Police Liaison Practitioner

Job responsibilities

This job description is an outline of the main duties of the post. The postholder will be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as directed.

The content of this post will be reviewed in consultation with the postholder when necessary and in line with the service developments.

To work as a senior member of the police liaison team providing comprehensive mental health assessments for those in crisis, identify care pathways and offer support and advice to local police who come into contact with those who have mental health issues.

The successful applicant will work in the police station and maintain close links with mental health services, social care and other voluntary agencies.

This involves a commitment to close partnership working with both statutory and voluntary sector agencies and a commitment to working with a complex and diverse range of individuals with varying needs.

KEY RESULT AREAS:

To attend with or without the police, varying community settings and provide mental health assessments, advice and identify robust care pathways for individuals where a potential mental health or learning disability need has been identified.

1. To provide the police with written information pertaining to the individual in a timely fashion.
2. To work closely and build links with all officers, acting as a single point of contact for mental health.
3. Facilitate mental health act assessments at the police station or in the community if clinically indicated.
4. To be proficient in all aspects of care and risk management associated with the role of lead professional, whilst referring to appropriate community teams.
5. To provide specialist advice and service to the police where indicated.
6. To provide mental health information that is proportionate in order to provide the best outcome for the person, where a potential mental health need has been identified.
7. To have the interpersonal skills necessary to develop a therapeutic alliance with emotionally and psychologically disturbed clients and their carers enabling the client to accept responsibility for their personal wellbeing appropriate to their level of cognitive functioning.
8. To work collaboratively with clients, carers and multiple other agencies to provide effective care to optimise and maintain clients mental state and overall functioning.

1. To have a comprehensive knowledge and understanding or current issues and research relevant to the legislative framework and systems in which mental health care is delivered e.g. CPA, MHA (1983), S136.
2. To take personal responsibility and supervise junior staff, ensuring the maintenance of written and electronic client and Trust records including inputting data related to own work activity and to be accountable for your own professional practice.
3. To participate in the development of and practice within the policies and procedures of the Trust and adhere to NHS and NMC guidelines or appropriate governing body specific to professional role.
4. To have an understanding or and participate in the clinical audit process within health and social care.
5. To be responsible for providing training to the Police, Police liaison practitioners and wider IHBTT colleagues re own discipline.
6. To promote and disseminate evidence based practice relevant to the Liaison and Diversion and the criminal justice system to individuals and target groups within the health and social care community, through the development and delivery or appropriate training.
7. To participate in the Trusts appraisal system taking responsibility for own continues professional development, keeping abreast of current research and evidence base and participating in training and development opportunities.

Trust Values:

The Trust is committed to ensuring the highest standards of care and treatment and expects that all staff treat people e.g, service users, their carers, relatives, friends, colleagues, visitors etc, with dignity and respectat all time. The post holder must all time act in accordance with the Trusts Values:

Honest, open, transparent

Respectful

Person first and in the centre

Improve and be outstanding

Relevant today, ready for tomorrow

Families and carers matter

Safeguarding:

Report any concerns regarding the safety or wellbeing of children, adults service users, members of their families etc, in accordance with Trust Policy.

Prevent and respond appropriately to abuse and understand own role in this by undertaking Safeguarding training.

Trust policies and commitments to be read in line with the relevant Trust Policy:

All staff employed by the Trust must comply with the Trusts policies and procedures, undertake appropriate training required for their role and commit to:

ensure they are aware of the Whistleblowing Policy and how they raise concerns;

maintain confidentiality, in line with the Trusts Confidentiality Policy and Code of Conduct;

understand their personal responsibilities with regards to data quality for any information which they create, use or process in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Trust Data Protection Policy;

comply with the provisions of The Trusts Health and Safety Policy and Protocol. Ensuring their own safety and that of colleagues, service users and visitors. Know the action to be taken in the event of a fire and must undertake fire training annually;

receive supervision in line with the Trusts Supervision Policy and an annual Appraisal in line with the Trusts Appraisal Policy, during which mandatory, role specific and personal development needs should be identified and agreed;

understand their responsibilities under the Trusts Equal Opportunities in Employment Policy and ensure that they adhere to the provisions of the policy;

recognise, respect and support the equality diversity of staff, colleagues, service users, carers and the public. Contribute to a working environment which promotes and responds positively to difference and diversity;

ensure they carry out their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people under the age of 18 years, as issued under Section 11 of The Children Act 2004, by being familiar with and adhering to Trust safeguarding policies and participatingin relevanttraining;

comply with their professional responsibilities to develop their practice and deliver care through a Clinical Governance framework (i.e. CPD, Audit, Supervision);

demonstrate, through practice and practical understanding, the importance of the continual development of individual, team and service wide quality improvement;

abide by relevant codes of professional practice, with the organisation taking action when codes of conduct are breached;

work flexibly to meet the needs of the service/organisation, whilst working within a culture of progressive employment practices and commitment to the Investors in People (IiP) Standards.

adhere to the Trusts smoke free policies, which prohibits smoking anywhere on Trust grounds;

being socially responsible by complying with measures that support the Trust in reducing or offsetting our environmental impact;

Identify and report risks, hazards, incidents, accidents and near misses promptly;

In addition to the Trusts own responsibilities under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance, for your safety, ALL staff (and contractors) are responsible for ensuring their work adheres to this Code in the delivery of safe patient care.

This job description is an outline of the main duties of the post. The postholder will be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the band as directed. The content of this post will be reviewed in consultation with the postholder when necessary and in line with the service developments.

For full Job Description please see supporting information attached.

Physical Attributes

Essential

• Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post. A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).

Qualifications

Essential

• A Professional Qualification at degree level or equivalent in either mental health nursing or social work.
• Hold current registration with relevant professional body
• Evidence of post registration training and development

Desirable

• An NMC approved mentorship qualification, such as Supporting Learning in Practice (SLiP) or equivalent, and evidence of ongoing mentoring activity.
• Equivalent level of teaching mentoring qualification.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with people who are difficult to engage having developed through theoretical and practical knowledge of working with people with severe and enduring mental illness.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing situations.
• Substantial experience of practice at a senior level working autonomously and responsibility of supervising others.
• Substantial experience in community setting.
• Evidence of leadership skills and experience of supervising other staff.
• Experience of support carers and families.
• A proven commitment to working in partnership with service users and carers in the delivery of effective services

Desirable

• Experience/training in Research.

Training

Essential

• Working knowledge of the MHA 1983, CPA and other relevant codes of practice.

Desirable

• Training in P.S.I. and C.B.T.
• HCR-20

Special Knowledge/Skills

Essential

• Experience of carrying out complex risk assessment and development comprehensive packages of care to meet individual needs and management associated risks.
• Clear and concise written and verbal communication.
• Skills in specialist assessments, negotiation, engagement and teamwork.

Desirable

• Recognised qualification in clinical supervision.
• Experience of substance misuse.
• Relapse prevention.
• Use of assessment tools.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Demonstrate ability to be flexible, self-motivated and work in M.D.T. setting and ability to work with Partnership agencies.
• Ability to prioritise workload.
• Ability to travel across the Trust as appropriate to the role
• Ability to work unsocial hours

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).