Job summary
We now have an exciting opportunity to recruit two full time Band 6 Police Liaison and Diversion Practitioners to join our well established but now expanding and progressive team working in MET police custody suites, Acton and Hammersmith. These custody suites serve large diverse boroughs within the West London area and can be busy and at times unpredictable, with everyday being different and an opportunity to develop your clinical skills/knowledge and experience.
The police Liaison teams sits within a wider Liaison and Diversion service in West London NHS Trust, including Court Diversion at Westminster, Isleworth Crown Court and Youth Justice.
We are looking for suitably experienced mental health professionals rather than one particular discipline. We are interested in hearing from mental health nurses, social workers or occupational therapists, who have an interest in the Criminal Justice System and offending.
The successful applicants must be able to demonstrate knowledge and direct experience of the crisis pathways and risk management to a high standard and should have previous experience working with vulnerable young people and adults within acute, community and/or forensic settings. We would expect potential candidates to have a minimum of two years' clinical experience and have some direct experience of working autonomously and making decisions without constant supervision.
Main duties of the job
We provide proactive screening and assessment to individuals within Police custody, identifying need/vulnerabilities, signposting to other services and where indicated diverting to health. This will be on the day and you will be expected to gather collateral information and perform a mental state and risk assessment, while offering advice/information to custody staff. Data collection and recording is also essential to the role to support service evaluation and development.
You will be primarily screening those over 18 but at times will be expected to assess children and young people if our Youth team is not available. Our aim is to improve overall health outcomes, reduce further police contact and re-offending rates, and to avert disorder-related crises.
The service needs practitioners who are able to think quickly and work largely independently (with limited/some supervision) under pressure when screening and assessing vulnerable people in police custody, often with high levels of complexity. This is a non health care setting. You will also need excellent communication and strong risk management/assessment skills while demonstrating a commitment to close partnership working with the Police and other agencies, both statutory and voluntary. You will also need to be excellent in report writing as we send reports to Courts following our assessment, to guide justice makers in appropriate disposal or/and suggest adaptations for the individual.
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 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby 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 description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will work under the remit of the Forensic Community Service providing a proactive assessment, liaison and diversion service in two Police Custody Suites within the West London area.
The post holder will join an established team which already comprises of Band 7 and Band 6 Police Liaison Practitioners. The post holder will work in partnership with health, social services and the criminal justice system, to ensure that individuals presenting with mental health problems in police custody have their needs addressed and are diverted into appropriate health care services as necessary. Unsocial hours working will be required, weekend and Bank holidays.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will work under the remit of the Forensic Community Service providing a proactive assessment, liaison and diversion service in two Police Custody Suites within the West London area.
The post holder will join an established team which already comprises of Band 7 and Band 6 Police Liaison Practitioners. The post holder will work in partnership with health, social services and the criminal justice system, to ensure that individuals presenting with mental health problems in police custody have their needs addressed and are diverted into appropriate health care services as necessary. Unsocial hours working will be required, weekend and Bank holidays.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified Registered Mental Health Nurse with current registration or similar professional qualification
- Meaningful evidence of continuing professional development and post registration training.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team.
- A minimum of 2 years' post-registration experience.
- Experience of crisis work and risk assessment/management.
- Application of the Mental Health Act (2007) and the Mental Capacity Act (2005)
Knowledge
Essential
- Effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to use information technology systems in order to carry out duties
- Ability to make comprehensive psycho-social assessments
- Good report writing skills.
- Ability to make sound and safe risk assessments
- Evidence of effective time management and organisational skills.
- Ability to work semi-independently with supervision and to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team.
- Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach that considers the needs of the whole person.
- Ability to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills.
- Knowledge of current legislation relating to community mental health provision and forensic psychiatry (Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act)
- Familiarity with research, reports and publications relevant to liaison and diversion.
- Knowledge of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1884 and PACE Codes of Practice 2004.
- Ability to promote service users' involvement
Other Requirements
Essential
- Sickness (or attendance) record that is acceptable to the Trust; to be checked at interview.
- Declared medically fit by the Occupational Health department to perform the duties of the post
- Capable of completing scrutiny of Police NPPV2 Vetting procedure for both Met and City forces.
- The post-holder must have the ability to understand and implement the Equal Opportunities Policy at a level appropriate to the job.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified Registered Mental Health Nurse with current registration or similar professional qualification
- Meaningful evidence of continuing professional development and post registration training.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team.
- A minimum of 2 years' post-registration experience.
- Experience of crisis work and risk assessment/management.
- Application of the Mental Health Act (2007) and the Mental Capacity Act (2005)
Knowledge
Essential
- Effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to use information technology systems in order to carry out duties
- Ability to make comprehensive psycho-social assessments
- Good report writing skills.
- Ability to make sound and safe risk assessments
- Evidence of effective time management and organisational skills.
- Ability to work semi-independently with supervision and to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary/multi-agency team.
- Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach that considers the needs of the whole person.
- Ability to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills.
- Knowledge of current legislation relating to community mental health provision and forensic psychiatry (Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act)
- Familiarity with research, reports and publications relevant to liaison and diversion.
- Knowledge of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1884 and PACE Codes of Practice 2004.
- Ability to promote service users' involvement
Other Requirements
Essential
- Sickness (or attendance) record that is acceptable to the Trust; to be checked at interview.
- Declared medically fit by the Occupational Health department to perform the duties of the post
- Capable of completing scrutiny of Police NPPV2 Vetting procedure for both Met and City forces.
- The post-holder must have the ability to understand and implement the Equal Opportunities Policy at a level appropriate to the job.
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).
