Consultant Psychiatrist in Intellectual Disability

Consultant Psychiatrist in Intellectual Disability South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Are you a Psychiatrist who is dedicated and passionate about services for people with intellectual disability? Do you want to be part of a dynamic and innovative Community Learning Disability Service?

Due to the current postholder leaving, SWLSTG are currently looking to appoint a Consultant Psychiatrist in Intellectual Disabilities for a 0.8WTE post in the Wandsworth Learning Disability Healthcare Team.

This is an exciting opportunity for a psychiatrist in intellectual disabilities to join an established community learning disability team in Wandsworth. The post holder will demonstrate a commitment to clinical excellence and an ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, in order to provide medical leadership to the team. This is a varied role and will include working across the health and wellbeing as well as the mental health and complex behaviour pathways.

Main duties of the job

1. To provide medical leadership to the team and lead on the assessment and management of adults with intellectual disabilities in the London Borough of Wandsworth referred to the team, along with other consultant colleagues.
2. To assess and review patients referred to the service via outpatient clinics, virtual appointments and home visits.
3. Individual and joint working with members of the MDT which include Community nurses trained in intellectual disabilities and/or mental health, psychologists, physiotherapists, dieticians, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and recovery support workers to offer support and advice about multidisciplinary management plans.
4. There is an opportunity to provide clinical supervision to psychiatry trainees (core and higher).
5. Support for emergencies during the day, including Mental Health Act assessments if required.
6. To liaise with other services and agencies as required including GPs, Social Services and other non-NHS organisations wherever applicable.
7. To undertake more complex capacity assessments and apply the Mental Capacity and Mental Health Acts appropriately.
8. To deliver pharmacological treatment in accordance with NICE guidance and STOMP/medicines optimisation.
9. To actively participate in research projects with the Trust Clinical Research Unit and be available to be a PI.
10. The post holder will be expected to contribute to the strategic development and implementation of the service line.

About us

The Trust has an excellent reputation for developing innovative clinical services including the Recovery College and SUN Project. Our Recovery College has been visited by overseas healthcare commissioners, who have gone on to develop similar services abroad in collaboration with our Trust. The Trust is also proud to have developed a range of new, progressive, public-facing services including Crisis Cafes and a Mental Health Support Line.

Job responsibilities

The Key roles and responsibilities of the post include:

1. To provide medical leadership to the team and lead on the assessment and management of adults with intellectual disabilities in the London Borough of Wandsworth referred to the team, along with other consultant colleagues.
2. To provide medical leadership and senior clinical support to the multi-disciplinary team.
3. To assess and review patients referred to the service via outpatient clinics, virtual appointments and home visits.
4. Individual and joint working with members of the MDT which include Community nurses trained in intellectual disabilities and/or mental health, psychologists, physiotherapists, dieticians, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and recovery support workers to offer support and advice about multidisciplinary management plans.
5. There is an opportunity to provide clinical supervision to psychiatry trainees (core and higher).
6. To participate in regular academic programmes.
7. Support for emergencies during the day, including Mental Health Act assessments if required.
8. To liaise with other services and agencies as required including GPs, Social Services and other non-NHS organisations wherever applicable.
9. To undertake more complex capacity assessments and apply the Mental Capacity and Mental Health Acts appropriately.
10. To deliver pharmacological treatment in accordance with NICE guidance and STOMP/medicines optimisation.
11. To actively participate in research projects with the Trust Clinical Research Unit and be available to be a PI.
12. To support managerial priorities and tasks of the Trust.
13. The post holder will be expected to contribute to the strategic development and implementation of the service line.
14. Administration, audit and training.
15. Attendance at Continuing Professional Development meetings and mandatory training events.
16. Contribute on a regular basis to the medical and clinical audit processes and Clinical Governance activities undertaken within the Trust and in line with professional regulations, taking leadership for at least one audit annually.

Person Specification Qualifications

• Primary Medical degree.
• Full GMC registration.
• MRCPsych, or equivalent.
• Included on the GMC Specialist Register for Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability or eligible for such inclusion on the Specialist Registrar within three months if completing their CCT.
• Section 12 (2) approval of the Mental Health Act.
• Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management.
• Qualifications in other Psychiatry or other specialism.
• Qualifications in change management and service development skills.
• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment.
• Included on the GMC Specialist Register OR within six months.
• Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment.
• Approved under S12 OR able to achieve with 3 months of appointment.
• In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice.

Personal Skills and Characteristics

• Ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Ability to inspire others.
• Ability to provide good clinical leadership.
• Ability to effect change.
• Ability to negotiate and collaborate with first, second and third sector organisations to identify shared agendas and meet common goals.
• Willingness to supervise junior medical staff and staff from allied disciplines.
• Willingness to take on a fair share of Trust wide duties.
• Commitment to personal, team and service development.
• Ability to work co-operatively in multi disciplinary teams.
• Ability to manage and adapt to change.
• Personal experience of mental illness.
• Personal experience of social distress.
• Evidence of helping others who have suffered physical, mental or social misfortune.
• Evidence of seeking feedback as a way of improving one's skills.

Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience

• Excellent knowledge in specialty. Completed minimum of three years full time training in approved higher psychiatric training scheme.
• Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wide medical knowledge. A detailed knowledge of main treatment approaches for mental illness in people with intellectual disabilities including psychopharmacological interventions.
• 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.
• Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA.
• Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service.
• Experience of teaching medical and non-medical staff, including those who may not have a formal qualification.

Academic Skills & Lifelong Learning

• Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training.
• Ability to work in and lead team.
• Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement.
• Participated in continuous professional development.
• Participated in research or service evaluation.
• Able to use and appraise clinical evidence.
• Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programmes.
• Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post.
• Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken.
• Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation.
• 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 to patients.

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.

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust