Job summary

Would you like to be part of something Outstanding?

We are seeking a Locum Consultant Psychiatrist, Primary Care Liaison for a fixed term 12 month appointment working 5 Programmed Activities per week.

This is a hugely exciting time for the Trust having recently achieved an OUTSTANDING CQC RATING and being one of just five mental health and learning disabilities NHS trusts in England to hold an outstanding rating.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will provide specialist consultative liaison to Primary Care based staff for advice and guidance (GPs and Primary Care Mental Health Service) for the primary care networks in the North West of Hertfordshire. Where necessary a service user may be seen by the primary care liaison psychiatrist for one-off mental health diagnostic assessment and/ or medication management. Psychiatric consultation slots will be made available for GPs and primary care mental health practitioners for clinical discussion. The psychiatrist and primary care mental health practitioners will agree on the local process to support the booking of slots for primary care consultation with a psychiatrist where required.

The GP continues to hold overall clinical governance responsibility for patients seen by primary care mental health staff including psychiatrists in primary care. When an HPFT prescriber has made prescribing recommendations to primary care, the GP retains clinical responsibility to consider the recommendations for further action in primary care.

About us

Here's what we have to offer you

Mentoring support for new Consultants
Dedicated support to help become a future NHS Leader
Access to Leadership, Teaching, Education and Research opportunities
A strong ethos on Learning and Development
Access to a state-of-the-art Simulation Training Facility including opportunities to join the Multidisciplinary Simulation Faculty
Access to a large peer group of enthusiastic and high-calibre Consultants
Study leave of 30 days over 3 years
Study leave budget of £800 per person per annum
Innovative patient electronic record system (PARIS)/ Admin and IT equipment/ software to improve work experience (4G enabled laptops provided upon starting)
Flexible working
Excellent staff benefits
Health and wellbeing support
Flexible APAs to seek development opportunities in service development/ management / Simulation Training /working with Community Transformation Projects
Dedicated SPA time in Job Plan
Generous relocation package up to £7.5K (subject to terms & conditions)

Our Health Hub helps improve staff health and wellbeing across the Trust - encouraging staff to step away from their work and think about their own health. This includes:

Workshops, challenges and social events throughout the year
Confidential and safe forums where staff can talk about the emotional impact of work
An equality and diversity staff network providing support to all staff
Mindfulness bite size taster session
Mini health check
Free, confidential counselling services 24/7

Date posted

22 April 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£105,504 to £139,882 a year Per annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

367-HPFT-MEDICAL-400-R

Job locations

Waverley Road, St Albans

99 Waverley Road

St Albans, Hertfordshire

AL3 5TL

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Post-holder will ensure clinical outcomes are clearly shared with the GP via primary care Electronic Clinical Record (ECR) e.g., SystmOne/ EMIS, subject to Information Governance arrangements supporting this access.

The post-holder will ensure a letter is generated within the primary care electronic record, this can be emailed to HPFT single point of access which will save it as additional information to Paris. Consultation in primary care can be sent as a letter to Specialist Mental Health Service or primary care mental health services. This may utilise HPFT primary care administrative support where available.

The post-holder will provide additional support to the primary and specialist care Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDT) regarding diagnoses, risk formulation and medications. This will include support to integrated multi-disciplinary or multi system team meetings for mental health case discussion in primary care networks. GPs in the PCN can refer Adults with moderate to severe mental ill health or stable severe mental illness with low risk to self and others.

Primary Care Mental Health practitioners may discuss patients in the lower (17-18 yrs old) and upper age range (over 65 yrs old) with the post-holder who may offer outpatient appointment, but this will be on case-by-case basis. The service user must be aware of the referral and in agreement with it.

Based on need, current presentation, and risk, they may be referred on to different community health services, suchas secondary community mental health services, CRHTT (Crisis Team), SPA, and First Response Service.

People are not eligible to access this service if they are at acute risk to self or others; or they meet the threshold for the crisis team; if they are already receiving care from secondary mental health services (unless for supported discharge to community); if they suffer from a first episode of psychosis; if they take medication that requires a shared care protocol such as Clozapine or Lithium.

You must ensure the relevant professional registration is maintained, including Section 12, Approved Clinician, and Responsible Clinician status.

General Duties include, but not exclusive to;

To undertake the administrative duties associated with the care of patients.
To record clinical activity accurately and comprehensively and submit this promptly to the Information Department.
To participate in service and business planning activity for the PCN and, as appropriate, for the whole mental health service.
To participate in annual appraisal for consultants.
To attend and participate in the academic programme of the Trust, including lectures and seminars as part of the internal CPD programme.
To maintain professional registration with the General Medical Council, Mental Health Act Section 12(2) approval, and to abide by professional codes of conduct.
To participate annually in a job plan review with the clinical manager, which will include consultation with a relevant manager to ensure that the post is developed to take into account changes in service configuration and delivery associated with modernisation.
To work with local managers and professional colleagues in ensuring the efficient running of services and share with consultant colleagues in the medical contribution to management.
To comply with the Trusts agreed policies, procedures, standing orders and financial instructions, and to take an active role in the financial management of the service and support the medical director and other managers in preparing plans for services.

Job description

Job responsibilities

You must ensure the relevant professional registration is maintained, including Section 12, Approved Clinician, and Responsible Clinician status.

General Duties include, but not exclusive to;

To undertake the administrative duties associated with the care of patients.
To record clinical activity accurately and comprehensively and submit this promptly to the Information Department.
To participate in service and business planning activity for the PCN and, as appropriate, for the whole mental health service.
To participate in annual appraisal for consultants.
To attend and participate in the academic programme of the Trust, including lectures and seminars as part of the internal CPD programme.
To maintain professional registration with the General Medical Council, Mental Health Act Section 12(2) approval, and to abide by professional codes of conduct.
To participate annually in a job plan review with the clinical manager, which will include consultation with a relevant manager to ensure that the post is developed to take into account changes in service configuration and delivery associated with modernisation.
To work with local managers and professional colleagues in ensuring the efficient running of services and share with consultant colleagues in the medical contribution to management.
To comply with the Trusts agreed policies, procedures, standing orders and financial instructions, and to take an active role in the financial management of the service and support the medical director and other managers in preparing plans for services.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

MB BS or equivalent medical qualification
MRCPsych OR MRCPsych equivalent approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists; candidates may achieve registration into GMC specialist register through CESR

Desirable

Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management
Additional clinical qualifications

Eligibility

Essential

Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment
Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment
Approved under S12 OR able to achieve with 3 months of appointment

Desirable

In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice

Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential

Excellent knowledge in specialty
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

Desirable

Wide range of specialist and subspecialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service

Training and Education

Essential

Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training
Participated in continuous professional development
Participated in research or service evaluation
Able to use and appraise clinical evidence
Has actively participated in clinical audit

Desirable

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

Transport

Essential

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

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

MB BS or equivalent medical qualification
MRCPsych OR MRCPsych equivalent approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists; candidates may achieve registration into GMC specialist register through CESR

Desirable

Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management
Additional clinical qualifications

Eligibility

Essential

Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment
Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment
Approved under S12 OR able to achieve with 3 months of appointment

Desirable

In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice

Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential

Excellent knowledge in specialty
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

Desirable

Wide range of specialist and subspecialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service

Training and Education

Essential

Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training
Participated in continuous professional development
Participated in research or service evaluation
Able to use and appraise clinical evidence
Has actively participated in clinical audit

Desirable

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

Transport

Essential

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

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

Certificate of Sponsorship

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Waverley Road, St Albans

99 Waverley Road

St Albans, Hertfordshire

AL3 5TL

Employer's website

https://www.hpft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Waverley Road, St Albans

99 Waverley Road

St Albans, Hertfordshire

AL3 5TL

Employer's website

https://www.hpft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)

Hertfordshire Partnership Foundation Trust

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Locum Consultant Psychiatrist - Primary Care Liaison (St Albans)