A Competence Framework for Liaison Mental Health Nursing

The initial work to identify core competencies for Mental Health Liaison Nurses was carried out in 2002/ 2003. It was a result of discussion among the members of the London Liaison Mental Health Nurses’ Special Interest Group about the need to define the core competencies required for nurses working within the speciality. Given the wide variety of patient presentations liaison mental health nurses see, limited availability of educational preparation for the role, and the lack of any strategic professional overview or common service model (Roberts and Whitehead 2002, Hart et al 2003, Harrison 2004) the competency framework was developed. This competency framework has acted as a solid base upon which teams of liaison mental health nurses have built and developed their practice. The competency framework has subsequently been reviewed and updated in 2014 by a sub group of the Liaison Nurses Special Interest Group. This revision has resulted in the inclusion of additional specific competencies which recognise the needs of older adults, mothers and babies, people with learning disabilities and children and young people. Specific competencies about the liaison mental health nurse’s role in assessment and education and supervision have also been added to this document.