Senior Mental Health Nurse For Consult Liaison Services

Location: Hutt Hospital, High Street, Lower Hutt

Contract: Fixed Term (until 31st July 2026) Part time ( 0.4 FTE),

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence.

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join our multi-disciplinary Team at Consult Liaison Services Hutt Hospital. As a Senior Nurse you will work collegially within the team and wider hospital system to provide mental health support to adult inpatients admitted to Hutt Hospital.

Some of your duties will include:

• Conducting bedside assessments, specialist mental health assessment, formulation, and intervention within acute hospital settings.
• Liaising with inpatient and community teams and hospital MDT.
• Contributing to care planning consultation, liaison, education, to support high-quality, integrated care for patients with co-existing physical and mental health needs.
• Providing short-term psychological support for patients and their whānau.
• Education and liaison with hospital staff to ensure best practice in the management of co-morbid mental and physical health conditions.
• Contribute to service development, clinical governance, and supervision of junior staff.

About the Team/Service Location

Consult Liaison Services at Hutt Hospital is a team of four clinical staff who work Monday to Friday 8am-4.30pm. Consult Liaison Services receives referrals for people with mental health, addiction and intellectual disabilities who are currently admitted as an inpatient in a general hospital setting; who need support to achieve wellbeing while in hospital and maintain this post-discharge.

Hutt Hospital is a close-knit community of professionals who have a strong connection to the community they serve. As such Consult Liaison Services Hutt Hospital also hold an outpatient caseload, recognising that at times continuity of care for people leaving hospital; provided by a specialist Consult Liaison service, is the best way to ensure tangata whaiora and whānau achieve and maintain wellness in the community.

About you

We are looking for a Senior Nurse who has the following skills and experience: 

• Recent mental health experience, at least 5 years post graduate experience in a mental health setting.
• Be a calm, person centred and patient individual with well-developed de-escalation skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and nonverbal communication skills.
• Expertise in Mental State Examination and Risk Assessment.
• Ability, skills, and knowledge to implement appropriate clinical interventions/crisis management.
• Ability to work both autonomously and part of a team.
• Excellent problem solving and communication skills.
• Good knowledge of the Mental health Act (1992), willing to become a Duly Authorised Officer under the Mental Health Act.
• Hold Full Driver’s License.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellness’. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome application from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We are pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disability Community.

How to Apply

To apply please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Marianne.Lovgren@tewhatuora.govt.nz

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advertisement.