Mental Health Liaison Practitioner

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES :
Clinical
1. The post-holder will be both a member of a number of GP led primary care teams and a member of secondary care mental health services.
2. To undertake screening and assessment of patients with mental health problems referred by GPs to determine the most appropriate intervention and offer support and advice using the philosophy of least intervention possible and of a recovery, strength based approach.
3. To support GPs and primary care teams in assessing and managing risk.
4. To facilitate the patient’s journey to secondary services and other statutory services as needed including acting as broker between secondary care services to avoid clients being “bounced” around teams.
5. To be aware of service users with complex needs who are discharged from secondary care to primary care, and to liaise with their GPs to ensure that the discharge is well managed.
6. To support and work alongside GPs in the implementation of patient-centred care packages and treatment for use within primary care.
7. To support GPs with issues relating to medication, and to liaise with psychiatry colleagues about medication advice and diagnostic advice as required.
8. To contribute to the development of assessment skills of other practitioners in primary care to promote more accurate identification of mental health problems.
9. To provide, where required, supervision for students and other mental health trainees.
10. To ensure that clinical practice is evidence-based and consistent with relevant NICE Guidelines, and Trust policies and procedures.
11. To work in a flexible way in providing cover in other GP practices when needed.

Consultation and training
1. To provide advice and consultation to GPs and primary care teams.
2. To provide high quality information to GPs and primary care teams on local resources and services
3. To publish and make available information about the practitioner role to local people
4. To attend supervision from appropriate clinical practitioners in nursing and psychological care, approved by the service manager.
5. To provide formal and informal training in a range of mental health issues identified by GPs for GPs and Primary Care Mental Health Teams and present cases, literature reviews and research findings at clinical and other meetings as appropriate.

Networking and service provision
1. To work closely with other practitioners, local day services, local education establishments, employment agencies and third sector services
2. To maintain close working relationships with secondary care services.
3. To provide information to patients, and their carers, about their care and options available to them.
4. To ensure that the service is equitable and accessible to clients and carers.

Quality and audit
1. To ensure that assessment and interventions are provided to agreed standards.
2. To keep GPs and primary care teams well informed on outcomes of interventions and therapies provided to their patients.
3. In association with GPs, other practitioners and service managers, to involve patient, carers and the general public in improving service responses and service pathways.
4. To ensure that complaints and plaudits are logged and appropriate action is taken, in line with the Trust’s policies and procedures, and national guidelines.
5. To observe and ensure adherence to the relevant professional code of Professional Conduct and the Trust’s Policies and Procedures.
6. To act in all circumstances to ensure the safety and welfare of people, their relatives, and staff.
7. To ensure that approved policies, clinical procedures and regulations are understood and followed, and to take appropriate remedial action where deviations from these standards occur.
8. To keep the Team Leader aware of and informed about any untoward occurrences that may affect the service professionally or administratively, or in other ways.
9. To be aware of the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation in relation to confidentiality and freedom of information.
10. To engage in individual performance reviews and continuing professional development, identifying training needs in relation to personal development and development of the post.
11. To review with the GP and service manager the post-holder’s personal workloads and levels of clinical and other activity.
12. To undertake any other duties in line with the grade and scope of the post