Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist in Universal Crisis Team

Job overview

This Crisis resolution and home treatment team has been accredited with the Home Treatment Accreditation Scheme (HTAS) since June 2017.

This service operates at the critical and well-established interface of acute psychiatry, with close links to the large all-age liaison psychiatry services at Sunderland Royal and South Tyneside General Hospitals, as well as enjoying close links to the working age and older adults’ community mental health teams and inpatient services.

The base for the UCT is the Barton Centre at Hopewood Park Hospital. You will join an experienced and well-established crisis service which provides crisis assessment and home treatment for patients experiencing acute mental health problems, including older adults with both functional and organic mental illnesses who can be managed in the community with intensive mental health support, without the need for hospital admission.

You will join a skilled UCT multi-disciplinary (MDT) workforce, including 3 Consultant colleagues, 1 Speciality doctors, 1 Foundation trainee doctors, non-medical prescribers, a pharmacist and specialist nurses.

Working 10PAs a week over 4 or 5 days alongside the multidisciplinary team, including SAS doctors, resident doctors, and wider clinical team, you will be the clinical expert from a medical perspective to ensure best practice care is delivered and support the team.

Main duties of the job

To provide psychiatric assessment, diagnosis and formulation to patients presenting with organic and functional mental health crises aged 65+ taken on for home-treatment with the Sunderland & South Tyneside Crisis Team.

To undertake Section12 work in relation to Mental Health Act assessments for UCT patients

To provide (or ensure referral to the appropriate service for the provision of) up to date, evidence-based interventions for patients under the service’s care.

To collaborate with GPs, Community Teams and primary care clinicians on follow-up arrangements for patients assessed or treated within the service.

To provide leadership, consultation, advice and guidance within the MDT, including for the Access and Triage components of the service.

To work collaboratively with colleagues in other specialist mental health teams and develop proactive links with the community services; particularly with a view to developing more robust pathways into appropriate follow-up care once discharged.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further details.

Applicants should be on the Specialist Register or be within 6 months of obtaining CCT at the point of interview. Candidates should be suitably qualified, including eligibility for Section 12 approval and Approved Clinician status.

This is a substantive and full-time post however we would be happy to consider applicants available on a part time or fixed term basis.

As a Consultant, you will know what it means achieve this by leading a team. Striving for a better service leads to a better you.

As an added bonus, the Trust is located in the Northeast of England and Cumbria which is an area of outstanding natural beauty, containing national parks, ancient heritage sites and major cities supported by excellent national and international transport links. The area is predominantly rural and contains the Lake District National Park which is considered one of England’s finest areas of natural beauty.

For a discussion about the role (in confidence) or visits please contact:

Name: Dr Uma Geethanath, AMD South Access CBU

Email:  [email protected]

Tel: 01915665500 / 07831764982