Psychiatric Liaison Complex Care and Dementia

Based within the acute Trusts often in Emergency Departments the team provides expert assessment and treatment to support the general care team to meet the needs of people with complex mental health needs in an acute general hospital. The service is for people with suspected or known diagnosis of dementia and people with a functional mental illness in association with the complexity of physical ill health and the physiology of ageing. The team also assists with complex discharges with the aim of reducing stays in hospital which are longer than medically necessary, and the reduction of early entry into long term care.

Key learning opportunities/skills development

• Gaining an understanding of signs and symptoms of dementias and mental ill health and how they are treated.
  
• Holistic assessment of needs, including the assessment of risk.
  
• Psychiatry of old age prescribing advice
  
• Detection and treatment of pain and other physical causes of confusion.
  
• Planning and implementation of care, including the management of risk.
  
• Clinical decision making.
  
• Communication and MDT working.
  
• Medication management.
  
• Record keeping.
  
• Audit.
  
• Complex discharge planning.