The Trust is seeking to appoint one Consultant Psychiatrist to the Park Lodge Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). This post is one of two General Adult Consultant Psychiatrist roles within the Park Lodge CMHT.
The vacancy has arisen following the departure of the previous postholder.
The service covers a population of approximately 58,000 and currently manages a caseload of around 310 patients. The area is demographically mixed, with pockets of social deprivation and a prevalence of drug and alcohol-related difficulties, which are consistent with an urban population.
The caseload is anticipated to reduce over time, as a proportion of patients with lower complexity needs are expected to transition back to Primary Care. This will be supported by the development of newly established Primary Care Mental Health Teams. The postholder will also play an active role in supporting strategic service development and contributing to business planning.
The catchment area for this post is smaller than the Trust average, and the current caseload is below the Trust median.
There is no inpatient responsibility associated with this role.
Hold Consultant Psychiatrist responsibility for Park Lodge CMHT
Be actively involved in the leadership, management and decision making within the Community Mental Health Team
Utilise a flexible approach to delivery of clinical care so that it best meets the needs of service users and carers.
Supervise and support team members who carry out assessments of patients referred to the team.
Carry out comprehensive psychiatric assessments and provide treatment for patients.
Support MDT staff to manage psychiatric emergencies
Conduct patient reviews and lead Multidisciplinary reviews, and multi- professional meetings
To act as team responsible clinician for the purposes of the Mental Health Act 1983 and carry out duties in accordance to the code of practice.
To carry out comprehensive Risk Assessments and as required participate in Trust’s risk management processes such as Health Risk Assessment and Management Meetings (H-RAMM)
Liaison with families / carers other stakeholders and interested parties
The post holder will be expected to maintain effective communication with IAPT services and other community mental health teams and primary care.
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to ‘perfect care’ – care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We’re currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
CLINICAL DUTIES OF POST HOLDER
- Hold Consultant Psychiatrist responsibility for Recovery Team
- Be actively involved in the leadership, management and decision making within the Community Mental Health Team
- Utilise a flexible approach to delivery of clinical care so that it best meets the needs of service users and carers.
- Supervise and support team members who carry out assessments of patients referred to the team.
- Carry out comprehensive psychiatric assessments and provide treatment for patients.
- Support MDT staff to manage psychiatric emergencies
- Conduct patient reviews and lead Multidisciplinary reviews, and multi- professional meetings
- Contribute to the development of the service and be actively involved in the critical evaluation of its effectiveness over time.
- Ensure that management plans are clearly displayed in the medical records and undertake administrative duties associated with the care of the patient.
- Foster relationships between staff within each organisation, and also with the local Clinical Commissioning Groups.
- To act as team responsible clinician for the purposes of the Mental Health Act 1983 and carry out duties in accordance to the code of practice.
- To carry out comprehensive Risk Assessments and as required participate in Trust’s risk management processes such as Health Risk Assessment and Management Meetings (H-RAMM)
- Maintain a high level of effective communication and work flexibly and co- operatively with other parts of the service including; inpatient units, other community mental health teams, specialist services and primary care.
- Liaison with families / carers other stakeholders and interested parties
- The post holder will be expected to maintain effective communication with IAPT services and other community mental health teams and primary care.
- The post holder would need to have achieved Approved Clinician status , recognised by the Trust , by commencement of clinical duties as they are required to act in this capacity if responsible for CTO patients and any other patients subject to the Mental Health Act as part of the out of hours rota.
CLINICAL GOVERNANCE AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
- Programmed activity time will allow for standard setting and audit of the service
- Regular stakeholder meetings
- Partnership Forums involving service user representatives and advocacy
- Involvement with critical incident / serious untoward incident reporting and response
- Protocol development
- Attendance at monthly Consultants’ meetings
- Participation in service/team evaluation and the planning of future service developments
- Provide input into the commissioning and strategic planning of high quality services for adults with mental health problems
- The activity of recovery team will be supported within the reporting arrangements of the Mental Health Division Governance Committee
GENERAL DUTIES
- To manage, appraise and give professional supervision to trainee medical staff as agreed between consultant colleagues and the medical director and in accordance with the Trust’s personnel policies and procedures. This may include assessing competences under the Modernising Medical Careers framework.
- To ensure that junior medical staff working with the post holder, operate within the parameters of the New Trainee Doctor contract.
- To undertake the administrative duties associated with the care of patients.
- Ensure that optimal use is made of all resources allocated to the post
- To record clinical activity accurately and comprehensively.
- To participate in service and business planning activity for the locality and, as appropriate, for the whole mental health service.
- To participate in annual appraisal for consultants.
- To attend and participate in the academic programme of the Trust, including lectures and seminars as part of the internal CPD programme.
- To maintain professional registration (licence to practise) with the General Medical Council, Mental Health Act Section 12(2) approval, and to abide by professional codes of conduct.
- To participate annually in a job plan review with the clinical manager, which will include consultation with a relevant manager in order to ensure that the post is developed to take into account changes in service configuration and delivery associated with modernization.
- Ensure appropriate handover and communication to colleagues during periods of leave.
- To work with local managers and professional colleagues in ensuring the efficient running of services and share with consultant colleagues in the medical contribution to management.
- To comply with the Trust’s agreed policies, procedures, standing orders and financial instructions, and to take an active role in the financial management of the service and support the medical director and other managers in preparing plans for services.
EXTERNAL DUTIES, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- The Trust actively supports its consultant staff who may wish to undertake roles outside the Trust that are of benefit to medical practice at regional, national and international level, and recognises the value of such roles for the reputation, and standing of the Trust.
- Consultants should however undertake such duties only after discussion with colleagues and with the agreement of the Clinical Director or Associate Medical Director and should be sensitive to the increased workload undertaken by colleagues in support. They must be able to fully account for these activities in terms of interest to the Trust, professional society, college or wider NHS.
OTHER DUTIES
- From time to time it may be necessary for the post holder to carry out such other duties as may be assigned, with agreement, by the Trust, e.g participation in Complaints review and Serious Untoward incident reviews. It is expected that the post holder will not unreasonably withhold agreement to any reasonable proposed changes that the Trust might make.
WORK PROGRAMME
- It is envisaged that the post holder will work 10 programmed activities over 5 days.
- Following appointment there will be a meeting at no later than three months with the clinical manager to review and revise the job plan and objectives of the post holder.
- The overall split of the programmed activities is 7.5 to be devoted to direct clinical care and 2.5 to supporting professional activities (as per the Royal College of Psychiatrists recommendation). The draft timetable below is indicative only.
- A formal job plan will be agreed between the post holder and associate medical director or clinical manager three months after commencing the post and at least annually thereafter.
ON-CALL AND COVER ARRANGEMENTS
The post holder will be included in the daily on-call rota for South Liverpool. There is usually always a higher trainee ST4-6 first on call at night. On-call availability supplement is 1% - Band B low frequency, low intensity and has been consistent for many years. The rota is currently shared with approximately 15 FTE colleagues, from adult, addictions and learning disability services.
During office hours each consultant is expected to provide emergency cover within his or her own team in response to requests from wards and Care Co-ordinators. The consultant is expected to swap on call dates that clash with annual or study leave with other consultant colleagues. At times of unexpected sickness or absence on call duties are sorted by medical staffing by seeking locum cover from within the Trust.
- As per ‘Terms and Conditions – Consultants (England) 2003’. Consultants shall be expected in the normal run of their duties to deputize for absent consultant colleagues (and vice versa) so far as is practicable. (Schedule 2).
CONTRACT AGREEMENT
- The post will be covered by the Terms and Conditions of Service relating to the Consultant Contract (2003). Contracts have been agreed with the BMA local negotiators, but individuals may wish to discuss this further before acceptance.
- Travel Expenses are paid in line with the Terms and Conditions of Service for Hospital Medical and Dental Staff, Doctors in Public Health Medicine and the Community Health Service, Terms and Conditions – Consultants (England) 2003 and the General Whitley Terms and Conditions of Service (England and Wales).
