Job summary
Applications are invited for a Clinical Fellow post available for 12 months from 1st February 2023 within the Interventional Psychiatry Service based at the Warneford Hospital Oxford.
This is a unique opportunity to gain experience in using rapidly acting antidepressants, especially ketamine, associated group psychotherapy, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). The Oxford IPS ketamine clinic has treated over 300 patients with over 3000 IV and 9000 oral doses of ketamine and has a full programme of NHS and self-pay clinics. These are supported by three psychotherapy groups (Preparation, Integration and relational) run by fellows.Applicants should have completed appropriate training to apply for a Clinical Fellow (ST 3-6 level) post. Time and support for external training may be available. The successful applicant will work with a Consultant led multi-disciplinary team, covering a ketamine TMS and ECT clinics.This post does not have educational approval from the Postgraduate Dean and will not be recognised for training. It does not attract out of hours supplement.
Applications for fulltime or less than fulltime post are welcome
Main duties of the job
Duties are shared with another full time fellow and the team consultant and include:
- Assessment and review of patients wishing to have ketamine treatment or TMS
- Administration of ketamine and TMT
- Teaching, supervising and covering ECT
- Facilitating ketamine preparation, integration and relational dynamic psychotherapy groups
- Working as a sub-investigator on clinical studies
- Participation in journal club and other educational events
- Service development tailored to interest of post holder
Oxford Health provides a comprehensive range of mental health services to the populations of Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, and a number of Child & Adolescent and specialised services (e.g. Forensic, Eating Disorders) to adjacent counties and beyond.It also provides community services to the people of Oxfordshire. Section 75 agreements are in place with both County Councils, so that social workers are managed within the Trust's multidisciplinary mental health teams. The Trust was created in April 2011 by the Merger of Community Health Oxfordshire CHO and the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.
About us
The Trust headquarters is at Littlemore Hospital, Oxford. The Trust's Chief Executive is Dr Nick Broughton, and Dr Karl Marlowe is Medical Director. The post holder will be professionally accountable to the Medical Director and the Associate Medical Director (Adult) for such matters as professional conduct and revalidation. Day to day performance, operations and management of the division, of which the post holder will be part, are led by the Clinical Director, Dr Rob Bale.
The Trust's Clinical Directors and senior general managers have participated in an Integrated Leadership Development Programme which is designed to support the key competences required for effective leadership of clinical services. .
The Director of Medical Education is Dr Alastair Reid.
Benefits of working for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust include:
- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, with an increase to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Staff accommodation
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
Job description
Job responsibilities
Providing medical support for patients receiving ketamine, related antidepressants or rTMS. This includes:
- Explaining treatment to patients and supporters
- Advising on treatment protocols (ie doses, routes, stimulation parameters)
- Prescribing
- Administering treatment, including cannulating and setting up IV infusions, showing patients how to administer intranasal drug, setting up rTMS protocols
- Assessment of treatment response
- Participation in early morning session TMS supervision rota (usually once weekly at 7am with time off in lieu)
- Participation in a joint Trust University TRD clinic (in set-up phase)
- This includes developing experience in more advanced psychopharmacolog
Providing a one-stop shop for patients who are referred for ECT to the IPS. This may include:
- Supervising and training junior trainees in administration of ECT (ECT sessions generally start at 8.30am but is at 8am if in the John Radcliffe or Churchill Hospital theatres)
- Communicating with referring wards and CMHT teams, and GPs
- Liaison with anaesthetists about suitability for ECT at Warneford or theatres
- Physical and cognitive investigations
- Capacity assessment and consent
- Explaining treatment to patients and relatives
- Reviewing progress of patients receiving ECT, including cognitive assessment
- Making suggestions about, and prescribing ECT treatment
- Very occasionally (0-2 per year) giving consideration to providing cover for an extra ECT session on Sundays if a patient with catatonia requires this (Optional).
Assisting in the development of psychotherapeutic services as adjunctive treatment to that offered by the IPS which may include, but not necessarily limited to:
- Preparation and Integration sessions for acute ketamine courses
- Co-therapist in an open, dynamic, relational therapy group for patients who are receiving maintenance ketamine treatment (Optional. Happens Thursday evenings Timetabling of time off in lieu flexible).
- A post-ECT CBT group in planning stage
Working as a sub-investigator on industry- or publicly sponsored clinical studies of new antidepressants. This may include:
- Trials conducted in the IPS suite, the Clinical Research Facility at the Warneford, or at the Whiteleaf Centre in Aylesbury.
- Protocol driven activity that requires medical input such as
- taking consent
- physical exam
- venepuncture and cannulation (with training)
- placing EEG electrodes
- centrifuging samples (with training)
- assessment using rating scales (with training)
- assessing inclusion and exclusion criteria for study enrolment
- managing the physical and psychiatric care of participants when required
- making referrals to appropriate agencies if required
- Data recording as required under GCP
- recording activity where necessary in the patient electronic health record (EHR)
- Providing timely correspondence to GPs and other professionals when required.
- Contributing towards Clinical Research Facility meetings
- SOP development and managemen
Contributing to future development plans by participating, within competencies as expanded by appropriate training, in:
- Expansion of rTMS Service.
- Expansion of adjunctive psychotherapies (eg a post ECT, online, multi-Trust CBT group)
- Development of any innovative services which may emerge eg TCDS, MDMA, psilocybin
- With other members of the IPS team, the post holder will provide daytime medical cover to the ketamine and rTMS services to the level of Immediate Life Support (training provided)
- This post does not carry on-call responsibilities. Locum weekend or evening cover for other psychiatric services is sometimes available
Please note:
- New starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale.
- Candidates not currently employed by the Trust who attend an interview for non-qualified Band 1-5 posts are required to undertake numeracy and literacy assessments.
- Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study. Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.
- Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
- We positively encourage applications from all areas of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age or sexual orientation and we encourage applications from users of mental health services. This is part of our commitment to equality and reflecting the diversity of our population.
- Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Providing medical support for patients receiving ketamine, related antidepressants or rTMS. This includes:
- Explaining treatment to patients and supporters
- Advising on treatment protocols (ie doses, routes, stimulation parameters)
- Prescribing
- Administering treatment, including cannulating and setting up IV infusions, showing patients how to administer intranasal drug, setting up rTMS protocols
- Assessment of treatment response
- Participation in early morning session TMS supervision rota (usually once weekly at 7am with time off in lieu)
- Participation in a joint Trust University TRD clinic (in set-up phase)
- This includes developing experience in more advanced psychopharmacolog
Providing a one-stop shop for patients who are referred for ECT to the IPS. This may include:
- Supervising and training junior trainees in administration of ECT (ECT sessions generally start at 8.30am but is at 8am if in the John Radcliffe or Churchill Hospital theatres)
- Communicating with referring wards and CMHT teams, and GPs
- Liaison with anaesthetists about suitability for ECT at Warneford or theatres
- Physical and cognitive investigations
- Capacity assessment and consent
- Explaining treatment to patients and relatives
- Reviewing progress of patients receiving ECT, including cognitive assessment
- Making suggestions about, and prescribing ECT treatment
- Very occasionally (0-2 per year) giving consideration to providing cover for an extra ECT session on Sundays if a patient with catatonia requires this (Optional).
Assisting in the development of psychotherapeutic services as adjunctive treatment to that offered by the IPS which may include, but not necessarily limited to:
- Preparation and Integration sessions for acute ketamine courses
- Co-therapist in an open, dynamic, relational therapy group for patients who are receiving maintenance ketamine treatment (Optional. Happens Thursday evenings Timetabling of time off in lieu flexible).
- A post-ECT CBT group in planning stage
Working as a sub-investigator on industry- or publicly sponsored clinical studies of new antidepressants. This may include:
- Trials conducted in the IPS suite, the Clinical Research Facility at the Warneford, or at the Whiteleaf Centre in Aylesbury.
- Protocol driven activity that requires medical input such as
- taking consent
- physical exam
- venepuncture and cannulation (with training)
- placing EEG electrodes
- centrifuging samples (with training)
- assessment using rating scales (with training)
- assessing inclusion and exclusion criteria for study enrolment
- managing the physical and psychiatric care of participants when required
- making referrals to appropriate agencies if required
- Data recording as required under GCP
- recording activity where necessary in the patient electronic health record (EHR)
- Providing timely correspondence to GPs and other professionals when required.
- Contributing towards Clinical Research Facility meetings
- SOP development and managemen
Contributing to future development plans by participating, within competencies as expanded by appropriate training, in:
- Expansion of rTMS Service.
- Expansion of adjunctive psychotherapies (eg a post ECT, online, multi-Trust CBT group)
- Development of any innovative services which may emerge eg TCDS, MDMA, psilocybin
- With other members of the IPS team, the post holder will provide daytime medical cover to the ketamine and rTMS services to the level of Immediate Life Support (training provided)
- This post does not carry on-call responsibilities. Locum weekend or evening cover for other psychiatric services is sometimes available
Please note:
- New starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale.
- Candidates not currently employed by the Trust who attend an interview for non-qualified Band 1-5 posts are required to undertake numeracy and literacy assessments.
- Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study. Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.
- Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
- We positively encourage applications from all areas of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age or sexual orientation and we encourage applications from users of mental health services. This is part of our commitment to equality and reflecting the diversity of our population.
- Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- General medical qualification
- Shall have completed at least four years' full-time Postgraduate training (or its equivalent gained on a part-time or flexible basis) at least two of which will be in a specialty training programme in a relevant specialty or as a fixed term specialty trainee in a relevant specialty or shall have equivalent experience and competencies.
Desirable
- Some or all parts of MRCPsych or equivalent
- Up to date Good Clinical Practice (research)
Experience
Essential
- Experience of managing serious psychiatric illness. Experience of assessing suicide risk.
Desirable
- Experience of delivering ECT treatment
Skills
Essential
- Ability to work through a collaborative multi-disciplinary framework.
- Ability to contribute to effective team working. Capacity to prioritise workload.
- Must have good skills in communication with patients, relatives, colleagues and staff of other organisations. Good spoken and written English.
Desirable
- Experience in delivering clinical research. Publications in scientific journals Experience of delivering group psychotherapy
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- General medical qualification
- Shall have completed at least four years' full-time Postgraduate training (or its equivalent gained on a part-time or flexible basis) at least two of which will be in a specialty training programme in a relevant specialty or as a fixed term specialty trainee in a relevant specialty or shall have equivalent experience and competencies.
Desirable
- Some or all parts of MRCPsych or equivalent
- Up to date Good Clinical Practice (research)
Experience
Essential
- Experience of managing serious psychiatric illness. Experience of assessing suicide risk.
Desirable
- Experience of delivering ECT treatment
Skills
Essential
- Ability to work through a collaborative multi-disciplinary framework.
- Ability to contribute to effective team working. Capacity to prioritise workload.
- Must have good skills in communication with patients, relatives, colleagues and staff of other organisations. Good spoken and written English.
Desirable
- Experience in delivering clinical research. Publications in scientific journals Experience of delivering group psychotherapy
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.
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
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.
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).
