Specialty Doctor | West London NHS Trust

West London NHS Trust; Hatton; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider is seeking a Senior Medical Professional for the Mental Health Crisis and Assessment Service. This role involves providing senior medical input, leading team discussions, and engaging with complex patients. Candidates should have a medical degree and experience in psychiatry, with a focus on risk management and trauma-informed care. The role offers unique opportunities for development within a diverse service praised for its quality.

Qualifications

• Experience providing S12 cover in psychiatric settings.
• Ability to engage with complex patients and support the MDT.
• Understanding of trauma-informed approaches.

Responsibilities

• Lead MDT discussions within the Crisis Service Pathway.
• Conduct frequent direct patient assessments.
• Provide advice to support MDT decisions.

Skills

Senior medical input

Risk management skills

Complex patient assessments

Multi-disciplinary team discussions

Adapting treatment interventions

Education

Medical degree

Training in psychiatry

Job description

This is an amazing opportunity to be part of the opening of a genuinely innovative and creative service, the Mental Health Crisis and Assessment Service (MHCAS). MHCAS is a central element of the Government's 10 year plan to provide appropriate crisis interventions to patients as an alternative to presenting to emergency departments or as an alternative to admission. This role will also provide S12 input into the designated Health Based Place of Safety (HBPoS) next door to the MHCAS.

The HBPoS has 2x 136 suites and 2 rooms for the provision of S135 or alternative crisis use.

The MHCAS is due to open the 22nd December and during phase I will be a unit with a capacity of 4-6 patients and an expected turnaround time of around 12 hours. It will be a 24 hour nurse-led service. Phase II is expected to open on the same site (although a different location in the unit) in summer 2026 with a capacity of around 10-12 patients.

In Phase I the MHCAS will primarily look to reach into our neighbour Emergency Departments, although will also work with our Crisis Teams for situations that have escalated to the point where admission may be required. In Phase II we will look to take on walk in patients as well as referrals from emergency services.

Candidates will be working some hours outside of usual 9-5 with the aim to provide S12 cover from 12:00 until 20:00 or 14:00 to 22:00 depending on preference.

You will be providing senior medical input within two separate, but allied and co-located services. You will lead and inform MDT discussions within the team, and also reach into local emergency departments to help identify appropriate patients to come to the unit. There will be expectations for frequent direct patient assessments as well as providing advice to support MDT decisions for people in the service.

This post offers excellent general adult psychiatry experience in the community. The clinical presentations are very varied and there is a particular emphasis on developing risk management skills. The role of the speciality doctor can be adapted according to the level of experience and development. The holder of the post will form an integral part of the Crisis Service Pathway, working closely with the team manager and consultant to lead and continue to develop an excellent service.

Many patients present with challenging problems and require sophisticated management plans. The speciality role enables development in the understanding of the place of diagnosis, the importance of psycho-social factors, working with risk and overseeing a wide range of treatment interventions. The role of this post will be both to see complex patients and to support the team to manage them as part of a consistent, trauma informed approach.

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.