Specialist Grade in Older Persons Psychiatry in Cockermouth

This Crisis resolution and home treatment team has been accredited with the Home Treatment Accreditation Scheme (HTAS) since June 2017. This service operates at the critical and well-established interface of acute psychiatry, with close links to the large all-age liaison psychiatry services at Sunderland Royal and South Tyneside General Hospitals, as well as enjoying close links to the working age and older adults' community mental health teams and inpatient services. The base for the UCT is the Barton Centre at Hopewood Park Hospital. You will join an experienced and well-established crisis service which provides crisis assessment and home treatment for patients experiencing acute mental health problems, including older adults with both functional and organic mental illnesses who can be managed in the community with intensive mental health support, without the need for hospital admission. You will join a skilled UCT multi-disciplinary (MDT) workforce, including 3 Consultant colleagues, 1 Specialty doctor, 1 Foundation trainee doctor, non-medical prescribers, a pharmacist and specialist nurses.

Main duties of the job

• To provide psychiatric assessment, diagnosis and formulation to patients presenting with organic and functional mental health crises aged 65+ taken on for home-treatment with the Sunderland & South Tyneside Crisis Team.
• To undertake Section 12 work in relation to Mental Health Act assessments for UCT patients.
• To provide (or ensure referral to the appropriate service for the provision of) up to date, evidence-based interventions for patients under the service's care.
• To collaborate with GPs, Community Teams and primary care clinicians on follow-up arrangements for patients assessed or treated within the service.
• To provide leadership, consultation, advice and guidance within the MDT, including for the Access and Triage components of the service.
• To work collaboratively with colleagues in other specialist mental health teams and develop proactive links with the community services; particularly with a view to developing more robust pathways into appropriate follow-up care once discharged.

About us

• Up to £8k relocation package
• 30 days study leave (every 3 years)
• Flexible working opportunities created with you involved in your job plan
• Remote working available as suits service needs
• Dedicated and protected SPA time
• Focus on creating a healthy workforce by investing heavily in health and wellbeing accessible support including emotional, physical, social, psychological financial and career well being
• Teaching and research opportunities available
• Stimulating CPD sessions and programs including mentoring, medical leadership, and coaching
• Teaching opportunities in our brand-new state of the art Medical Education Centre
• Employee Excellence awards
• Plus, lots more employee benefits including discounts.

As an added bonus, the Trust is located in the Northeast of England and Cumbria which is an area of outstanding natural beauty, containing national parks, ancient heritage sites and major cities supported by excellent national and international transport links. The area is predominantly rural and contains the Lake District National Park which is considered one of England's finest areas of natural beauty.

Job responsibilities

Applicants should have at least 6 years experience working in Older persons Psychiatry and working towards application for CCT. Candidates should be suitably qualified, including eligibility for Section 12 approval and in the process of applying for Approved Clinician status. Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further details.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Essential: MBBS (or equivalent), Full Registration with the GMC (or eligible to become registered before appointment) with a licence to practice, Completed a minimum of 12 years' medical work (either continuous period or in aggregate) since obtaining a primary medical qualification of which a minimum of six years should have been in a relevant specialty in the Specialty Doctor and/or closed SAS grades, Shall meet the criteria set out in the Specialist grade generic capabilities framework found at the following link: under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983, Approved Clinician Status or working towards attaining AC Status within six months.
• Desirable: MRCPsych or equivalent qualification, Postgraduate qualifications in a relevant field, Has undergone training in educational supervision, Has undergone training in appraisal, Included on GMC Specialist Register (General Psychiatry) or eligible for inclusion.

Knowledge

• Essential: Up to date knowledge in the field of Psychiatry, Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983, Good knowledge of relevant Mental Health legislation including the MCA, Good knowledge of clinical risk management, Good knowledge of evidence-based strategies for management of psychiatric disorder.
• Desirable: Awareness of current issues and controversies in service provision, mental health policy and legislation.

Experience

• Essential: Develop effective relationships across teams and contribute to work and success of these teams - promote and participate in both multidisciplinary and inter-professional team working, Wide clinical experience in psychiatry in different clinical settings, Experience of working autonomously, Awareness of leadership responsibilities as a clinician and demonstrates appropriate leadership behaviour, Able to manage situations that are unfamiliar, complex or unpredictable, adapting leadership behaviours to improve engagement outcomes and seeking to build collaboration with, and confidence in, others.
• Desirable: Experience in multi-agency work especially with service user, carer and voluntary agencies, Experience in service management or development, Experience of Clinical Audit.

Skills

• Essential: High level of clinical skills including Proven competence in diagnosis and management of psychiatric disorders, Act as a role model, educator, supervisor, coach or mentor for medical and non-medical practitioners, Able to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, Excellent communication skills, Good teaching skills, Demonstrate the ability to work in a time efficient manner, Established record of clinical leadership.
• Desirable: Established ability as a clinical teacher, Training in specific and relevant treatment skills e.g. a brief form of psychological therapy, Up to date CPR training, Ability to apply psychological models to practical situations.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.