Consultant Psychiatrist in Older Adults

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust; Watford; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Watford is seeking a Consultant in Older Adult Liaison Psychiatry to lead a multidisciplinary team. The role involves clinical leadership, managing complex presentations, and coordinating service improvements. Candidates should hold an MB BS or equivalent qualification and an MRCPsych. Experience in Older Adults Liaison psychiatry is essential, along with strong communication and collaboration skills. This role operates within a fast-paced environment, handling multiple referrals and ensuring service excellence.

Qualifications

• Experience in Older Adults Liaison psychiatry is essential.
• Collaboration with agencies to handle complex needs.
• Strong decision-making capabilities based on evidence.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership to the Liaison Psychiatry team.
• Deliver expert clinical assessments for complex presentations.
• Lead daily referral meetings and coordinate service improvements.

Skills

Clinical responsibilities in psychiatry

Collaboration with social care

Bio-psycho-social clinical skills

Communication skills

Education

MB BS or equivalent medical qualification

MRCPsych or equivalent approval

Job description

Overview
We are seeking a Consultant in Older Adult Liaison Psychiatry for Watford General Hospital, a 650-bedded district general hospital serving Hertfordshire and the surrounding counties. The consultant will work alongside a Consultant General Adult Liaison Psychiatrist, providing clinical leadership to a multidisciplinary Liaison Psychiatry team operating 24/7, handling referrals from A&E and inpatient wards, with an average of 275 referrals per month.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership and supervision of the Liaison Psychiatry team, cross-covering the General Adult Consultant.
• Deliver expert clinical assessment for complex presentations, including patients in A&E, wards, and an ad‑hoc outpatient follow‑up clinic for geriatric delirium pathway.
• Review service users requiring mental health admission, ensuring appropriate management plans and least restrictive options.
• Lead daily referral meetings and board rounds, attend multidisciplinary and multi‑agency meetings, and develop specialist clinics (e.g., High Intensity User Support Teams).
• Participate in local leadership meetings, work with unplanned care leads on service development, and manage frequent attenders to acute pathways.
• Supervise junior medical staff, ensuring compliance with the New Deal, Working Time Directive, and GMC registration.

About the Trust

Watford General Hospital is part of the Hertfordshire Health Trust, which provides adult community services, acute and urgent services, specialist services for older people, and learning disability and forensic services. The Trust collaborates closely with Hertfordshire County Council and other NHS organisations to promote community mental health.

Job Responsibilities

• Participate in local leadership meetings and work with unplanned care operational and quality leads on service development and improvement of services.
• Manage frequent attenders to the acute pathway and coordinate across Mental Health Liaison teams, urgent care, specialist older adult services, and inpatient wards.
• Appraise and supervise junior medical staff, ensuring adherence to GMC and internal policies.
• Record clinical activity accurately and submit to the Information Department.
• Participate in service and business planning, annual consultant appraisal, and the Trust’s internal CPD programme.

Qualifications

Essential

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification.
• MRCPsych or MRCPsych equivalent approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Desirable

• Higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management.
• Relevant higher degree such as MD, PhD, MSc or other clinical qualifications.

Eligibility

Essential

• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at appointment.
• Current CCT in Old Age Psychiatry or inclusion on the GMC Specialist Register, or within six months of achieving CCT/CESR.

Desirable

• Good standing with GMC regarding warning and conditions on practice.
• Section 12/Approved clinician approval and Liaison Endorsement.

Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Experience of full clinical responsibilities expected of a consultant in Older Adults Liaison psychiatry.
• Collaboration with social care and other agencies.
• Working with complex needs within Liaison and Older Adult psychiatry.
• Excellent bio‑psycho‑social clinical skills and communication.
• Decision‑making based on evidence and contribution of others.

Desirable

• Specialist and sub‑specialist experience relevant to NHS or comparable services.
• Advanced medical knowledge of the older adult population.

Academic Skills & Lifelong Learning

Essential

• Deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training.
• Participate in professional development, research, service evaluation and audit.

Desirable

• Plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching relevant to the post.
• Lead clinical audits with service change outcomes.
• Organise psychotherapy training for psychiatry trainees.
• Valid driving licence and access to a car unless disabled.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.
367-HPFT-MEDICAL-519-A