integrated mental health, learning disability and community Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including:

•    Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, forensic services including low and medium secure care.
•    Specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
•    Community physical health and well-being services for children and adults.

The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,000 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health and general nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers.

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust supports flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, home/remote working, and flexi-time.

For more information visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.

Please note that further communication from Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCft) will normally be to the email address given on the application form. You should also ensure that email addresses and telephone numbers are provided for your referees, to enable LSCft to contact them.

Job overview

The mental health liaison team provides a comprehensive service to patients/service users over 16yrs, carers and clinical colleagues based within the Acute Hospital Trust.  This involves:

•    Offering an assessment service to patients presenting with a range of mental health and psychological problems.
•    Providing a mental health consultation-liaison and advice service
•    Delivering a range of interventions to individual patients and their families, as appropriate
•    Assisting and supporting general hospital colleagues in making decisions about treatment and care in complex situations
•    Providing formal and informal education and clinical supervision to registered and unregistered staff
•    Representing mental health services within the general hospital
•    Providing a communication structure between the general hospital, secondary mental health services, primary care and non-statutory services, as a means of ensuring the highest possible standards of patient care.

Main duties of the job

As a member of the mental health liaison team the post holder will be expected to assess and treat patients who are referred from a variety of sources, which will include:
•    Emergency Department
•    Medical assessment areas
•    All wards, departments and clinical teams across the hospital.

Patients may present with a wide range of mental health and psychological problems, including following an episode of self-harm, psychiatric emergency and as a consequence of physical illness.  You will be expected to work with individuals experiencing psychosomatic disorders and a variety of psychological and adjustment issues resulting from physical illness.  You will be required to make autonomous decisions, based on an analysis of complex presenting problems, while utilising effective clinical judgments about the most appropriate treatment, discharge and follow-up options.  You will use higher-level communication skills, both written and oral and have an ability to engage with challenging and/or acutely distressed individuals, sometimes in potentially hostile and/or antagonistic situations.

Working for our organisation

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area. 

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.

For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

Person specification

Education / Qualification

Essential criteria
  • Registered Nurse (Mental Health) – current NMC Registration or equivalent professional health care qualification.
  • Evidence of professional updating and development in the care of patients in an acute or community setting.
  • Diploma in Professional Studies (Nursing) - or equivalent.

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Extensive knowledge of the various approaches to mental health assessment.
  • Knowledge of key areas of liaison psychiatric practice, including the psychological effects of physical illness.
  • Knowledge of nursing and psychiatric interventions with patients in an acute phase of mental illness/distress.
  • Knowledge of Common Law and issues relating the Mental Health Act (1983). Knowledge of team-work and staff development.
  • Knowledge of the various therapeutic approaches in the care and treatment of patients with delirium, dementia and depression.

Experience

Essential criteria
  • A minimum of two years post-registration mental health experience.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerCare Leaver CovenantStep into healthDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - Gold

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Carole Middlebrook
Job title
Recruiting Manager
Telephone number
01253 956841
Additional information

If you would like to discuss this post further or want to arrange an informal visit please contact  Carole Middlebrook 01253 956841.

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