Liaison Mental Health Care

The overall aim of the course is to examine a range of liaison mental health care issues, including the evaluation of mental health care and the relevant literature that supports this process.

This inter-professional course covers the risk assessment and management of a range of issues in liaison mental health care, and looks at the differential treatment of children, adolescents and adults.

The course not only develops practical skills, but also the knowledge on which practice is based, including knowledge of relevant legislation, and the process of auditing and identifying service improvement.

Who is it for?

This course is for:

• third-year students who have had a placement in A&E
• registered nurses working or planning to work in Psychiatric Liaison Services and/or any community service involved in extensive multi-agency working
• those working in practice in mental health or allied services.

Timetable

Term 1

• Thursday 10 September 2026
• Thursday 24 September 2026
• Thursday 8 October 2026
• Thursday 22 October 2026
• Thursday 5 November 2026
• Thursday 19 November 2026
• Thursday 3 December 2026

Benefits

The key takeaways from this course are the skills and theoretical knowledge on which good practice in liaison mental health care is based.

The course is worth 15 credits and can be taken as part of the MSc Adult Mental Health (Advanced Practice in Health and Social Care) and part of the MSc Child and Adolescent Mental Health (Advanced Practice in Health and Social Care).

Content outline

• Models of liaison care and team working
• Introduction to literature critique
• Current practice & care of the client with severe mental illness
• Risk assessment & management of self-harm & suicide
• Risk assessment & management of violence & aggression
• Liaison mental health care in relation to older adults
• Liaison mental health care in relation to the child & adolescent
• Liaison mental health care in relation to antenatal & postnatal care
• Legislation and liaison mental health care including capacity and consent
• Liaison mental health care in relation to mental health & physical illness
• Liaison mental health in relation to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Liaison mental health in relation to substance misuse
• Evaluating liaison mental health care

By the end of the course you will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding:

• Identify and critically appraise legislation & mental health policy relevant to liaison mental health practice and evaluate the implications for service development and delivery.
• Have an awareness of how the liaison mental health work is systematically audited, including seeking service users’ and carers’ views.

Skills:

• Critically appraise research relevant to liaison mental health care identifying best practice and the implications for the development of liaison mental health services.
• Demonstrate how to deliver effective needs assessment, including using assessment scales where appropriate.
• Manage liaison mental health care input drawing on a comprehensive appraisal of the underlying theoretical knowledge base of liaison mental health care.
• Demonstrate knowledge and ability to carry out a full risk assessment and develop a systematic risk-management plan.
• Identify service improvement based upon critical analysis of audit data, synthesising these findings with a critical analysis of the developing agenda and research regarding liaison mental health care provision and make recommendations for change.

Values and attitudes:

• Undertake liaison and consultation with both mental health and non-mental health professionals promoting mental health care within non-mental health settings and supporting professionals to address inequality in service provision and development for those with mental health needs within primary and secondary care.

Teaching

The lectures are delivered by practicing clinicians in Liaison Mental Health Care.

Assessment

The assessment for this course comprises a 3,000-word essay. A case study providing a critical analysis and synthesis of the relevant literature in relation to the client’s presenting problem and the process of liaison mental health care relevant to your chosen client.

This assessment provides you with an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of liaison mental health care. You are required to critically analyse and synthesise the relevant literature on liaison mental health care and to explain and critique the process of liaison mental health care in relation to your case study (chosen client).

If you do not currently work in Liaison Mental Health Care you can :

1. consider a previous client from a time when you did work in liaison
2. consider a client in your current care who has had interaction with multiple agencies (for example, a client who, in addition to receiving mental health services, is involved with social services and/or housing services and/or police/probation services and/or has attended ED and seen a Liaison Team when in crisis.

This course is provided by the School of Health & Medical Sciences.

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

Course pre-requisites:

Having had a placement in A&E, working or planning to work in Psychiatric Liaison Services and/or any community service involved in extensive multi-agency working. Working in practice in mental health or allied services

Entry requirements:

Third year undergraduate / professional training entry for MSc

English requirements

If your first language is not English, one of the following is required:

• A first degree from a UK university
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City, University of London as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions from Australia, Canada or the United States of America.
• International English Language Test Service (IELTS) a score of 7.0 is required with no subtest below 7.0
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) score 72 required
• TOEFL 100 overall with 24 in Writing, 20 in Listening, 19 Reading and 20 Speaking
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language, which satisfies the board of studies concerned, including registration with your professional regulator.

Department of Health (2012) Suicide prevention strategy for England. London: Department of Health.

Joint Commissioning Panel for Mental Health (2012) Guidance for Commissioners of Liaison Mental Health services to Acute Hospitals JCPMH.

Parsonage, M., Fossey, M. & tutty, C. (2012) Liaison Psychiatry in the Modern NHS. London, Centre for Mental Health