Psychiatrist, Mental Health Emergency Services

Job Summary

Job Title: Psychiatrist

Work Site: Vancouver General Hospital

Status: Part Time (5 half days/week)

Start Date: To be mutually agreed upon

Compensation Type: Clinical Service Contract

Come work as a Psychiatrist with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)!

The Mental Health Emergency Services (MHES or “Car 87/Car 88”) provides intervention to individuals in the city of Vancouver for mental health crisis or emergency situations. Car 87/88 provides immediate referrals to community-based and/or emergency mental health services as deemed necessary. The program is a partnership between the Vancouver Police Department and the VCH Access and Assessment Centre's Crisis Response Team. Car 87/88 teams a Vancouver Police constable with a registered nurse or a registered psychiatric nurse to provide on-site assessments and intervention for people living with mental illness.

The psychiatrist will work with the Mental Health Emergency Services (Car 87/88) providing patient-focused care for individuals experiencing mental health crises and their families, and will report to the Head and Medical Director, Department of Psychiatry, Vancouver Acute through the Medical Manager of the Access & Assessment Centre.

The Access and Assessment Centre (AAC) provides an accessible, integrated, interdisciplinary, and coordinated continuum of care as a single point of service access for adults in Vancouver. The health care providers who work here conduct comprehensive assessments utilizing non-urgent, urgent, and emergency interventions to provide services and foster stability in the community for clients.

As a Psychiatrist with Vancouver Coastal Health, you will:

• Evaluate, diagnose and provide state-of-the-art, specialized inpatient treatment for patients of ages 17 and up suffering from a spectrum of serious psychiatric disorders.
• Provide psychiatric support to the Mental Health Emergency Service (Car 87/88).
• Work within the Access & Assessment Centre providing urgent/emergent consultation and as needed support to the Adult Short-Term Assessment & Treatment program (ASTAT).
• Enhance Quality & Safety, education, and research initiatives for these respective programs.
• Work in collaboration with other physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, allied health professionals, peer-support workers, patients and their families.
• Serve as a resource in dealing with mental health and addiction issues and symptom management with a strong knowledge base in psychopharmacology.
• Be involved in innovative treatment interventions and participate in the training and education of medical students, residents and other health professionals.
• Actively participate in academic activities and clinical care.
• Participate in on-call.

Qualifications

Education, Licensing, & Experience:

• A Medical Degree and eligibility for licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia
• 10+ years of clinical experience
• Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) – Mandatory
• Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada (FRCPC) – Mandatory
• Specialist qualifications in Psychiatry from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
• Eligibility for a clinical faculty appointment with the UBC Faculty of Medicine
• Experience working with concurrent disorders and the general psychiatric disorders population
• Experience with academic psychiatry
• Completion of the provincially mandated Mental Health Act module
• Experience/training with CERNER & FESR
• Demonstrated understanding of Trauma-Informed Practice, Cultural Safety, Gender Affirming Care, and Equity Oriented Care in action/practice.
• Emergency psychiatry experience
• Outpatient experience
• ACT/AOT experience
• OAT trained
• Active Methadone licence
• DBT experience and training is an asset

Knowledge & Abilities:

• A demonstrated ability working as a member of an interdisciplinary mental health team
• A commitment to participate in new methods in health improvement and care delivery
• A demonstrated ability/understanding of implementing harm reduction practice in action
• Excellent knowledge of community resources
• A demonstrated commitment to education

Closing Statement

Interested in applying? Feel free to reach out to Khuushali Raja, Executive and Medical Staff Talent Acquisition Advisor: medstaffcareers@vch.ca or click “Apply Now.”

Please note that a resume and cover letter are required to apply for this position.

As per Ministry of Health policy, all health care workers working in publicly-funded health care facilities are required to report their past receipt of certain vaccines or history of certain infections. Collecting these records will allow for offering of any missing vaccines, and for appropriate actions to be taken in the event of any future exposure to a communicable disease or during outbreaks.

WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH?

VCH is a world-class innovator in medical care, research and teaching, delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH, we embrace thinking boldly, taking smart risks, and "going first" when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families.

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health and dental and municipal pension plan
• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities
• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families
• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers

At Vancouver Coastal Health, our vision of healthy lives in healthy communities inspires us and our values and pillars guide us. We support equitable practices, diverse teams and inclusive environments, which are vital to creating welcoming spaces where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and feel supported.