Job summary
Liaison Psychiatry is a challenging and rewarding service to work in, we need the best quality of candidates to help us grow our service further into a 24-hour service operating from Darent Valley Hospital.

Mental Health Nurses & Occupational Therapists encouraged to apply.

We are looking for a confident and experienced mental health clinician, who will work across the acute general hospital to provide mental health assessments, care, advice and training to both the Emergency Departments and in-patient wards.

You will be able to meet the assessment and formulation needs of both working age adults and older adults have a good insight into your training needs to fulfil this role and have excellent interpersonal skills that you will use to facilitate high quality mental health assessments and to build good working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

You will be committed to the parity of esteem agenda and work closely with both physical and mental health clinicians to ensure a seamless delivery of care.

Main duties of the job

• Work as part of a psychiatric liaison team providing a liaison and assessment service 7 days per week, that will involve working unsocial hours and public holidays.
• Offer an assessment service to patients aged 18+ (with no upper age limit) presenting at the general hospital with a broad range of mental health and psychological problems, and diagnosed psychiatric illnesses.
• Provide a mental health consultation, liaison and advice service throughout the departments.
• Deliver a range of evidence based psychosocial interventions to individual patients as required.
• Assist and support general hospital colleagues in making decisions about treatment and care in complex situations.
• Provide formal and informal education and case consultation to registered and unregistered staff.
• Represent mental health services within the Hospitals.
• Provide a communication structure between secondary mental health services, primary care and non-statutory services, as a means of ensuring the highest possible standards of patient care.

In return for the above, we offer real commitment to your professional development, and regular supervision within a supportive working environment.

About us
We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.

Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.

Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.

Take a look at our Community Nursing Video

Take a look at our Occupational Therapist Video

Details
Date posted: 11 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year
per annum, plus High Cost Area allowance
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 380-NK297
Job locations: Darent Valley Hospital, Darenth Wood Road, Dartford, DA2 8DA, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Please see the attached job description for full details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role.

The High-Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.

As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.

5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,346 per year and a maximum payment of £2,270 per year (the agreed annual amount will be divided into 12 equal amounts and paid monthly) (2026/27 figures)

Person Specification
Training, Qualifications and Registration
Essential

• Registered Professional Qualification in Mental Health Nursing or Occupational Therapy including registration with the relevant regulatory body.

Desirable

• Qualified Practice Assessor
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Experience
Essential

• Significant experience at Band 5 and completion of Preceptorship
• Experience of delivering clinical supervision

Desirable

• Experience of being involved in service developments or audits
• Experience in older adult assessment
• Liaison Psychiatry experience.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.