The Trust is seeking to appoint a Specialist in Old Age Psychiatry to join the Community Mental Health Team and support patients in the Mendip Area. The Team covers the Frome, Wells, Glastonbury, and Street areas in addition to the rural and outlying villages in Mendip.
This is a permanent, full-time post working on average 10 PAs per week (8.5 DCC 1.5 SPA) and will be supervising junior/MDT colleagues. You will provide cover for colleagues in their absence and deal with emergencies as they arise. This role does not have on-call commitments.
Less Than Full Time applications will be considered. There is usually ample scope to work extra hours if desired. This is not a training post, and applicants must be fully qualified and meet all framework criteria set. Please see attached Job Description for full details.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be part of the medical team with one other part-time consultant (Dr Porter), who takes all dementia service cases across Mendip, and one full-time Specialty Doctor. There is also a full-time trainee Advanced Clinical Nurse Practitioner. The post holder will work closely with the community mental health team, primarily working with patients in the whole Mendip locality.
There is an emphasis on members of the CMHT seeing most initial assessments with a daytime duty rota dealing with urgent referrals. The CMHT will seek advice from the post holder to guide management for the patient, achieved through formal team meetings, as well as ad hoc discussions with the team when required.
There are approximately 800 referrals each year across the CMHT (not all are taken on). The post holder will hold regular clinics, as well as undertaking domiciliary visits when required.
The post holder will be based at The Bridge in Wells and Chantry Day Hospital in Frome. There is no inpatient responsibility associated with this post; however, the post holder will be expected to discuss possible admissions and discharges to our older adult's inpatient unit with the inpatient consultant or their deputy, to ensure safe transfer of care into and out of the inpatient setting. The post holder may also, by agreement, offer mutual leave cover to the inpatient consultant and other OPMH consultant colleagues.
About us
At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:
* Flexible working options to help you balance work and life.
* NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security.
* Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax.
* A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential.
Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.
We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
Why Somerset?
Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.
The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.
Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Job description
Job responsibilities
* Provide assessment, diagnosis and treatment of mental health needs of community patients in their community area.
* Work closely with the community teams to provide effective multidisciplinary collaborative care: this will include availability for consultation, regularly attending team meetings and providing case discussion and advice at the request of team members and/or team managers.
* Act as Responsible Clinician for community patients subject to a compulsory treatment order under the Mental Health Act (CTOs).
* Undertake MHA assessments as the Trust Section 12 doctor for patients in their care (including those detained under S136).
* Provide Mental Capacity Act s49 reports for patients in their community area.
* Provide visible and clear clinical leadership to the mental health service both locally and across the Trust.
* Work collaboratively with inpatient staff to ensure smooth transition for patients admitted and discharged from the wards.
* Join a peer group for CPD purposes: this can be a Trust group or other local peer group depending on the post holder's preference.
* Identify areas for personal development, that will allow the post holder to improve the care they provide.
* Maintain good standing for Continuing Professional Development (CPD); the Trust actively encourages continuing professional development and appropriate study leave and expenses will be supported by the Trust (up to 30 days study leave every three years).
* Undertake annual appraisal and job plan reviews.
* Develop the services around them, in collaboration with management and other team members to continue to improve patient care.
* Participate in the local arrangements for peer supervision with consultant colleagues, including case-based discussion.
* Provide mutual cross cover for planned leave with the other medical staff.
* Fulfil the duties agreed in the job plan.
* Comply with all Trust policies.
* Work within the financial and other constraints decided upon by the Trust.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
* Mental Health Act Approved Clinician / Section 12 approval -- or eligible and willing to apply for these.
* Entry on GMC Specialist Register or eligible for entry on Register within 6 months of interview via Specialist Training (CCT) or CESR (Consultant Applicants only).
Desirable
* MRCPsych.
* Accredited for the training of Higher trainees/junior doctors.
* Further professional qualifications such as MRCP/DGM.
* A Higher degree such as a Masters Degree.
Experience
Essential
* Significant experience of assessment and management of patients in Older People's community psychiatry.
* Ability to offer expert clinical care of patients.
* A particular understanding of the care and treatment of frail older adults in the community.
* A clear understanding of mental health and mental capacity legislation and the application of these areas of legislation as they relate to community care.
Desirable
* 3 years supervised training in an appropriate ST4-6 equivalent training programme.
* Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service.
* Formal training or qualifications in leadership or organisational development.
* Experience of service development particularly related to old age psychiatric services.
Additional Criteria
Essential
* Please refer to the attached Job Description for full details.
Employer details
Employer name
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Chantry Day Hospital
Frome
Somerset
BA11 4BS
Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.
184-OL-MED-FAM-1767
#J-18808-Ljbffr