Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist

Job overview

Applications are invited for a full-time (10 Programmed Activities) Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist. This is a replacement post, and would suit an individual particularly interested in working with male patients with mental illness.

Applicants must be eligible for registration on the General Medical Council (GMC) Specialist Register, have Approved Clinician status and be approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act.

Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists is preferred, but equivalent qualifications and experience would be considered.

Newly appointed Consultants will be offered mentoring which will be arranged by the Associate Medical Director.

Main duties of the job

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 postholder 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 Arnold Lodge academic programme, 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.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This appointment is for a full-time Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist at Arnold Lodge. The postholder will be working with male patients with a diagnosis of mental illness.

The appointee will:

• Lead a multidisciplinary team in the assessment and treatment of patients requiring treatment in conditions of medium security.
• Provide pre-admission assessments in line with contractual requirements and provide Commissioners with appropriate advice.  Arnold Lodge ordinarily receives 70- 90 pre-admission referrals of men with a primary diagnosis of mental illness per year.  The postholder will have 3 full-time Consultant colleagues to assist in dealing with these.
• Manage an inpatient case load of approximately 12-14 patients.
• Chair ward rounds, convene and chair CPA meetings and provide clinical leadership to the MDT.
• Provide timely reports to Hospital Managers, Tribunals, the Ministry of Justice and Courts etc.
• Liaise with all necessary organisations in order to provide patients with the appropriate care pathway and will convene and chair Section 117 meetings.
• Be actively encouraged to develop expertise and participate in a range of psychological programmes offered in Arnold Lodge.
• Comply with all Trust policies and procedures.
• Act as the Care Coordinator and oversee the treatment of patients in their care following admission.
• Undertake clinical audit.
• Engage and regularly liaise with Provider Collaborative colleagues, IMPACT.
• Contribute to ongoing service developments and improvements.
• Contribute to the development of clinical governance and quality assurance.
• Participate in the on-call rota to ensure that Arnold Lodge is provided with 24 hour Consultant cover.  It is anticipated that the on-call rota will be a 1 in 8.  This will include contributing to a first on call rota, Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm, excluding Bank Holidays in conjunction with Junior Medical staff and other Consultants.
• There are no separate special responsibilities.

The clinical team consists of the postholder, social worker (0.5 WTE), psychologist (0.4 WTE), psychology trainee (0.5 WTE) and OT (1.0 WTE).

The post also has the support of the trainees and other consultants who, as a team, cover the hospital 24 hours a day.  There is also input from dentistry, dietician, podiatry, speech and language therapy and structured day therapists.

Assessment of individuals referred for admission will require travel throughout the United Kingdom.

The postholder will be provided with support from a visiting GP and Primary Healthcare Team.

The duties are subject to review from time to time in light of changing requirements of the service.