This is a newly created Senior Psychiatric Liaison Nurse (SPLN) post based at Guy’s Hospital at London Bridge.
Guy’s Hospital Mental Health Liaison Team
The liaison team at Guy’s Hospital includes a Consultant Psychiatrist and three resident doctors of different grades alongside a Band 8b Clinical P190sychologist and team administrator. The team operates an outpatient service as well as providing psychiatric assessments and treatments to inpatients on the wards at Guy’s Hospital. The resident doctors rotate as part of their training and may be away for on-calls, so there will be times when there are fewer people around.
The team receives 190. Referrals for ward patients each year. These patients can be medically complex and have long admissions and could typically be seen once or twice a week by the team.
Guy’s Hospital does not have an Emergency Department, so most of the admissions are planned. Guy’s Hospital specialises in treatment of cancer, kidney disease, sickle cell disease and orthopaedics.
There is a separate liaison team for older adults and for patients under 18 years of age.
The Senior Psychiatric Liaison Nurse (SPLN) is responsible for delivering specialist mental health assessments and supporting care pathways for working‑age adults admitted to Guy’s Hospital who present with symptoms of mental illness and other medical comorbidity such as sickle cel
The post holder will ensure that patients receive appropriate investigation, treatment and coordinated aftercare throughout their admission .
The SPLN will collaborate closely with acute trust colleagues including the Enhanced Care Team to promote high standards of mental health care within the general hospital.
The SPLN will work both autonomously and jointly with other professionals, with flexibility according to clinical need. This includes shared working with Foundation Year 1 doctors, holding the Smart Page, undertaking joint assessments where appropriate, and providing supervision, guidance and support to junior medical staff.
The post holder will contribute to operational and non‑clinical responsibilities essential to safe and effective service delivery. These include health and safety monitoring, governance activities, professionals meetings, exclusion panels and Frequent Attender meetings.
The SPLN is expected to maintain strong working knowledge of psychotropic medications, including recognising common side effects, interactions and treatment responses.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.
Key Responsibilities:
Clinical
- To assess patients presenting to the acute Trust with emergency or urgent mental health or psychological needs, including those who have self-harmed
- To provide face to face assessments and consultations with service users, carers and clinical and non-clinical personnel within the Trust and externally.
- To work across all wards in the acute hospital.
- To provide rapid response to referrals to ensure timely assessment within currently commissioned targets.
- To devise and deliver interim management and care plans to patients on the acute medical wards.
- To provide strong and decisive clinical leadership all staff within the team and work effectively as part of a MDT.
- The post holder will work with and liaise with the Home Treatment Team, relevant acute trusts community services, CMHTs, primary care, social services, and third sector agencies, when necessary.
- To work with partner agencies to facilitate appropriate care pathway planning, including alternatives to admission, where appropriate.
- To provide training to our acute trust colleagues on relevant training topics
- The post holder will be required to keep accurate contemporary data in line with the service KPIs. This will include carer and referrer feedback.
- The role will promote safe and therapeutic practice.
- The post holder will be expected to manage conflict and be able to work in a high pressure environment.
- The post holder will have the ability to work autonomously when carrying out assessments and planning.
- The post holder will participate in team and other meetings facilitating new ideas, suggestions or debate in relation to service requirements.
- The post holder will identify gaps in service delivery and to be integral in implementation of service changes in line with NHSE/Commissioning guidelines.
- To lead on identified service improvement projects.
- To be able to receive and give complex clinical details, clearly, with service users, carers and colleagues.
- To be able to communicate clearly and sensitively in situations that are contentious and hostile.
- Demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills, self-awareness and empathy in all communications.
