Specialist Grade Doctor - Addictions & CMHT (dual diagnosis)

Job overview

This is a newly developed post. The post holder will provide Specialty and Associate Specialist (SAS) doctor input to Older people Services in Luton in a community setting.

The post holder will support the multidisciplinary team in the management of patients with a dual diagnosis. The post-holder will work with an MDT including pharmacy, psychology, social work, CPN colleagues, and trainees.

Professional accountability will be to the Medical Director and operational accountability to the Chief Executive Officer.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will:

• Provide senior clinical input and contribute to the continued development of the Addictions services with an opportunity to be a visiting FDAC psychiatrist.
• Provide regular clinical input to the service through conducting specialist clinics that offer assessment and evidence-based treatment interventions for dual diagnosis patients (open to both CMHT and addiction services) and patients under addiction services (P2R).
• Ensure that service users consistently receive high-quality services that adhere to the best practice guidelines and achieve high professional standards.
• Undertake all work in the context of the recovery approach, which is emphasised across the Trust, placing the service user at the centre of planning and decision making.
• Provide a key role as the senior specialist clinician within the team and will support the wider work of the multi-disciplinary team. They will work closely with and provide specialist advice and support to other staff in clinical settings, including non-medical members of the team, and contribute to maintaining practice in line with organisational policies, objectives, and values
• Provide a clinical assessment, including relevant psychiatric and physical investigation, of a wide range of substance misuse patients presenting to the service.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Roles and Responsibilities of FDAC The FDAC Psychiatrist sees 2 parents per month in face to face clinic at the FDAC team base for a psychiatric screening assessment. Occasionally the parent can be seen at the Luton Law Court if that is more accessible for either the doctor or parent. Each parent is screened for substances according to the usual FDAC protocols by a team member prior to assessment on the day, and the collateral information required for the assessment is provided by the FDAC mental health practitioner.

There is no expectation to see the children in the FDAC programme. The large majority of parents attend their FDAC screening assessment and attend on time, however a flexible approach optimises the chances of completing the psychiatric screening.

Following the assessment a short discussion with the key worker is held to relay key thoughts, and a short court report is prepared that is shared with the parent, making any suggestions for ongoing psychological or psychiatric care and treatment. FDAC parents may already be under the care of other mental health services, and all will be under the care of an addictions service, either Resolutions in Luton or Path 2 Recovery in Bedford.   This is an opportunity to work with a fully staffed and highly motivated experienced team in a novel setting. Commonly parents have a background of psychological distress, undiagnosed mental health conditions, history of intermittent engagement with physical and mental health services and have experienced childhood trauma, domestic abuse or violence, as well as substance use disorders. This is rewarding work with families in the most difficult circumstances, and there is a healthy culture of support and care within the team. This includes regular teaching and training opportunities, away days and socials, which the FDAC psychiatrist and the Judges are warmly invited to participate in.

On-Call and Duty Responsibilities

The post-holder will have the opportunity to join the out-of-hours first on call duty rota for a salary supplement by agreement with HR and line manager.