Lead Psychiatrist (North) in Mental Health Services for Older People

An opportunity has arisen for experienced psychiatrist (Consultant or SAS) to become a Lead Psychiatrist in our Mental Health Service for Older People in the Durham Tees Valley & Forensic Care Group and work as part of the collective leadership team which will ensure that effective and safe patient care is delivered in a person-centred manner ensuring that decision making is as close to the patient as possible.

Applicants with experience in Adult, Older People, Children and Young People, Learning Disability and Autism services are welcome to apply for this post. The substantive clinical base of the successful candidate will depend upon their specialty and vacant posts at the time of interview. The weekly job plan for the successful candidate will be discussed on an individual basis and can be adapted flexibly.

Main duties of the job

The Lead Psychiatrist will be expected to display the Trust values at all times work as part of collective leadership team which will ensure that the effectiveness and safety of patient care is delivered in a patient centred manner whilst ensuring that decision making is as close to the patient as possible.

The Lead Psychiatrist will be working within a service tier level of the care group model as part of a collective leadership team (CLT), working to organisational requirements whilst influencing areas of direct operational managerial responsibility and clinical pathways with a proportionally shared accountability and responsibility for the quality delivery of services. They will be the professional Lead for doctors within their service with professional responsibility for standards of medical practice across all inpatient and community teams. They will also lead on quality and safety developments across services.

The Lead Psychiatrist and the CLT will provide a visible, accessible and authoritative presence in clinical areas upon which service users can rely to ensure that the fundamentals of care are right.

The post holder will provide professional advice on medical matters with responsibility for leading the medical workforce in their specialty or specific area of responsibility, ensuring continuous professional developments and clinical supervision practices and structures are in place and accessible for all doctors.

About us

We are the Mental Health and Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington Teesside North Yorkshire York and Selby. From education and prevention to crisis and specialist care our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In our Trust everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right in areas that really need it.

We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need to lead their best possible life.

There are two care group localities - Durham & Tees Valley (which includes forensic services) and North Yorkshire & York. In terms of clinical specialties these comprise:

1. Adult mental health
2. Mental health services for older people
3. Children and young peoples services
4. Learning disability services
5. Forensic Services (including prisons)

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Lead Psychiatrist will be expected to display the Trust values at all times work as part of collective leadership team which will ensure that the effectiveness and safety of patient care is delivered in a patient centred manner whilst ensuring that decision making is as close to the patient as possible.

The Lead Psychiatrist will be working within a service tier level of the care group model as part of a collective leadership team (CLT), working to organisational requirements whilst influencing areas of direct operational managerial responsibility and clinical pathways with a proportionally shared accountability and responsibility for the quality delivery of services. They will be the professional Lead for doctors within their service with professional responsibility for standards of medical practice across all inpatient and community teams. They will also lead on quality and safety developments across services.

The Lead Psychiatrist and the CLT will provide a visible, accessible and authoritative presence in clinical areas upon which service users can rely to ensure that the fundamentals of care are right.

The post holder will provide professional advice on medical matters with responsibility for leading the medical workforce in their specialty or specific area of responsibility, ensuring continuous professional developments and clinical supervision practices and structures are in place and accessible for all doctors.

Working closely with the CLT, they will ensure the provision of services within an integrated governance framework that is safe, effective and efficient and maintains standards against a broad range of local, national and statutory requirements and policies.

Act as the link between the services and the Medical Directorate in relation to specific areas of responsibility including workforce planning and performance management.

The Post Holder will take lead medical responsibility for attending relevant governance groups within their CLT ensuring there is a consistent approach to high quality, compliant, safe and effective practice.

The Post Holder will be responsible for the line management of as well as providing professional supervision, guidance, job planning.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Medical Degree
• Current registration with the GMC or other regulatory body
• Evidence of continuing professional and personal development

Desirable

• Evidence of training within Management Leadership
• Postgraduate qualifications in areas relevant to post, eg: Leadership or Education TEWV QIS
• Certified Leader (or within agreed timescale)
• Registered on specialist register

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience in the following areas:
• At least 1 year experience at consultant level (for those who hold only 12 months service, the post will be developmental in nature with support provided) or minimum of 12 years postgraduate service for SAS doctors
• Experience in relevant specialty.
• Effective leadership within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Working collaboratively with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies.
• Teaching and training.
• Awareness of quality and service improvement initiatives.
• Awareness of quality and assurance governance issues.
• Awareness of research and development activities.

Desirable

• At least 18 months experience at consultant level
• Working at a strategic level on a range of clinical and management issues.
• Participation and supervision of quality and service improvement initiatives
• Experience of strategic management and leadership across multiple systems
• Managing quality and assurance governance issues
• Developing policy and services within a healthcare organisation.
• Leading organisational change, including internal and external consultation processes.
• Representing a healthcare organisation at external forums.
• Managing highly complex human resources and financial management issues within a healthcare setting.

C9346-LP-07M