Job summary

Are you a Consultant Psychiatrist who is dedicated and passionate about improving mental health services? Are you looking for your next role as a dynamic leader in General Adults Psychiatry?

Here at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we are looking for an enthusiastic Consultant Psychiatrist to join our community mental health team team based in Glanville House, Bridgwater.

Although this is a full time post, there can be some flexibility in the working time equivalent depending on successful candidate's requirements. This post has arisen due to re-location of a previous psychiatrist and expansion of community psychiatry service. Some remote working can be considered.

Somerset Foundation Trust was formed due to a merger of mental health, community health and acute care trusts (Musgrove Park Hospital and Yeovil District hospital). This has enabled more joined up care, better long-term planning for future healthcare in Somerset, stronger leadership and joint training.

Main duties of the job

Emergency (same day) referrals including patients at risk of admission are dealt with through the Somerset Coast Home Treatment Team, which also acts as the gatekeeper for admissions to the inpatient ward. This team operates 7 days a week (9am to 9pm). Assessments are undertaken by the team, routinely without the involvement of medical staff. There is a 0.6 WTE consultant who supports the HTT. Therefore for 2 days of the week the CMHT doctors may have to offer some medical support to HTT staff.

Routine and urgent referrals from GPs and other sources are dealt with through the Bridgwater Adult CMHT which forms a single point of access. This team operates within office hours (Monday to Friday 9 am to 5pm). Referrals are administered through four Local Leadership Group (LLG) meetings. These arrangements are regularly reviewed to ensure efficient use of staff time. These meetings are attended by senior staff including managers, administrators, psychologists, Somerset Talking Therapy Service manager, personality and eating disorder leads. Exact membership varies and one doctor attends each meeting, with the meeting lasting 1 hour. A team member triages relevant cases. DNAs are discussed to ensure appropriate safeguarding. Medical staff take a proportion of referrals as clinically indicated either for joint assessment with a team member or more usually as individual outpatient assessments. Workload figures are given below.

About us

As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.

The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.

There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan - there is truly something for everyone!

Job description

Job responsibilities

Additional work is generated by Mental Health Act (MHA) assessments. The post-holder will act as the primary Trust Section 12 doctor for all MHA assessments in office hours arising from their catchment area. They will also be expected to participate in MHA assessments for patients at Bridgwater Custody Centre in mutually agreed arrangements with consultant colleagues. The consultant can claim a fee for these assessments. It is rare than pre-planned appointment would have to be altered due to MHAAs.

There may be a small number of patients managed under a Community Treatment Order or under Section 37/41 and this gives rise to a requirement for reports and occasional review hearings. There is appropriate training available for court order case management.

All teams are based at Glanville House and the CMHT and the HTT have open plan offices on the same floor, with the AOT and STEP (first episode psychosis service) teams also in a neighbouring office. All outpatient clinics associated with this post are undertaken at Glanville House. It is occasionally necessary to undertake home visits within working hours. Most patients for this post reside in Bridgwater or surrounding villages.

Person Specification

Knowledge

Essential

• GMC Registered

Desirable

• GMC Registered

Qualifications

Essential

• Entry on GMC Specialist Register; eligible for entry on Register or within 6 months of receipt of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) at time of interview or CESR
• Mental Health Act Approved Clinician / Section 12 approval or plans to achieve this status as soon as possible.
• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification

Desirable

• MRCPsych

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Clinical training and experience required for gaining UK CCT/CESR including widespread and detailed experience of assessment and management of patients in adult community psychiatry.
• Previous experience of working in general adult psychiatry

Desirable

• 3 years supervised training in an appropriate ST4-6 equivalent training programme

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

184-1CONS1275