Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist (Inpatient) in Peterborough

The successful candidate will provide consultant oversight and psychiatric treatment for 22 beds for patients with primarily functional illness on the Maples. It is anticipated that the job plan will include the opportunity to develop special interests such as teaching or research. Maples is a 22 bedded ward, staffed as a single unit but patients with functional and organic illness are managed in two fully separate areas (8 beds for dementia, 14 beds for functional). Both wards now provide care for functional patients and organic patients are admitted to Denbeigh ward, Cambridge.

The ward is supported by a full MDT including access to OT, OTAs, psychology, physiotherapy and SALT. The ward is supported by a full time SAS Dr, sometimes ST and two junior doctors. The post holder will be expected to be a clinical supervisor for the specialty trainee and development as an educational supervisor is encouraged. There is also a robust and effective discharge planning team. One of the CPFT community geriatricians visits the ward one morning per week and all the community physical health teams are available to support the ward.

The successful post holder will work closely with the CRHTT OP based at the Cavell providing cross cover when needed. The CRHTT OP comprises a team leader, a consultant psychiatrist, a dementia nurse specialist, 10 CPNs, and 3.5 support workers. The team covers the North of the Trust area including Peterborough, Huntingdon and Fenland.

The successful candidate will provide excellent psychiatric care taking responsibility for 22 beds for Older Adults on the Maples Unit in Peterborough. The job plan is flexible to take account of clinical and professional interests and time is available within the job plan for suitably qualified and motivated individuals to develop interests such as teaching and research. The post holder will work closely with colleagues in the CRHTT OP, community teams and liaison services for older people to provide a seamless pathway.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high-quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting and empowering them to lead a fulfilling life. Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services, not only via inpatient and primary care settings, but also within the community. These services include children’s, adult and older people’s mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.

To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high-calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

Main duties:

• Clinical: To provide excellent psychiatric care for Older Adults within the designated inpatient area and to provide clinical leadership to other mental health professionals. To develop & deliver high quality mental health services within an integrated community model. To provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment plans for patients with complex psychiatric and psychological co-morbidity open to the wider MDT and to work collaboratively with a wide range of colleagues to ensure high quality, integrated care for patients. To deliver evidence-based treatments. To make accurate diagnoses and record these appropriately. To maintain accurate and up to date clinical records. To partake in providing cross cover for consultant colleagues for annual & study leave in order to maintain continuous service.
• Administration: Work with CPFT to achieve agreed performance targets. Contribute to the collection and monitoring of clinical outcome data for service development and commissioning purposes. Participate in audit. Participate in the administration of patient information systems and ensure that data are entered in accordance with service policies and guidance. Work in accordance with Trust and service policies and guidelines.
• Management: To manage and provide training and supervision for psychiatry trainees and specialty doctors. Work with the Service Manager and Clinical Director to contribute to the management of Older Peoples Inpatient Services.
• Teaching/Education: Contribute to the psychiatry teaching programme for Cambridge undergraduate medical students. Contribute to the training and support of staff within the wider MDT. Provide professional supervision and training for junior medical staff. Contribute to postgraduate teaching as well as to continuing medical education activities. Maintain CPD activities.
• Research: The post-holder is expected to support the broader CPFT research endeavour where possible. It is anticipated that funding would become available for the right applicant to become involved in research, potentially acting as a principal investigator for clinical trials into dementia and other late life mental health disorders and supporting the aim of making research opportunities accessible to older adults outside the Cambridge area.
• Leadership: To provide clinical leadership for the Older Peoples Mental Health Services at a time of considerable transition and to work to develop excellent integrated pathways.
• Clinical Governance: The post-holder will be aware of, and act within, locally and nationally agreed protocols and actively involved in clinical governance within the service.
• Accountability: The post holder will be accountable to Clinical Director of the Older Peoples Directorate. Professional accountability is to the Trust Board through the Trust Medical Director.
• Job Planning & Appraisal: Job Plans are reviewed annually, usually with the Clinical Director. Consultants are required to take part in the annual appraisal process under the supervision of the Medical Director. Consultants are also encouraged to arrange a suitable mentor.
• On-call: Participate in the CPFT North consultant psychiatry on-call rota (Category A).