Consultant Psychiatrist - Windsor CMHT

Site Baird House, Liverpool Innovation Park Town Liverpool Salary £105,504 - £139,882 plus 10% recruitment & retention premia (non contractual) Salary period Yearly Closing 06/04/2025 23:59

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.

We take positive action to support disadvantaged groups and also particularly encourage applications from ethnic minorities, disabled and LGBTQIA+ people that are under-represented in our workforce. Furthermore we welcome applications from reservists and ex-armed forces personnel as we recognise the benefits of the values, skills, training and experience that they bring to their work with us. We encourage all applicants to share their equality information with us.

Job overview

Applications are invited for 1 full-time (10PAs + 10% R&R) Consultant Psychiatrist to join the Windsor Community Mental health Team.

At Mersey Care we are passionate about mental health and wellbeing and delivering the best possible care for the people we serve. Quality, recovery and wellbeing are at the heart of everything that we do.

The Trust is focused on driving change and innovation by supporting and enhancing the leadership role of our senior clinicians and this role would offer opportunities for you to lead and develop excellent practice in the field.

If successful in your application for this replacement full time post (10 PAs), you will join a dynamic and dedicated multi-disciplinary team delivering high quality assessment and treatment of adults with psychosis and other severe mental illnesses referred from linked general practices from the Windsor CMHT coverage.

This is an exciting time to be joining adult mental health services with the implementation of a new clinical model that is already yielding improvements in care throughout the pathway, supported by more effective team working with primary care and adult inpatient acute care colleagues.

Main duties of the job

1. Be actively involved in the leadership, management and decision making within the Community Mental Health Team.
2. Supervise and support team members who carry out assessments of patients referred to the team.
3. Carry out comprehensive psychiatric assessments and provide treatment for patients.
4. Conduct patient reviews and lead Multidisciplinary reviews, CPA reviews and multiprofessional team meetings.
5. Contribute to the development of the service and be actively involved in the critical evaluation of its effectiveness over time.
6. Ensure that management plans are clearly displayed in the medical records and undertake administrative duties associated with the care of the patient.
7. Foster relationships between staff within each organisation, and with the local Clinical Commissioning Groups.
8. 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.
9. Carry out comprehensive Risk Assessments and participate in Trust’s risk management processes such as Health Risk Assessment and Management Meetings (H-RAMM).
10. Maintain a high level of effective communication and work flexibly and cooperatively with other parts of the service including inpatient units, other community mental health teams, specialist services and primary care.
11. Liaison with families / carers and other stakeholders.

Working for our organisation

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 (Halton, Warrington, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton and St Helens) and is 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.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

In line with New Ways of Working, the post holder will provide a consultative, supervisory and supportive role to the multi-disciplinary team. The post holder will take an active part in the clinical work of the team; the majority of clinical work is clinic based, but service users may also be seen at home, as required.

Clinical work also includes report writing. The post holder will also be supported in developing a special interest in a clinical area, which meets the Trust objectives.

The post holder will be expected to be part of the allocation procedure within the team and be responsive and flexible to the needs of the team. This forms part of a wider acute care system provided by the Trust and this service performs a crucial coordinating function to ensure that service users experience a smooth journey through the most appropriate care pathway.

The post holder is expected to work as a medical expert and as responsible clinician for patients subject to the Mental Health Act 2007 which includes patients on Community Treatment Orders (CTOs). There are approximately 15 patients on CTOs at any time. The post holder is also expected to tackle the medico-legal and ethical dilemmas while adhering to legal safeguards. MHA assessments form an important part of the clinical commitments and have to be done as an emergency. There is a Rota for that in the team which includes fellow Consultant, ST doctor and Specialty doctor. The post holder will have junior doctor support and will be expected to provide clinical supervision to any first or second on call doctors when they contact for any advice or support.

The service operates in the context of CPA Policies and Procedures and all other Policies of the Trust and Local Authorities.

The post holder will contribute to clinical and medical leadership within the Recovery Team taking a lead role in the development and provision of a safe, effective, evidenced-based, quality service. The post holder will liaise closely with General Practitioners (GPs) and with other services, teams and agencies within the Borough and within the Trust to support effective, collaborative, inter-agency working.

Administration time is allocated in the job plan.

There is a specialty doctor currently in post to support the postholder. The Post Holder will be supported to develop Educational and Clinical Supervisor Responsibilities for junior trainees.

• Participation in undergraduate and postgraduate clinical teaching.
• Participation in the training of other disciplines.
• Providing educational supervision of trainees and other disciplines.
• Taking part in continuing medical education within statutory limits.

Clinical governance and quality assurance

• Expected contribution to clinical governance and responsibility for setting and monitoring standards.
• Participation in clinical audit and other local assurance processes.
• Participation in service/team evaluation and the planning of future service developments.

Quality improvement

• Leads and manages a team in a way that supports the development of a culture of continuous improvement and learning.
• Utilises a quality improvement approach to think systemically about complex problems, develop potential change ideas and test these in practice using a systematic QI methodology.
• Empowers the team to resolve local issues on a daily basis using the tools and method of quality improvement without staff having to seek permission.
• Promotes awareness and understanding of quality improvement, and shares learning and successes from quality improvement work.
• To manage, appraise and give professional supervision to junior 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 Deal and are Working Time Directive compliant.
• To undertake the administrative duties associated with the care of patients.
• To record clinical activity accurately and comprehensively and submit this promptly to the Information Department.
• 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 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 modernisation.
• 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 the involvement of the consultant body in regional and national groups subject to discussion and approval with the medical director and, as necessary, the chief executive officer.

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 timetable 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

There is currently a 1:15 (minimum), non-resident, 3rd on call rota for Consultant Psychiatrists, with prospective cover (Category B – 1%). On call runs over a 24 hour period, from 9:00am until 9:00am the following day, covering the South Rota- Liverpool. There is separate Consultant on call Rota for the North Rota- Liverpool. The on call covers all disciplines except CAMHS, who have a separate, Trust-wide on call rota. During weekdays on call routine clinics will be cancelled as the post holder is expected to attend to any Sec136 assessments and urgent calls during the on call. There is an expectation to support the 2nd on call after hrs rarely with MHA assessments or clinical decisions if necessary.

2nd on call is currently provided by Higher Trainees/speciality doctors, who are on call from 5pm until 9am the following day.

1st on call is provided by Junior Trainees.

Occupational Health Support

The post holder will have access to the Occupational Health (OH) Department, (full address, telephone and email). The OH team has access to a physiotherapist and psychologist, and the post holder may self refer or be referred through their manager. The post holder will have access to the 24-hour Health Assured service, which provides free counselling, including face-to-face, and well as legal and financial support, online CBT and wellbeing resources. Information about Occupational Health and Health Assured will be disseminated at the induction and regularly when in post to ensure the post holder has timely access to the details if help seeking is necessary.

Wellbeing Support

Proactive local organisational systems to support doctors’ wellbeing following serious incidents including supporting the wellbeing of the post holder after serious incidents that involve patients in their care (e.g., homicide or suicide) is paramount, and a dedicated senior clinician will provide support and advice as needed after the incident. Details of the senior clinician able to offer this support will be provided via the Medical Directorate at the time of initial induction.

Person specification

Qualifications

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification
• Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management
• Additional clinical qualifications

Transport

• Holds and will use valid UK driving licence OR provides evidence of proposed alternative
• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment
• Included on the GMC Specialist Register OR within six months.
• Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment
• Approved under S12 OR able to achieve with 3 months of appointment
• In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice

Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Excellent knowledge in specialty
• Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wide medical knowledge
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Able to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty
• Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others
• Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA
• Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service

Academic Skills & Lifelong Learning

• Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training
• Ability to work in and lead team
• Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement.
• Participated in continuous professional development
• Participated in research or service evaluation
• Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post
• Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken

Please ensure you check the email account from which you apply for all correspondence. Only those applicants who demonstrate clearly how they meet our person specification will be shortlisted for interview.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we offer a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who consider themselves to be disabled who meet the minimum (essential) criteria for the role in the person specification. If you would like your application to be considered under the Trust’s guaranteed interview scheme you can indicate this in the personal information section of your online application form.

Should you require a reasonable adjustment to our recruitment process please email recruitment@merseycare.nhs.uk to ensure that measures can be put in place to support you.

We reserve the right to close any vacancies from further applications when we have received a minimum number of applications from which to make a shortlist. Please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role.

The Trust expects all post holders who require an enhanced DBS for their role subscribe to the DBS Update Service. You will be required to enrol for this service for a fee of £16 per year and maintain registration.

Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Please be advised that the use of Artificial Intelligence on applications is monitored and if you choose to use this, you must declare this on your application form.

Please note: new entrants to the NHS will commence on the first pay point of the relevant band.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.