Job summary
- Main area
- Mental Health
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 395-WF021-26
- Employer
- NELFT NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Pine Lodge, NELFT; Whipps Cross Hosp,
- Town
- Leytonstone, London
- Salary
- £55,690 - £62,682 Per Annum. Annual rate inclusive of HCAS (Outer)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 16/02/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Operational Lead, Enhanced Mental Health Liaison
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video
Job overview
We have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated and compassionate Operational Lead/ Manager to join and lead our Psychiatric Liaison Service (PLS). This leadership post plays a pivotal role in ensuring the delivery of a safe, effective, and innovative service for adults presenting to acute hospitals with mental health needs.
Working collaboratively with acute hospital partners, community mental health services, and wider system stakeholders, you will provide both operational and clinical leadership to ensure excellent patient experience, robust governance, and strong multidisciplinary working.
We welcome applications from individuals who are passionate about mental health, committed to collaborative working, and able to lead teams through change. We particularly encourage applicants that meet our essential criterion and feel they would thrive in this role.
Main duties of the job
As the Operational Lead/ Manager for the Psychiatric Liaison Service, you will:
- Provide day‑to‑day operational leadership, clinical oversight, and workforce management for the service.
- Lead on service performance, governance, quality improvement, and achievement of key clinical and operational targets.
- Work collaboratively with acute hospital staff to support safe and effective mental health assessments and pathways.
- Ensure the service delivers evidence‑based, patient‑centred care in line with Trust values and national guidance.
- Develop and maintain strong partnerships with local acute Trust, community teams, GPs, social care, and voluntary sector organisations.
- Support staff development, training, supervision, and retention within the PLS workforce.
- Lead service development initiatives and contribute to transformation programmes across the acute mental health pathway.
Working for our organisation
Our Values 2025 - 2030
Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.
They are:
- We are kind.
- We are respectful.
- We work together with our communities.
These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period.
Starting with Us
NELFT places great importance on new starters being properly welcomed into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks, including mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will also have the opportunity to meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend several drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Goodmayes, Essex.
High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,313 to a maximum of £5,436 p.a. pro rata for part time).
High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,192 to a maximum of £2,011 p.a. pro rata for part time).
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Psychiatric Liaison Service provides high‑quality mental health assessment and intervention for adults (18+) presenting to emergency and acute hospital setting. As the Operational Lead, you will ensure the effective delivery of this vital interface between mental and physical health.
Key elements of the role include:
Clinical & Professional Leadership
- Act as a senior autonomous practitioner and clinical role model.
- Maintain clinical expertise through engagement in practice.
- Provide specialist advice and support to the team, acute hospital professionals, and partner agencies.
- Ensure care delivered is underpinned by research, evidence-based practice, and national best practice standards.
Operational Management
- Ensure the service is safely, efficiently, and effectively operationalised.
- Lead on workforce planning, recruitment, sickness/absence management, and rostering.
- Manage budgets and ensure financial performance is aligned with Trust expectations.
- Work closely with commissioning and transformation partners to meet service requirements.
Governance, Quality & Performance
- Implement and monitor clinical governance frameworks, including audit, incident reporting, and risk management.
- Oversee compliance with statutory and mandatory training.
- Produce and analyse monthly performance data, taking corrective action where required.
- Ensure delivery of agreed KPIs and high standards of care.
Partnership Working
- Build effective relationships with the acute hospital, community providers, primary care, local authorities, ambulance services, and voluntary organisations.
- Promote integrated working to support seamless patient care and reduced length of stay.
- Ensure the service contributes effectively to system‑wide mental health priorities.
Training & Workforce Development
- Support staff through supervision, mentorship, coaching, and professional development.
- Contribute to the development of service-wide training programmes for acute hospital colleagues.
- Promote a positive, supportive, and inclusive team culture.
Main Responsibilities
- Deliver visible and proactive leadership to the Psychiatric Liaison Service.
- Ensure high‑quality, patient‑centred, and evidence‑based mental health care is consistently provided.
- Maintain strong governance processes and lead on service audits and improvements.
- Manage the service budget and resources efficiently.
- Foster a culture of collaboration with acute trust partners and system stakeholders.
- Lead the service through change, development, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure effective communication across teams and with all partners.
- Uphold NELFT values, regulatory standards, and professional codes of conduct.
- Promote equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of service delivery and leadership.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN)
- Relevant diploma/degree or equivalent professional qualification
- Qualified student mentor / practice assessor
Desirable criteria
- Additional training in leadership, management, or clinical specialism
Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant experience managing healthcare staff and/or services
- Extensive mental health nursing experience, including care of older adults
- Substantial experience in clinical team management
- Experience in budget management or delegated financial responsibility
- Experience leading or supporting service change or transformation
- Experience contributing to clinical governance (e.g., audits, quality reviews)
- Experience developing partnerships with external agencies and stakeholders
Desirable criteria
- Experience working in liaison psychiatry or acute hospital settings
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Awareness of NHS priorities and national policy drivers
- Strong understanding of mental health liaison models and acute care pathways
- Understanding of clinical governance, quality improvement and risk management
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of QI methodology and its applications
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Advanced IT literacy and ability to use electronic record systems
- Strong organisational, prioritisation, and time‑management skills
- Leadership skills, including ability to motivate and influence multidisciplinary teams
- Ability to manage conflict constructively and promote a positive team culture
- Ability to analyse and interpret performance data
- Strong clinical assessment, decision‑making, and problem‑solving skills
- Commitment to ongoing professional development
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
- Ability to travel across Trust sites efficiently
- Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusive practice
- Flexibility to support service need, including occasional extended hours
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
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Michael Chigango
- Job title
- Service Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07958079757
- Additional information
Robin Sookhan
03005551200
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