Consultant Psychiatrist in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Crisis)

Job overview

This innovative post seeks to integrate crisis and Tier 4 (intensive home treatment and inpatient) care for young people under the care of CPFT, in line with the NHS 10-year plan. It aims to improve continuity, effectiveness, and efficiency of care and treatment for young people presenting with high-risk and acute mental health needs, and their families.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will primarily provide consultant psychiatric leadership in the ongoing development of an effective, efficient and evidence-based crisis and assessment team for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area. They will work in collaboration with multi-disciplinary colleagues to provide needs-led and child and family centered psychiatric assessment and treatment to young people in acute crisis, and those subsequently requiring Tier 4 intervention.

The successful applicant will be expected to provide crisis input to Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Addenbrookes Hospital, and Peterborough City Hospital. There will be a frequent need for onsite assessments, including Mental Health Act assessments, both in acute hospitals and the community across CPFT. Due to the geographical area covered, the successful applicant will be expected to drive as part of the role, and remote working and flexibility of base will be required.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties of the Post

• The successful applicant will provide medical leadership to the CAMH-Crisis team and contribute to the medical leadership of The Darwin Centre for Young People. They will work closely and collaboratively with their consultant and MDT colleagues.
• Work collaboratively with team, ward and service managers to ensure robust clinical governance activities are maintained including appropriate CPD slots to support team practice and development, supervision, audit, and service-evaluation work.
• Develop and strengthen relationships across the directorate and with partner organizations to improve crisis care, develop crisis and admission avoidance pathways, promote alternatives to admission, and facilitate timely discharges.
• Training of Core, Specialty and GP trainees including as their Consultant Supervisor. The Darwin Centre is a placement for CPFT’s Core Training scheme and Specialty Trainees in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry who are on the East of England Higher Training Scheme.
• Work alongside Community Consultant colleagues and ensure Consultant cover is available as needed for the duty CAMHS practitioners and Paediatric wards for urgent assessments and advice.
• Participate in the Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist out of hours on-call rota (currently 1 in 8) paid at Band A, 5% supplement. Providing Consultant Child Psychiatry, non-residential, on call advice/supervision to doctors in training grades and duty CAMH practitioners. This is a Trust-wide Rota covering all of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, the three Tier 4 units and the three acute hospitals. Advice may need to be provided to the 24/7 nurse led all age telephone crisis service and 9-9pm CAMHS crisis service. There is an expectation that phone calls will be responded to promptly and that on occasion consultants may be required to attend a hospital site to assess patients. There is current review of remuneration for on-call through a diary exercise.
• Contribute to the teaching and training of STs, CTs, medical students and MDT members. CTs and STs work within the department as part of their psychiatric rotations.  There will be an opportunity to undertake the role of Clinical and Educational Supervisor for these doctors in training.
• Access to admin support is proportionately through the Crisis team and Darwin Centre Admin Hubs.
• Provide consultation to multi-agency colleagues working with children and young people and attend to any safeguarding needs that arise in accordance with local and national best practice standards.
• Maintain high quality clinical records and otherwise participate in the administrative duties associated with patient care and the running of the services.
• Collaborate with medical colleagues to maintain the service in the absence of departmental colleagues due to annual leave, study leave and short-term sickness.