Supporting patients when care feels more complex

Spotlight On the Teams Behind Psychiatry UK

Behind every referral, assessment, and follow-up at Psychiatry UK is a dedicated team of people working together to support patients at every stage of their journey.

In this series, we shine a light on the teams who work behind the scenes — explaining what they do, how they support patients, and why their role matters.

Where This Team Fits In Your Journey

For some of our patients, additional support is needed to ensure care is safe, appropriate, and well-coordinated.

The Liaison Nurse Team (LNT) supports patients at different points in their journey, helping to identify potential risks, coordinate care, and ensure safeguarding is always a priority. Their involvement can begin early – sometimes from a patient’s first interaction with the online portal – or later, if concerns arise during assessment or treatment.

 

What the Liaison Nurse Team Does

The Liaison Nurse Team focuses on clinical risk, coordination and patient safety.

When potential risks or complexities are identified, patients may be referred to the team for further assessment. This helps determine:

  • Whether online assessment and treatment are suitable.
  • What additional support or safety planning may be needed.
  • Whether signposting to local or specialist services would be helpful.

Concerns may be identified during an assessment with a clinician, through prescribing, or if a patient indicates they are struggling to keep themselves or others safe.

Referrals to the team can come from across Psychiatry UK, including clinicians, prescribing teams, patient support services, and the incident or complaints teams.

 

Working With GPs and Local Services

The team liaises with GPs and other healthcare providers to gather relevant medical history and understand what support is already in place locally. This ensures care is informed, joined up, and aligned with the wider health system supporting the patient.

Team manager Eamonn McBride explains why this collaboration matters:

“Joint working with primary care is essential. It helps us understand what support is already in place around a patient and ensures we’re building on that, rather than working in isolation. When services communicate well, patients receive safer, more coordinated care.”

 

Contacting and Supporting Patients

If concerns are identified, the team may proactively contact patients to assess needs, offer reassurance, and help put appropriate plans in place.

Much of this support focuses on empowerment – helping patients better understand their needs and develop practical skills and strategies to support themselves.

 

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is central to the Liaison Nurse Team’s role. Where concerns arise, the team:

  • Develops safety plans.
  • Works closely with Psychiatry UK’s safeguarding team.
  • Liaises with GP safeguarding leads and local authorities.
  • Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams.

Eamonn highlights how safeguarding shapes the team’s work:

“Safeguarding is intrinsic to what we do and to the plans we put in place with patients. If concerns arise, our responsibility is to ensure there’s a clear safety plan — involving the safeguarding team, the wider multidisciplinary network, and the patient’s GP where appropriate. It’s about making sure vulnerable people are protected and that everyone supporting them understands their role.”

The focus is always on protecting patients and ensuring appropriate action is taken.

 

Meet Eamonn McBride

The Liaison Nurse Team is led by Eamonn McBride, who joined Psychiatry UK in May 2025 as Team Manager.

Eamonn brings extensive frontline and leadership experience from across NHS mental health services, having worked in crisis care, hospital liaison services, homelessness-focused services, and community mental health teams. Across these roles, he developed strong expertise in assessing risk, coordinating complex care, and understanding how social circumstances can shape mental health needs.

Before joining, he managed multidisciplinary community teams supporting people with high levels of complexity and risk.

He was drawn to Psychiatry UK by the opportunity to step into a clinical leadership role while remaining closely connected to patient care.

“I wanted a leadership position where I could still stay close to the frontline. The Liaison Nurse Team sits right at that intersection – supporting patients directly while also helping shape safe, effective care across the service.”

Outside work, Eamonn is learning Spanish and is planning a three-week trip to South America later this year, visiting Peru, Columbia and Brazil.

 

Meet Rona Turner

Rona Turner is a Mental Health Nurse and a member of the Liaison Nurse Team, bringing over 18 years’ experience across a wide range of mental health and educational settings.

Rona has worked in acute psychiatric wards, community services, crisis teams and addiction services, and is deeply passionate about patient-centred care.

“I’ve worked with people at some of the most difficult points in their lives,” she explains. “Listening to someone, understanding what they’re experiencing, and helping them feel supported – that’s always been the most important part of my work.”

 

Supporting Patients When They Need It Most

As part of the Liaison Nurse Team, Rona supports patients at any stage of their journey, particularly when they may be struggling or feeling unsure about what happens next.

Patients may be referred to the team if they are experiencing challenges such as:

  • Difficulties linked to ADHD or autism.
  • Anxiety or low mood.
  • Emotional dysregulation.
  • Substance or alcohol misuse.
  • Thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

“There isn’t a single solution that works for everyone,” Rona says. “Medication can help, but lasting change also involves learning new skills and coping strategies, and building support around you.”

The team’s approach is to share with patients the self-help resources that will enable them to develop practical coping strategies and help them seek mental health reviews with their GPs, asking the GP to consider a referral to the right services locally.

 

Common Worries — and Reassurance

Rona explains that one of the most common concerns she hears from patients is about waiting times, whether for assessment or for titration.

Common worries

“Waiting can be really difficult,” she acknowledges. “While we can’t change waiting times, we can direct patients to the most up-to-date information on our website and where they can find great resources on topics such as mental health support, what to expect in their assessments, the titration pathway so they can feel more prepared for what’s ahead.”

Patients also often worry about completing forms correctly or preparing for appointments — something the team regularly reassures them about.

 

Ongoing Support and Input

“Psychiatry-UK provides specialist assessments and, where appropriate, medication treatment. When patients ask about ongoing support, our team helps guide them to their GP, local services, and a range of self-help resources, ensuring they know where to access ongoing care. Clear communication about our role supports patients to find the right help at the right time.”

 

What Does a Good Day Look Like?

For Rona and the team, a good day means responding to tasks promptly and ensuring that patients who are struggling receive the right support at the right time.

In more serious situations, this can nvolve acting quickly to ensure safety, including working with GPs or emergency services where there is immediate risk.

“Our priority is always safeguarding,” Rona says. “For the patient, and for anyone else who might be affected.”

 

Why This Work Matters

What Rona values most about her role is the human connection.

“Sometimes you can speak to someone who may be isolated and hasn’t spoken to anyone else all week,” she reflects. “Being able to listen – really listen is a privilege.”

She also speaks about the importance of being part of a patient’s wider journey: “Being part of a patient’s journey is a privilege and honour. Seeing the changes, the improvement to someone’s mental health – that’s incredibly meaningful and rewarding.”

Outside work, Rona has recently become a grandparent to baby Ezra, born in January 2026 – a role she is thoroughly enjoying.

 

What Makes This Team Special

One of the Liaison Nurse Team’s greatest strengths is the breadth and depth of experience across the group, spanning both acute and community mental health services.

The team has 21 staff members and includes occupational therapists, qualified nurses and associate practitioners, and collectively brings around 465 years’ mental health and healthcare experience, working with children, adults and older adults across a wide range of clinical settings. Our colleague Tim marked 50 years of working in healthcare this January – truly amazing.

Despite the challenges of remote working, the team remains:

  • Highly experienced and responsive.
  • Strongly patient-centred.
  • Well-connected and supportive of one another.
  • Proactive in identifying improvements and efficiencies.

Despite the challenges of remote working, the team remains highly connected, supportive, and proactive.

Eamonn believes this culture is what truly sets the team apart:

“What stands out is how engaged and connected everyone is — which isn’t always easy in a remote team. There’s a huge depth of experience, and people genuinely support one another. They’re also very present in their work, always looking for ways to improve processes, spot risks early, and make things work better for patients. That mindset makes a real difference.”

Their work helps ensure patients don’t “fall through the gaps” and feel supported throughout their care journey.