Somerset NHS Foundation Trust are seeking to appoint a Consultant/ senior doctor in Community Older People's Mental Health. The doctor will be part of the wider Taunton & West Somerset OPMH Mental Health Team but will primarily work with patients in the Exmoor and Minehead Area

The post is suitable for a new or already appointed Consultant, or for a doctor with other significant experience in community OPMH.

Interviews will be held on 16th August 2022.

Main duties of the job

The post is offered as a full time post and with an additional PA available to support special interest. However we are equally keen to offer flexible and family friendly working to those looking to work more part time or with extended hours.

There is no on call requirement although this is available separately if the doctor wishes to join this.

Somerset Foundation Trust is a progressive and forward thinking organisation, and we were recently awarded 'Mental Health Trust of the year' at the Health Services Journal awards.

About us

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is the first NHS trust on the English mainland to provide community, mental health and acute hospital services. We work with health and social care partners in Somerset to ensure that we deliver outstanding services that meet the needs of our population.

Our trust was formed on 1 April 2020 when Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust merged.

Location

Taunton is a beautiful area of the South West, located between areas of outstanding natural beauty. Somerset offers you the opportunity to live near some of the UKs most desirable locations; from the beautiful local beaches; to the vibrant cosmopolitan centres of Bristol, Bath and Exeter within easy reach.

The County town of Taunton boasts a wide range of local amenities including; an extensive range of shopping, a wide range of local restaurants, sporting and recreational facilities, and excellent educational facilities. Taunton's nightlife offers a great atmosphere with cosy pubs and trendy bars.

Job description Job responsibilities

This is a post created in 2019 as a result of changes in how we deliver mental health services to older adults across Somerset and which has become available due to relocation.

The post holder will primarily provide community care to older adults in the Exmoor National Park and Minehead areas but as part of the wider Taunton & West Somerset Team. This post relates to the Older Persons CMHTs and Memory Services Teams based at the Barnfield Unit in Minehead and at Pyrland House in Taunton.

The community mental health teams and memory services provide psychiatric community care to patients over the age of 65. The Exmooor and Minehead Somerset area covers 8 GP practices and equates to approximately 11000 patients over the age of 65 (CCG figures December 2017). The Taunton area relating to this post covers one large GP Practice (Bishops Lydeard) with a population of approx. 1000 patients over 65. There is also a much smaller group of patients under 65 years of age, with primary dementias who are also cared for by the older adults community mental health team.

There is an emphasis on members of the CMHT seeing the majority of initial assessments with a day time duty rota dealing with urgent referrals. This helps to minimise consultant emergency work and keeps their individual community caseload at a manageable size. The CMHT will seek advice from the post holder in order to guide management for the patient; this is achieved through formal team meetings, as well as ad hoc discussions with the team when required.

Staff from within the locality memory assessment service currently see all initial referrals; these may be discussed with the consultant and a decision is made as to who is best placed to see the patient for further assessment and treatment. We are encouraging colleagues in primary care to make memory assessments in less complex cases and the post holder will be expected to work with colleagues in primary care in order to advise and support these diagnoses.

There are approximately 200 CMHT referrals each year, and approx. 150 Memory Assessment Service referrals in Exmoor and Minehead. With the increase in primary care diagnosis of dementia the number of memory assessment service referrals is expected to reduce.

The post holder will hold regular clinics in Minehead and Taunton, as well as undertaking domiciliary visits when required. The aim of having the post holder supporting and being supported in Taunton with three other OPMH consultant colleagues, is to ensure that community consultants, including the post holder are mutually supportive in their practice.

Transfers from general adult services to older adults are made in discussion between the teams, and with the patient and their carer. Our aim is that the right treatment is delivered by the right people at all times.

Person Specification Qualifications and Training Essential

• Entry on GMC Specialist Register or eligible for entry on Register within 6 months of interview via Specialist Training (CCT) or CESR

Knowledge & Experience Essential

• A clear understanding of mental health and mental capacity legislation and the application of these areas of legislation as they relate to community care.

Other Essential

• Must have access to transport with appropriate business insurance in order to travel throughout the Trust, to meet the needs of the service including domiciliary visits.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

184-1CONS1026