Prison Liaison practitioner (Clinical)

Job summary

We are seeking an experienced and confident advanced clinical practitioner to join our Trust and Provider Collaborative secure and forensic patient flow and bed management team. Working across Sussex, Kent and Surrey, and closely with prison healthcare services, this role will support the effective identification, clinical review and timely admission of men requiring transfer from prison to secure inpatient care.

Based within secure services and working into the male prison estate, including HMP Lewes, HMP Wandsworth and HMP Elmley, the post holder will provide expert clinical advice, oversight and support to prison mental health teams and secure inpatient services. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to safe, coordinated pathways for men with complex mental health needs while working collaboratively across a specialist regional network

Main duties of the job

Based within the Forensic Healthcare Services and providing clinical support to teams in prison healthcare within male prisons and secure inpatient teams this post provides expert advanced level clinical expertise and support to men awaiting transfer to secure services from prison and the clinical teams responsible for their care. This requires the post holder to assess and review patients using advanced level clinical skills whilst in prison and in secure services in an unpredictable environment. The post holder does not provide treatment directly but provides expertise to prison based mental health services.

About us

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health, learning disability and neurodevelopmental services across diverse coastal, rural and urban communities, with strong links to partners across health, social care, probation and criminal justice. Within Forensic Health Services, you will be joining committed multidisciplinary teams and senior leaders who want the psychological professions to be visible, valued and influential in improving care. Together, we are working to strengthen reflective, compassionate and inclusive approaches for people who may present with complex mental health needs, offending histories, trauma and risk.

Job responsibilities

Five key responsibilities Provide advanced clinical assessment and expert advice for men referred from prison to secure mental health services. Coordinate timely referrals, assessments, admissions and remissions , ensuring safe transitions and compliance with the Mental Health Act. Maintain clinical oversight and manage risk for patients awaiting transfer, including developing crisis and behavioural support plans.

Work collaboratively across prison healthcare, secure services and patient-flow teams throughout Kent, Surrey and Sussex to support effective care pathways and bed management. Lead clinical improvement and workforce development through supervision, training, audit, evaluation and the implementation of consistent standards and protocols.

Person Specification

Qualifications · Essential

Registered Nurse mental health, Registered Nurse Learning Disability Level 1 OR Registered allied health professional or social worker Registration with relevant professional body, NMC, HCPC or SWE Evidence of significant relevant professional development

Experience · Essential

Substantial evidence of recent relevant clinical Practice in Forensic Mental Health or prison healthcare Advanced level expert knowledge of clinical practice and multidisciplinary team working in mental health Experience of working with trauma informed principles of practice Experience of working in specialist forensic or prison mental healthcare Advanced decision-making skills that reflect a patient/ carer focus Evidence of inter-professional collaboration

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).