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Job summary

Main area
Discharge Facilitation
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 6
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours over 7 days
Job ref
435-MEC-106-26
Employer
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
East Lancashire Hospital Trust
Town
Blackburn
Salary
£39,959 - £48,117 per annum, pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
17/09/2026 23:59

Employer heading

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust logo

Mental Health Complex Case Manager

NHS AfC: Band 6

At East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust our vision is to be widely recognised for providing safe, personal and effective care.  We currently provide high quality services and treat over 600,000 people across East Lancashire and the surrounding area. We employ over 9,500 staff, many of whom are internationally renowned and have won awards for their work.

Job overview

The post holder will assist and provide a proactive and efficient case management for all adult mental health patients across all ELHT hospital sites. They will provide education and advice to maintain a high standard of discharge planning processes and work to support the patients onward and ongoing care plans. As a case manager in the Integrated Discharge Service, they will promote the timely access to health, mental health and social care resources to enable the safe and effective discharge of patients from hospital. To work in partnership with other interdependent teams and services across the Health and Social Care Economy that are involved in the discharge planning of patients.   

Main duties of the job

·         To provide clinical advice and guidance to professionals within Integrated Discharge Service.

·         To support patients identified to have psychological and mild to moderate mental health needs associated with long term physical conditions.

·         To conduct assessments required for discharge and provide bed base care category recommendations

·         To triage and signpost patients to the appropriate service within their locality.

·         Develop robust care plans in conjunction with the patient and wider multi- disciplinary teams, to enable the patient to manage their mental health condition more confidently, which will enhance the ability to manage their long-term conditions.

·         Provide data that analyses the impact of mental health provision within the Integrated Discharge Service.

Working for our organisation

Working within the Integrated Discharge Service (IDS) involves supporting timely, safe and effective patient discharge from hospital through multidisciplinary and multi-agency working. The role includes early identification of discharge barriers, coordinating complex discharge plans, liaising with health, social care and mental health services, providing specialist advice to ward teams, managing safeguarding concerns, and supporting patient flow by reducing avoidable delays and length of stay. 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

 

Undertake comprehensive mental health assessments for patients with complex mental health needs.

Utilise recognised assessment tools including 6CIT, PHQ-9, GAD-7, GDS-15, MoCA, DASS-21, MCA and Trusted Assessment documentation.

Assess emotional, psychological and cognitive needs and their impact on managing long-term conditions.

Complete risk assessments, including suicide, self-harm and safeguarding risks, escalating concerns appropriately.

Develop person-centred care plans with realistic and achievable goals.

Refer and coordinate care with secondary mental health services, GPs and other agencies where required.

Contribute to discharge planning, best interest meetings and multidisciplinary care planning.

Discharge and Case Coordination

Support patients through the Enhanced Discharge to Assess pathway.

Attend ward rounds, discharge planning meetings and multidisciplinary team meetings.

Monitor patient progress, engagement and outcomes following discharge.

Coordinate care across acute, community, social care and mental health services.

Communication and Partnership Working

Provide specialist mental health advice to healthcare professionals, patients, carers and families.

Develop effective working relationships with GPs, CMHTs, social services, voluntary organisations and acute services.

Facilitate collaborative, person-centred approaches to care across agencies.

Maintain accurate, timely and confidential clinical records.

Education, Training and Supervision

Deliver mental health education and training to healthcare professionals and partner organisations.

Provide supervision, mentoring and support to staff and students.

Participate in clinical and managerial supervision and maintain professional registration requirements.

Promote evidence-based practice and psychosocial interventions.

Service Development, Audit and Governance

Participate in service improvement, policy development and clinical governance activities.

Contribute to audits, research projects and quality improvement initiatives.

Support the development of services for older adults with mental health needs.

Monitor and evaluate outcomes including patient experience, reduced emergency department attendance and reduced length of stay.

Professional Responsibilities

Maintain compliance with NMC standards, Trust policies and mandatory training requirements.

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of mental health legislation, dementia care, safeguarding and best practice.

Demonstrate accountability, professional leadership and adherence to ELHT values.

Engage in continuing professional development and appraisal processes.

Key Performance Outcomes

Improved patient experience and satisfaction.

Reduced hospital length of stay.

Reduced emergency department attendance.

Effective discharge planning and community support arrangements.

Improved staff knowledge and confidence in managing mental health needs.

Positive multidisciplinary and stakeholder feedback.

 

 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) – current NMC Registration
  • Evidence of professional updating and development in the nursing care of patients in an acute or community setting.
  • Diploma in Professional Studies (Nursing) - or equivalent.
Desirable criteria
  • Teaching & Assessing qualification (or equivalent).
  • CBT/PSI qualification
  • Non-Medical Prescribing V300 or working towards

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • A minimum of two years post-registration mental health nursing experience
  • Involvement in innovative nursing practice and multi-cultural nursing environments
  • Team leadership
  • Evidence of practicing in an acute mental health inpatient/community care setting.

Special requirements

Essential criteria
  • Imagination and determination.
  • A questioning attitude.
  • A concept of own nursing philosophy
  • Enthusiasm.
  • Flexibility.
  • Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
  • A problem-solving approach to professional practice.
  • Ability to meet contractual requirements
  • Full current driving licence
Desirable criteria
  • Ability to assimilate new concepts and approaches to care.
  • Ability to respond positively to constructive criticism.

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Skills in assessing, planning and evaluating mental health nursing interventions.
  • Skills in interacting therapeutically with distressed and/or disturbed individuals
  • Skills in individual nursing interventions.
  • Skills in teaching, supervision and self-appraisal.
  • Skills in multi-disciplinary team-work.
  • Skill in interacting effectively with colleagues.
  • Ability to cope with stress.
  • Excellent presentation skills – both verbally and non-verbally.
  • Skill in report writing.
  • Skill in chairing meetings
  • Skill in motivating and managing change in others.
Desirable criteria
  • Skill in basic research process.
  • Skill in audit and quality assurance programmes.
  • Skills/training in a psychological therapy

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Extensive knowledge of the various approaches to mental health assessment.
  • Knowledge of key areas of liaison psychiatric nursing practice, including the psychological effects of physical illness
  • Knowledge of nursing and psychiatric interventions with patients in an acute phase of mental illness/distress.
  • Knowledge of risk assessment and management, particularly in relation to suicide
  • Knowledge of the clinical and demographic risk factors associated with suicide and self-harm.
  • Knowledge of Common Law and issues relating the Mental Health Act (1983).
  • Knowledge of the teaching process.
  • Knowledge of team-work and staff development.
  • Knowledge of the various therapeutic approaches in the care and treatment of patients with delirium, dementia and depression.
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of basic research methodology

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardPositive about disabled peopleInvestors in PeopleCare quality commission - GoodDisability confident committedStep into healthHappy to Talk Flexible Working

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Debbie Short
Job title
Operational and Clinical Lead IDS
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07960665931

If you have problems applying, contact

Address
Employment Services
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Telephone
03033 301 033
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