Locum Consultant Psychiatrist - Primary Care Liaison (St Albans)

Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Locum Consultant Psychiatrist to join their outstanding team. This role offers the opportunity to provide specialist consultative liaison to Primary Care staff, ensuring high-quality mental health support. With a strong focus on professional development, the position includes access to leadership training and a supportive environment. You'll have the chance to work with a dedicated team, contributing to innovative mental health services and making a real difference in the community. If you are passionate about mental health and looking for a fulfilling role, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Benefits

Mentoring support for new Consultants

Access to Leadership, Teaching, Education, and Research opportunities

Study leave of 30 days over 3 years

Study leave budget of £800 per year

Flexible working arrangements

Relocation package up to £7.5K

Excellent staff benefits and health support

Qualifications

• GMC registration with a license to practice is required.
• Experience in clinical audit with evidence of service improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist consultative liaison to Primary Care staff.
• Ensure clinical outcomes are shared with GPs via electronic records.

Skills

Excellent specialty knowledge

Strong communication skills in English

Decision-making based on evidence and experience

Ability to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty

Education

MB BS or equivalent

MRCPsych or approved equivalent

Higher degree in medical education, research, or management

Tools

SystmOne

EMIS

Job description

Employer heading

NHS Medical & Dental: Locum Consultant

Values Based Screener

At Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust, we are looking for individuals who share our values and those of the NHS. Before your application can be considered, please complete our online values questionnaire below. Upon completion, you will receive a 'completion code' by email, valid for 6 months, which is required to submit your application.

Job overview

Would you like to be part of something Outstanding?

We are seeking a Locum Consultant Psychiatrist, Primary Care Liaison for a fixed term of 12 months, working 5 Programmed Activities per week.

This is an exciting time for the Trust, having recently achieved an OUTSTANDING CQC RATING, and being one of only five mental health and learning disabilities NHS trusts in England to hold this rating.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will provide specialist consultative liaison to Primary Care staff, offering advice and guidance (GPs and Primary Care Mental Health Service) for the primary care networks in North West Hertfordshire. When necessary, a service user may be seen by the primary care liaison psychiatrist for diagnostic assessment and/or medication management. Psychiatric consultation slots will be available for GPs and primary care mental health practitioners for clinical discussion. The psychiatrist and primary care mental health practitioners will agree on the process to support booking of slots for primary care consultation as needed.

The GP retains overall clinical governance responsibility for patients seen by primary care mental health staff, including psychiatrists. When prescribing recommendations are made by an HPFT prescriber, the GP considers these for further action in primary care.

Working for our organisation

Here's what we have to offer you

• Mentoring support for new Consultants
• Dedicated support to develop future NHS leaders
• Access to Leadership, Teaching, Education, and Research opportunities
• A strong ethos on Learning and Development
• Access to a state-of-the-art Simulation Training Facility and Multidisciplinary Simulation Faculty
• A large peer group of enthusiastic and high-calibre Consultants
• Study leave of 30 days over 3 years
• Study leave budget of £800 per year
• Innovative electronic record system (PARIS), admin and IT equipment, software; laptops provided upon start
• Flexible working arrangements
• Excellent staff benefits and health and wellbeing support
• Flexible APAs for service development, management, simulation training, and community projects
• Dedicated SPA time in Job Plan
• Relocation package up to £7.5K (T&Cs apply)

Our Health Hub promotes staff health and wellbeing through workshops, social events, confidential forums, diversity networks, mindfulness sessions, health checks, and free 24/7 counselling services.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Post-holder will ensure clinical outcomes are shared with GPs via primary care Electronic Clinical Records (e.g., SystmOne/EMIS), adhering to Information Governance. They will generate letters within the primary care electronic record, which can be emailed to HPFT's single point of access, and support multi-disciplinary team meetings for mental health case discussions.

Referrals for outpatient appointments will be case-by-case, with service users informed and in agreement. Based on need, presentation, and risk, patients may be referred to secondary community mental health services, CRHTT, SPA, or First Response. Patients at acute risk, already in secondary care, or with certain diagnoses (e.g., first psychosis episode, medications requiring shared care protocols) are not eligible for this service.

General duties include administrative tasks, accurate clinical recording, participation in service planning, annual appraisals, CPD, research, audit, and maintaining professional registration and compliance with relevant policies.

Person specification

Qualifications

• MB BS or equivalent
• MRCPsych or approved equivalent; GMC specialist registration via CESR is acceptable
• Higher degree in medical education, research, or management
• Additional clinical qualifications

Eligibility

• GMC registration with a license to practice
• Approved clinician status or ability to achieve within 3 months
• Approved under S12 or able to achieve within 3 months
• In good standing with GMC, with no warnings or conditions

Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Excellent specialty knowledge
• Strong communication skills in English
• Ability to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty
• Decision-making based on evidence and experience
• Competence with MHA and MCA
• Wide range of relevant NHS or equivalent experience

Training and Education

• Ability to deliver undergraduate/postgraduate teaching
• Engagement in CPD, research, and service evaluation
• Experience in clinical audit, with evidence of service improvement

Transport

• Valid UK driving license or alternative evidence

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This role requires a DBS check due to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applications from those requiring sponsorship are welcome. Please provide full immigration details on your application. Overseas applicants must present a criminal record certificate from each country of residence over the past 10 years.

UK Registration

Applicants must hold current UK professional registration. For details, see applying from overseas.

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is rated as an outstanding provider by the CQC. We won the 2021 HSJ award for Mental Health Trust of the Year and are proud of our staff's achievements and our culture of support, development, and compassionate care. We invite you to join our team if you share our values and commitment to excellent care.

Additional Information

HPFT is committed to diversity, equality, and human rights. We welcome applications from all community sections and support flexible working arrangements. All staff must comply with current Infection Prevention and Control measures.