Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Applications are invited for a part-time (up to 6.0 Programmed Activities) Consultant Psychiatrist/Forensic Psychiatrist at HMP Fosse Way. This is a replacement post and would suit an individual particularly interested in making a difference to societies' psychiatrically and socially most disadvantaged population, namely the mentally disordered in prisons.

Main Duties of the Job

The postholder will be expected to:

1. Participate in Clinical Governance, quality assurance, and audit in the SPA sessions.
2. Contribute to plans for ongoing service developments.
3. Share administrative duties including provision of information, data, and reports required for management of service.
4. Be an active member of medical staffing structures.
5. Manage and supervise psychiatric trainees.
6. Provide clinical leadership to mental health teams in HMP Fosse Way.

About Us

The Trust provides Healthcare to nine prisons in Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Leicestershire. This includes Integrated Healthcare including substance misuse to HMPs Ranby, Leicester, Lowdham Grange, Nottingham, Morton Hall, Gartree, and Fosse Way. Physical and Mental healthcare is provided to HMPs Lincoln and North Sea Camp. A specialised personality disorder service is provided at HMP Whatton. Community Offender Personality Disorder and IIRMS services are provided in Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

Mental healthcare in our prisons is provided on a Community Mental Health Team model augmented by the principles of Home Treatment, Assertive Outreach, and Crisis Resolution. Integration with Primary Mental Healthcare is good as are relationships with the prison staff. Neurodiversity services are an additional strength of our services.

Job Responsibilities

Clinical duties in the prison are similar to those of a consultant in a CMHT. While retaining the medical oversight for all the patients in the service, the consultant will see new patients referred by the rest of the team. Participation in CPA and occasionally in sentence planning/risk management meetings is expected. The post holder will be involved with the multi-disciplinary team in the assessment and treatment of mentally disordered offenders in HMP Fosse Way and may at times be asked to cover some of the other prisons in the directorate.

The referral rates in different prisons vary with more referrals in remand prisons. However, there is additional consultant manpower in both the prisons.

All new referrals, both from reception and following self-referrals are screened and assessed by the mental health team and allocated accordingly. Some of these, around 1 in 5, would need to be assessed by a psychiatrist as well. The post holder would be expected to see around 10 new and follow-up patients in a day. All patients on the caseload of the consultant would be case managed by a mental health nurse and would be provided psychological therapies as and when appropriate.

Person Specification Qualifications

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification.
• MRCPsych or equivalent.
• Recognised basic medical degree.
• Full GMC registration with a licence to practice.
• Eligibility for inclusion on the Specialist Register or CCT in Forensic Psychiatry (or General Adult Psychiatry with appropriate forensic experience).
• Section 12(2) approval, Approved Clinician status, and DBS clearance.
• Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research, or management.
• Relevant higher degree, e.g., MD, PhD, MSc, or other additional clinical qualifications.
• Additional clinical qualifications.
• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment.
• Included on the GMC Specialist Register OR within 6 months.
• Approved Clinician status and S12 OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment.
• Approved under S12 OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment.
• In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice.

Clinical Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

• Risk management linked to provisions of mental health care including secure care and protection of public.
• Ability to take a leadership role in a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring high-quality care and staff morale.
• Expert knowledge of forensic psychiatry.
• Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others.
• Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA.
• Ability to manage own time, workload and prioritise clinical work.
• Ability to appraise own performance.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience in providing written reports for legal purposes.
• Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to the post within NHS or comparable service.
• Evidence of specific achievements that demonstrate leadership skills.
• Find creative solutions to problems.
• Liaise with colleagues in management of complex clinical issues.
• Additional knowledge in one or more areas of specialty.
• Knowledge of recent developments and treatment advances in the care of offenders.
• Knowledge of NHS systems.

Academic Skills and Lifelong Learning

• Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement.
• Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programmes.
• Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training.
• Ability to work in and lead a team.
• Participated in continuous professional development.
• Participated in research or service evaluation.
• Able to use and appraise clinical evidence.
• Participate in CPD Programme.
• Teach trainees from medical and allied health professionals in clinical settings.
• Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post.
• Experienced in clinical research and/or service evaluation.
• Reflected on the purpose of CPD undertaken.
• Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations, and publications.
• Has led clinical audits leading to service change or improved outcomes for patients.
• Teaching experience.

Experience

• 3 years approved higher training in Forensic Psychiatry (or General Adult Psychiatry and equivalent experience in forensic psychiatry).
• Working with mentally disordered offenders.
• Higher Specialist Trainees are eligible to apply if within 6 months of their CCT date.
• Experience of working in secure psychiatric settings.
• Relevant experience, e.g., specific psychological therapies.

Transport

• Holds and will use a valid UK driving licence OR provides evidence of proposed alternative.

Research and Audit

• Ability to critically appraise published research.
• Participation in ongoing audit.
• Experience of involvement in a research project and publication.
• Interest in research.
• Published audit project.

Management

• Knowledge of the management and structure of the NHS.
• Ability to contribute to the Directorate and Organisation's Strategic Direction.
• Evidence of management training.
• Evidence of a management project.
• Interest in the welfare of mentally disordered offenders.
• Ability to deal effectively with pressure.
• Thoroughness and attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Reliability and honesty.
• Flexible approach to working practice.
• Positive approach to the job planning and appraisal process.
• Personable and willing to work in groups.
• Enjoy working in a challenging environment.
• Evidence of leadership attributes.
• Motivational skills.
• Commitment to service development.

Other Requirements

• Able to fulfil the travel requirements of the post.
• Able to fulfil all duties of the post.
• Satisfactory clearances from enhanced CRB disclosure, Prison security clearance, and health checks.
• Own car.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.