Locum Specialty Doctor (Owl Ward)

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust; Radlett; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS mental health organization in Radlett is seeking a Specialty Doctor to join its multidisciplinary team at Owl ward. This role involves providing clinical input to the acute care pathway and working with a team to manage adult patients requiring mental health support. Candidates should possess a medical qualification, hold GMC registration, and have significant experience in General Adult Psychiatry. The position offers a collaborative environment with opportunities for professional development and a commitment to patient care.

Qualifications

• Must have a licence to practice as per GMC regulations.
• Minimum of 4 years’ postgraduate training, including psychiatry experience.
• Ability to assess and treat psychiatric problems.

Responsibilities

• Conduct ward rounds and manage service user care plans.
• Perform Mental Health Act assessments.
• Liaise with primary and secondary care colleagues.

Skills

General Adult Psychiatry knowledge

Clinical decision making

Communication skills

Crisis management

Psycho-pharmacological interventions

Education

MB BS or equivalent medical qualification

Fully registered with the GMC

4 years full-time postgraduate training

Job description

Overview

The Owl ward is an 18-bedded acute treatment ward for adults of working age (male only) based at Kingfisher Court in Radlett. The Specialty Doctor will work 10 PAs with 1 WTE Consultant Psychiatrists, 1 WTE Core Trainee, 1 WTE GP Trainee, who are all based at Owl ward. The post holder will work in an established multidisciplinary team, providing senior clinical input into the integrated acute care pathway. All admissions on the ward are seen by a senior clinician and MDT within 24 hrs of admission with a view to formulate their care plans. The usual length of stay on Owl ward is 6-8 weeks after which patients are discharged into community or transferred to rehabilitation units. The successful candidate would contribute to clinical effectiveness of the well-established team. In addition to medical staff as above, the team consists of a Clinical Modern Matron, team leader, registered psychiatric nurses, healthcare assistants, occupational therapists, psychologist, recreational workers, ward clerk and team secretary.

Responsibilities

• Conduct ward rounds, assess, diagnose, formulate and review management plans for service users.
• Flexibly review and re‑assess service users to assess their response to treatment and their readiness to access other parts of the Acute Care Pathway.
• Work in emergency situations, conduct Mental Health Act assessments, assess capacity, Community Treatment Orders and present evidence at MHA Tribunals and Hospital Managers Hearings.
• Maintain AC Status and attend relevant training.
• Liaise to maintain good working relationships with primary and secondary care colleagues.
• Communicate clearly and responsively about patient care.
• Ensure physical health monitoring, monitoring for metabolic complications related to medication, Lithium monitoring, and adherence to the Clozapine protocols.

Qualifications

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification.
• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment.
• In good standing with the GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice.
• A minimum of 4 years' full time post graduate training (or its equivalent gained on a part-time or flexible basis) at least two years of which to be within a psychiatry training programme or as fixed term Specialty Trainee within psychiatry, or have equivalent experience and competencies.
• Working knowledge of General Adult Psychiatry with at least 3 years of experience.
• Ability to assess and treat psychiatric problems in adults, and to deal with crisis situations.
• Good knowledge of psycho‑pharmacological psycho‑therapeutic and psycho‑social interventions.
• Very good clinical skills using bio‑psycho‑social perspective and wide medical knowledge.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Able to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty.
• Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others.

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience in managing acute presentations.
• Wide range of specialist and sub‑specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service.
• Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA, ability to demonstrate clinical problem solving in interdisciplinary areas.
• Possession of good organisational skills.
• Be able to actively listen and have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Holds a full valid driving licence and access to a car (unless you have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995).
• Has actively participated in clinical audit.
• Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken.
• Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation.
• Has led clinical audits leading to service change.

Employment Conditions

Candidates who require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the United Kingdom can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for this position by assessing their circumstances against the criteria specified on the Check if you need a UK visa - GOV.UK website. We would encourage all applicants to review the criteria carefully to understand their eligibility for sponsorship. You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an exceptional organisation with big ambitions, our aim it to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disabilities within the UK. With a workforce of over 4,300 people and an annual income of some £330 million this year, the Trust provides integrated health and social care services through a network of community and inpatient settings, serving diverse communities across Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Norfolk. As a University NHS Foundation Trust, HPFT continues to develop strong links with the University of Hertfordshire, providing excellent learning and development opportunities, as well as strengthening our clinical research capability. Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is rated by the Care Quality Commission as an Outstanding provider of mental health and learning disability services. In 2021, we won the prestigious Health Service Journal award for Mental Health Trust of the Year, with the judges saying they were “blown away” by our people’s achievements and that everything they saw “sings and hums”. This year, our staff rated us the 4th best mental health and learning disability trust to work for out of all 52 trusts in the country. Our staff tell us they are proud to be part of the HPFT team, proud of the standard of care we provide and proud that service users are our top priority. Our people tell us they feel supported through a great development, wellbeing and work‑life balance offer and a highly compassionate, values‑driven culture. We are equally proud of our staff, who live our values of being welcoming, kind, positive, respectful and professional.