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We are seeking a Consultant Psychiatrist in Perinatal Psychiatry to join a countywide Perinatal Mental Health Service in the South West.
This 0.8 WTE, 14-month fixed-term post is being offered to provide maternity leave cover. The successful candidate will work alongside an established Specialist Doctor and a highly skilled multidisciplinary team providing specialist perinatal mental health care across the region.
The role combines face-to-face and remote working, with the post holder required to travel to different locations across the county. The post has no inpatient responsibilities, with regional Mother and Baby Unit provision available for women requiring admission.

Main Duties of the Job

The successful candidate will:

• Provide specialist assessment, diagnosis and treatment for women experiencing severe perinatal mental illness.
• Deliver direct perinatal interventions through outpatient clinics and home visits where required.
• Conduct clinical assessments through face-to-face and remote consultations.
• Act as Named Consultant for women who are open to and being managed by the Perinatal Mental Health Team.
• Act as Responsible Clinician for patients subject to Community Treatment Orders and, where appropriate, extended Section 17 leave.
• Undertake Mental Health Act assessments as a Section 12 approved doctor.
• Attend and contribute to the weekly Perinatal Mental Health Team meeting.
• Participate in complex case discussions, professional meetings and safeguarding meetings.
• Work closely with community mental health teams, obstetric, midwifery and health visiting colleagues.
• Provide consultation, case discussion and specialist advice to team members and partner agencies.
• Contribute to joint psychiatric and antenatal clinics.
• Provide visible and effective clinical leadership within the Perinatal Mental Health Service.
• Work collaboratively with Mother and Baby Unit colleagues to support smooth transitions for patients admitted to and discharged from inpatient care.
• Contribute to the development of community mental health services in line with best practice and national standards.
• Participate in medical audit, clinical governance and service performance monitoring.
• Contribute to quality improvement and service development initiatives.

Clinical Service

The Perinatal Mental Health Service receives approximately 80 referrals per month from GPs, community mental health services, Home Treatment Teams, inpatient services and maternity services.
The service provides care through outpatient assessments, follow-up appointments, multidisciplinary working, and home visits. Where possible, we hold face-to-face appointments close to patients' homes.
The clinical ethos focuses on providing holistic, family-oriented and patient-centred care for women with severe mental illness, with an emphasis on reducing maternal and infant distress, reducing the risk of maternal self-harm and suicide, improving infant and child mental health, and reducing hospital admissions.

Education, Training & Professional Development

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the education and supervision of doctors in training and other postgraduate staff.
Opportunities are available to participate in:

• Postgraduate medical education.
• MDT teaching.
• Speciality Doctor supervision.
• Teaching and training of doctors.
• Continuing Professional Development.
• Peer supervision and case-based discussion.
• Annual appraisal and job planning.

The service also supports study leave and CPD in line with GMC and Royal College requirements.

Research, Audit & Governance

The post holder will be expected to:

• Participate in medical audit, including audit of their own clinical practice.
• Attend relevant medical audit meetings.
• Contribute to service performance monitoring and evaluation.
• Participate in clinical governance and quality improvement.
• Support research and development activity where appropriate.
• Maintain professional standards and participate in annual appraisal and revalidation.

Person Specification

Essential Requirements

Applicants must have:

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification.
• Full GMC registration with a licence to practise.
• Entry on the GMC Specialist Register, eligibility for entry, or CCT within six months of interview, or CESR.
• Mental Health Act Approved Clinician / Section 12 approval.
• Evidence of competencies required to fulfil the role of a consultant in community psychiatry.
• MRCPsych passed.
• Accreditation for the training of junior doctors.
• At least three years of supervised training in an appropriate ST4–6 equivalent programme.
• Previous experience working at consultant level.
• Front-line psychiatry experience in adult mental health services, ideally including community psychiatry.
• Experience assessing and managing ADHD.
• Ability to work effectively without direct supervision where appropriate.
• Strong analytical and clinical decision-making skills.
• Ability to lead and develop services.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships within multidisciplinary teams.
• Understanding of clinical governance and the NHS modernisation agenda.
• Knowledge of research principles.
• A driving licence or ability to travel between sites.

Desirable Requirements

• Higher academic qualification such as MD, PhD or equivalent.
• Evidence of involvement in a research project within the last two years.
• Experience of teaching medical students, doctors in training and multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to present effectively using a variety of teaching methods.
• General management training or experience in leadership, recruitment, planning, change management and appraisal.
• Evidence of contributing to the strategic direction of services.

Apply now