An opportunity has arisen within the Liaison and Diversion Team for the role of Liaison & Diversion Practitioner based in Barrow in Furness, Cumbria. This key position within the established Liaison and Diversion Service for Police Custody Suites and Magistrates Courts will be offered as a permanent post.

Liaison and Diversion (L& D) services identify people who have substance misuse, mental health, learning disability or other vulnerabilities when they first come into contact with the criminal justice system as suspects, defendants or offenders.

The service can then support people through the early stages of criminal system pathway, refer them for appropriate health or social care or enable them to be diverted away from the criminal justice system into a more appropriate setting, if required.

This is an 'all age' service and so you will be required to work with people from the age of 10 years upwards.

Previous applicants need not apply.

Main duties of the job

The main things that L& D services do for the people we see are identification, screening, assessment and referral to other services.

• We work in Police Custody Suites and Courts throughout Lancashire & Cumbria and offer assessments to individuals within the Criminal Justice system including Voluntary Attendees
• We look to identify unmet need and vulnerabilities that often lead to or exacerbate offending behaviour, offer onward referral and signposting as appropriate
• We liaise across agencies to support onward planning and intervention to address needs
• We offer some brief community based intervention to maximise service user access and engagement with those appropriate services
• We help to inform decision makers with relevant and timely information to support sentencing and disposal outcomes.

To arrange an informal visit please contact Gail McGregor: gail.mcgregor@lscft.nhs.uk 07929795507 (Team Manager) or Victoria Chesher: Victoria.chesher@lscft.nhs.uk 07866143712.

About us

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.

For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree qualification in relevant subject or demonstrable evidence or equivalent experience relevant to field of practice

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of mental health issues and/or learning disability
• Knowledge of Criminal Justice System, including roles and responsibilities of staff working in it
• Knowledge of use and interpretation of health screening tools
• oKnowledge of relevant law, as a minimum Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Children Act, Social Care Act and PACE code C.

Experience

Essential

• Working with people with complex needs for a minimum of 2 years either whilst studying or post qualification
• Lone working
• Initial Assessment of Health and Social Needs
• Assessment of Risk of Service Users to self and others

Employer details

Employer name

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Barrow Police Station

Barrow

LA14 2LE

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

351-SPS739-MF-C