UCAT South Consultant

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Welcome bonus

Benefits package

Job summary

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust seeks a Consultant Psychiatrist for the Urgent Care Assessment Team (UCAT) South. The post conducts rapid mental health assessments, supports home treatment, and acts as gatekeeper to inpatient care. Requires MRCPsych, GMC registration, and six years postgraduate experience.

The role runs 24/7 with responsibility for quick, intensive, flexible interventions, addressing social issues from the start and linking care to ongoing services.

Qualifications

• MRCPsych or equivalent is required.
• CCT in General Adult Psychiatry, or eligible for Specialist Register, within six months.
• Full GMC registration is required.

Responsibilities

• Undertake 24/7 mental health assessments following referrals.
• Respond to home treatment caseload and gatekeep acute inpatient care.
• Provide rapid, intensive, time-limited interventions for service users and families.
• Administer and supervise medication as appropriate.
• Engage service users and carers with assertive outreach and practical problem-solving.
• Facilitate early discharge from hospital when possible.
• Integrate into Northamptonshire mental health systems and community networks.

Education

MRCPsych or equivalent

CCT in General Adult Psychiatry or eligible for Specialist Register

Tools

GMC registration

Job description

Consultant Psychiatrist post in the Urgent Care Assessment Team (UCAT) South, within Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The role centres on rapid mental health assessments and intensive, time-limited home treatment for people in crisis, with a focus on keeping them out of acute inpatient care. The service runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the post requires Section 12 approval to act as Responsible Clinician. Candidates need MRCPsych or equivalent, full GMC registration and at least six years' postgraduate experience.

What the job involves

• Undertake mental health assessments following referrals from recognised sources, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Respond to the needs of the home treatment caseload
• Act as gatekeeper to acute inpatient care
• Provide rapid, intensive, time-limited and flexible interventions for service users, families and carers
• Address the social issues surrounding a crisis from the outset
• Engage service users assertively
• Provide practical problem-solving help
• Administer and supervise medication
• Learn from crisis
• Link service users' care to further continuing care
• Facilitate early discharge from hospital where admission has already been necessary
• Integrate fully into the Northamptonshire mental health systems and the community

What’s required

Qualifications

• MRCPsych or equivalent
• CCT in General Adult Psychiatry, or on the Specialist Register, or eligible for inclusion within six months

Registration & licences

• Full GMC registration
• Approval under Section 12 of the Mental Health Act and able to act as Responsible Clinician
• In good standing with the GMC, with no warnings or conditions on practice

Experience

• Minimum of six years postgraduate experience, including three years as SpR in an approved training post, or equivalent (part may be in a post of equivalent responsibility and training)

Skills & knowledge

• Excellent written and verbal communication with patients, colleagues and staff at all levels
• Presents complex information to varied audiences, including courts and tribunals
• Motivates and develops junior medical staff and MDT members
• Balances individual requirements against those of the Directorate and Trust
• Understanding of the political and financial framework within which services operate
• Understanding of the use of security in psychiatric treatment and of working with damaged and disturbed patients

Other

• Demonstrates commitment to shared leadership and collaborative working
• Works independently and as part of an MDT, and forms good working relationships with peers
• Works under pressure
• Willing to undertake training, CPD and in-house training

Nice to have

• Additional postgraduate qualifications or endorsement in rehabilitation psychiatry
• Publication of original research
• Management training

What’s offered

• £40,000 welcome bonus, paid over the first two years in post
• Wider benefits package set out in the candidate pack