Job summary
Are you an experienced, highly motivated mental health practitioner and who is passionate about improving health outcomes for those within the Criminal Justice system? Do you want to be part of a well-established and highly reputable service within the Trust? Do you have excellent communication skills and an ability to build strong, robust relationships with others?
If you think that this is you, your enthusiastic and committed, then our friendly team is for you.
We now have the opportunity to recruit 1 full time vacancy (1.0 WTE) for Band 7 Magistrates Court Liaison and Diversion Practitioner to join our well established Liaison and Diversion Service in West London. Due to internal recruitment, this post has become vacant and this will be based at Westminster Magistrates Court, which serves several large diverse boroughs within the West London area.
The Magistrates Court L&D Practitioner will sit within a wider Liaison and Diversion service in West London NHS Trust, forensic community services, including Court Diversion at Isleworth Crown Court, Police custody in Acton and Hammersmith stations and Youth Justice Tri Borough. The post holder will be part of an established liaison and diversion service, working in partnership with the health sector, social services and the criminal justice system focusing on the Crown Court.
Main duties of the job
This scheme, commissioned by NHS England operate to a standard model and similar schemes are now available in every part of the country. It is an all-age service and all women and people under the age of 18 are screened as mandatory due to their vulnerability within the system. The Liaison and Diversion service provides proactive assessment, liaison and diversion in all Police Custody Suites and Magistrates' Courts within the catchment of the West London. Liaison and Diversion services are responsible for providing mental health screening assessment for detained persons. Where detained persons are identified who require further assessment and intervention they will provide it or ensure appropriate referrals are made.
The post holder will:
- To provide a specialist service to the Magistrate's Court in conjunction with the wider multidisciplinary team.
- Assist the court in providing up to date information on a defendant's mental health.
- Offer a single referral/contact point for all stakeholders, inside and outside the court in any court process when mental health issues arise such as to prisons.
You will need excellent communication and risk management skills and demonstrate a commitment to close partnership working with the Court staff, prisons and other agencies, both statutory and voluntary.
The successful applicant must be able to demonstrate knowledge and direct experience of the Court/Liaison and Diversion process and relevant Mental Health legislation.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse providers of mental health, community and social care in the UK.
Our 3,982 staff care for people in hospital and in the community, helping them to recover and go on to lead full and productive lives. We aim to be the best organisation of our kind in the country.
We provide care and treatment for more than 800,000 people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, delivering services in the community (at home, in GP surgeries and care homes), hospital, specialist clinics and forensic (secure) units.
We'rerated good overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Together, we're committed to promoting hope and wellbeing, working with patients, service users, carers, families and partners across the communities we serve.
We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and experience of mental illness.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To proactively identify people with mental health problems and other vulnerabilities who are waiting to appear in court and provide psychosocial holistic assessments (including risk assessments).
- To work closely with multidisciplinary team to facilitate appropriate health and social service involvement to address the mental health needs of each person assessed.
- To possess the appropriate knowledge regarding legal issues, court procedures and the role of other professions.
- To provide specialist advice and liaison to all colleagues encountered within health settings, social services and professions within the criminal justice system.
- To provide written reports for the court ensuring that confidentiality is maintained at all time, (unless a team decision is made to compromise confidentiality in the interests of safety)
- To provide awareness training for the judiciary, court staff, prosecution and defence representatives, probation and other staff regarding court assessments and liaison and diversion services.
- To initiate and lead in maintaining documentation and data collection to contribute to evaluative service provision reports and to further opportunities for research.
- To adhere to all policies and procedures in place as provided by West London NHS Trust and the Codes of Professional Conduct for the practitioners professional regulatory body.
- To adhere to rules and regulations as laid down by the Magistrates Court.
- To take appropriate measures to ensure personal safety and that of patients, colleagues and the general public.
- To develop and maintain effective communication pathways with the main court departments and criminal justice agencies - list office, clerks, judiciary, CPS, probation, PECS, defence teams, police and prison service.
- To advise probation and to provide input into the production of probation reports, including risk management.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To proactively identify people with mental health problems and other vulnerabilities who are waiting to appear in court and provide psychosocial holistic assessments (including risk assessments).
- To work closely with multidisciplinary team to facilitate appropriate health and social service involvement to address the mental health needs of each person assessed.
- To possess the appropriate knowledge regarding legal issues, court procedures and the role of other professions.
- To provide specialist advice and liaison to all colleagues encountered within health settings, social services and professions within the criminal justice system.
- To provide written reports for the court ensuring that confidentiality is maintained at all time, (unless a team decision is made to compromise confidentiality in the interests of safety)
- To provide awareness training for the judiciary, court staff, prosecution and defence representatives, probation and other staff regarding court assessments and liaison and diversion services.
- To initiate and lead in maintaining documentation and data collection to contribute to evaluative service provision reports and to further opportunities for research.
- To adhere to all policies and procedures in place as provided by West London NHS Trust and the Codes of Professional Conduct for the practitioners professional regulatory body.
- To adhere to rules and regulations as laid down by the Magistrates Court.
- To take appropriate measures to ensure personal safety and that of patients, colleagues and the general public.
- To develop and maintain effective communication pathways with the main court departments and criminal justice agencies - list office, clerks, judiciary, CPS, probation, PECS, defence teams, police and prison service.
- To advise probation and to provide input into the production of probation reports, including risk management.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered on the NMC (Registered MH nurse) and/or HCPC, Social work England (with evidence of further education).
- Degree/masters in relevant clinical/professional subject.
- Substantial/meaningful evidence of continuing professional development and post registration training
Desirable
- Post-registration qualification in mental health.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team
- Experience at Band 6 or above for at least two years
Desirable
- Experience of working within Liaison and Diversion service or another criminal justice setting
- Experience of conflict management and resolution.
- Experience of service development
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered on the NMC (Registered MH nurse) and/or HCPC, Social work England (with evidence of further education).
- Degree/masters in relevant clinical/professional subject.
- Substantial/meaningful evidence of continuing professional development and post registration training
Desirable
- Post-registration qualification in mental health.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team
- Experience at Band 6 or above for at least two years
Desirable
- Experience of working within Liaison and Diversion service or another criminal justice setting
- Experience of conflict management and resolution.
- Experience of service development
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
