Job summary
The South Durham and Darlington Acute Liaison team are seeking a permanent, skilled, qualified clinician to provide mental health assessment, advice, diagnosis, treatment and care planning to patients with complex needs.
This band 6 post is open to registered Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Social Workers with current relevant registration with the NMC, HCPC or Social Work England.
You will be a member of a multi-disciplinary team and there is ample opportunity to develop and enhance your existing clinical skills. You will receive regular supervision and there are good training opportunities.
Applicants should be highly motivated, have the ability to act on own initiative and have sound assessment and written skills. Prioritising workload and utilising resources appropriately to ensure that service user needs are met are also highly required skills.
18 months post qualifying experience including signoff of appropriate preceptorship or competency framework is essential.
Main duties of the job
Working closely with other professionals in the team, the post holder will work across traditional age barriers to provide a liaison service that is inclusive of all adults aged 18 and over, whilst being supported to develop expert skills in specific areas of liaison. This post will be supported by a clinical team consisting of Psychiatry, Occupational Therapy, Mental Health Physiotherapy and Pharmacy.
The service operates 7 days a week over 24 hours, therefore unsocial hours, including night duty is an expectation of this post. Experience with patients with Dementia and/or self-harm behaviour, patients in crisis, and skills in CBT and Brief Solution Focused Therapy would be an advantage.
You will require excellent communication skills and be able to work under pressure.
About us
As an employee of Tees Esk and Wear valleys NHS Trust, you'll also benefit from:
Minimum annual leave entitlement of 27 days increasing with continued service
NHS Pension Scheme
Continuous Professional Development
Career Progression opportunities
Details
Date posted
08 October 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 6
Salary
£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
346-DDA-134-25-A
Job locations
Darlington Memorial Hospital
Hollyhurst Road
Darlington
DL3 6HX
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. RNMH, current professional registration with NMC or current professional registration with the HCPC.
2. Evidence of Continuing Professional Development
3. 18 months post qualifying experience including sign off of appropriate preceptorship or competency framework
4. Student assessor/Mentor as specified by registered profession
5. Clinical Supervisor (within agreed timescale).
6. Student mentor (or must be achieved within agreed timescale)
7. Key skills in literacy, numeracy and ITQ level 2(or equivalent)
Desirable
8. Leadership or management qualification
9. Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area. older people's nursing, physical health conditions etc.
10. Non-medical prescriber
Experience
Essential
11. Recent and significant experience in the assessment and care of adults and older people with mental ill health.
12. Experience working with people with dementia
13. Experience managing own caseload
14. Working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers
15. Supporting/mentoring students on practice placement experience
16. Working in a multi-disciplinary team
17. Quality improvement activities
Desirable
18. Recent experience providing care across a range of settings. acute hospitals, mental health units, care homes etc and including adults and older people
19. Recent experience in assessing and caring for older people with dementia
20. Leadership or management experience
21. Providing clinical supervision
Knowledge
Essential
22. Demonstrable knowledge to post-graduate level of evidence-based practice in caring for patients inthe designated field including specialist knowledge of co-morbidity (physical and mental health) in relation to acute and chronic conditions
23. Understanding of relevant legislation (. Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act)
24. Detailed understanding of the relationship between physical and mental health conditions and associated patient needs
25. Detailed understanding of the acute hospital environment and methods of working (within agreed timescale)
26. Detailed understanding of adult/childSafeguarding and its application in practice
27. Clinical Risk Assessment and Management and its application in practice
28. Clinical Governance and its application in practice
29. Research and development methodology
30. Understanding of psychological models of care and treatment
Desirable
31. The Trust's Quality Improvement System (QIS)
32. Palliative care