Clinical Lead

Job overview

Our Mental Health Liaison Team (MHLT) is an all-age mental health assessment service based in the Royal Stoke University Hospital, currently accredited by the Psychiatric Liaison Accreditation Network through the Royal College of Psychiatry. The MHLT is an essential component of the urgent mental health care pathway for Stoke-on-Trent which provides a 24/7 - Core24 service, assessing people of all ages from all areas of the acute hospital trust. Our team comprises of dedicated, experienced multi-disciplinary professionals including psychiatrists, psychology, advanced nurse practitioners, physician associates, social workers, mental health nurses and administration staff.

We are looking to recruit an experienced, confident and motivated Clinical Lead to join our team at the Royal Stoke University Hospital. If you have experience working with severe and/or enduring mental health issues, with people in mental health crisis and have an excellent knowledge of the complexities in how physical health issues can impact a person’s mental health, this role may be for you.

Main duties of the job

The Mental Health Liaison Team is an essential component of the crisis care pathway supporting our healthcare system for individual’s attending physical health care settings, namely Accident and Emergency with mental health needs and a combination of physical, psychological and social factors.  The Mental Health Liaison Team is a multi-disciplinary team who rapidly assess all individuals who present with urgent mental health needs within the emergency portals and inpatient areas at the Royal Stoke or Community Hospitals, also offering an outpatient service.

The post holder will be expected to provide strong clinical leadership as well as work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team within the Mental Health Liaison Team co-ordinating a fast paced dynamic 7- day 24-hour period service.

The post holder will coordinate, lead and support the staff to deliver a high-quality service to those accessing the services, ensuring that the service meets the requirements of commissioning and Trust policies and procedures.

The post holder will support the operational team manager in managing the service resources, budget, performance and the staff teams to ensure that it operates in a way which maximises the quality of care provided.

The post holder will work collaboratively with clinicians, other providers, commissioners and key stakeholders, to develop the services and maintain their high standards of care and provision.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will be confident in assessment of children, adults and older adults and will be expected to provide strong clinical leadership as well as work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team within the acute hospital in a fast-paced clinical environment on a shift basis over a 7-day, 24-hour period. The post holder will work closely with the MDT to ensure that all referrals received from the acute trust are responded to within set timescales according to risk and need, and that comprehensive assessments are completed with the team providing appropriate advice and intervention or signpost. They will support an effective flow within the acute Trust to ensure we deliver a responsive, high-quality service. The post holder will require relevant links and understanding of wider mental health and discharge pathways.

The post holder will report to the Operational Team Manager and will work in close collaboration with the Clinical Leadership Team within the Mental Health Liaison Team. The position is full-time over a 7-day period (shifts to be agreed). The post will be based at the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

To ensure that the values and principles of the organisation are translated into the philosophy and operational policy/service specifications for the services and that these are evident in everyday practice and reviewed on a regular basis, ensuring that the services are delivered and developed in line with relevant Trust policies, procedures and values.

To provide strong clinical leadership as well as work as a member of the multi-disciplinary team.

To establish, develop and review policies, practices and procedures which meet legislative, Trust and directorate requirements.

Clinical responsibility for the quality and performance of services offered in the Mental Health Liaison Team, in conjunction with the Operational Team Manager, ensuring processes are in place for the delivery of safe and compassionate care in accordance with Trust policies, procedures and values

To contribute to strategy and clinical governance plans for the service area and directorate. To take a lead in implementing specific projects in relation to this. Develop and maintain links and support networks with other teams within the service area, ensuring consistency.

Lead a multi-disciplinary team of staff in the delivery of high- quality evidence based practice, ensuring that regular supervision and appraisal takes place.