Consultant Psychiatrist

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

Consultant Psychiatrist in a new community preventive service for young people at clinical high risk of developing bipolar disorders

The Trust is piloting a Bipolar At Risk (BAR) component to prevent the development of the first episode of Bipolar Disorder in individuals at clinical high risk for these disorders (Outreach And Support In South-London, OASIS-BAR).

The clinical work of the service is closely integrated with a well-developed research program which comprises work on service development, health promotion, psychopathology, treatment effectiveness and clinical research; there are strong working links with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) to ensure the effective integration of research and clinical work.

Scientific management is provided by Dr. Paolo Fusar Poli, honorary consultant at OASIS and Professor of Preventive Psychiatry. Line management is provided by team leaders and lead clinicians across Lambeth.

The OASIS Bar will offer a comprehensive and fast-tracking assessment and package of preventive care to anyone meeting the criteria for a clinical high risk state for bipolar disorders. The team aim to offer holistic treatment and support to clients and carers for up to 2 years. This will initially include talking therapy, regular psychiatric reviews, and psychosocial support, but the care provision will be updated according to emerging scientific evidence.

Main duties of the job

Main duties include:

To substantially contribute to service developments by optimising clinical policies, protocols and implementing quality improvement projects.
To provide enthusiastic, and flexible, joint senior leadership and consultant input into the OASIS-BAR (Lambeth), alongside the team lead, scientific coordinator and Directorates leads.
To conduct the clinical assessment to detect subjects at clinical high risk for bipolar disorder using the OASIS-BAR psychometric instrument "Semistructured Interview for Bipolar At Risk States" (SIBARS).
To communicate clinical formulation of the psychometric assessment to clients with mental health needs.
To take consultant responsibility for patients under the care of the OASIS-BAR, acting as Approved Clinician and assessing or supervising assessment and management of patients and devising or helping to devise appropriate treatment plans and medication regimes, providing prompt medical response, and advising and working closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team
To select and deliver evidence-based specialist preventive treatments in collaboration with the scientific coordinator, monitoring outcomes and modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical options.
To be involved in on-going research projects, with strong links to the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College of London.

About us

The OASIS-BAR team is part of the South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust (SLaM). It is a service working across the borough of Lambeth. The OASIS-BAR liaises closely with borough-specific SLaM services, including early intervention in psychosis (EIP) services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS) including national and specialist tier 4 services, adult mental health services, including short term support (STS) and focused support teams (FST), Mood, Anxiety and Personality teams (MAP), GP services and IAPTs (primary care psychology). Inequalities in mental health support are recognised as a real challenge Lambeth (in South East London in general) where both common mental illnesses and severe mental disorders are high in prevalence. Severe mental disorders such as Bipolar Disorders disproportionately affect residents in Lambeth from Black ethnic groups. Black and white residents are equally likely to ask for help themselves.

Date posted

15 May 2023

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

Depending on experience £88,364 - £119,133 per annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

334-LAM-5290933-JA

Job locations

South London and The Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

London

SE1 7QP

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical need

The OASIS-BAR service aims to provide evidence-based assessments and interventions to those living across Lambeth, who are identified as being at clinical high risk of developing bipolar disorder.

We offer an open-referral system whereby anyone can refer to us, including self-referrals, in order to increase accessibility to our service.

OASIS-BAR has a close interface with CAMHS services and will co-work with services as Lambeth CAMHS if required. Service users under the OASIS-BAR teams are not subject to CPA, however they all have an allocated key-worker. All service users can access a psychologist within the team and have medical or medication reviews as required. All service users are offered the opportunity to take part in research. There are usually a number of research projects that are being carried out due to the strong links the OASIS-BAR team has with the IoPPN.

Communications and working relationships

Daily

Team manager and other team members

Weekly

OASIS-BAR weekly multidisciplinary team meeting remotely or in person (Lambeth)
OASIS-BAR weekly meeting with the scientific coordinator
Senior colleagues in the Directorates
Outreach meetings with local agencies

Monthly

OASIS4-borough teams meeting
Community Medical Lead for monthly 1:1 session suggested for newly qualified/early career consultants
Consultant colleagues and some of the Lambeth senior leadership team at monthly Medical Advisory Committee (MAC)
Community consultant colleagues in the monthly huddle
Team Leaders, and Clinical Service Leads for other Lambeth services at monthly Directorate leadership meeting

Ad hoc

Trust-wide consultants via quarterly CPD events
Primary care colleagues
Local Commissioners
Other third sector providers, community organisations as needed

Therapeutic interventions

The OASIS-BAR will employ a comprehensive psychometric assessment of a clinical high risk state for bipolar disorders using a validated assessment tool: the Semistructured Interview for Bipolar At Risk States (SIBARS). The SIBARS assessments will be complemented by other psychometric tools to ascertain a state of clinical high risk for Bipolar Disorders. If a person is identified as being at a clinical high risk state for bipolar disorders, OASIS-BAR provides a two-year package of care, which will include;

Psychological therapies
Medical reviews
Personalised preventive interventions (psychoeducation, sleep hygiene, identification and monitoring of risk and resilience factors)
Additional support (family intervention work, key-worker support, carer support and other psycho-social interventions)
Prompt referral to local community mental health teams in case bipolar disorders will develop

The objectives of the OASIS-BAR team are to:

Ameliorate the presenting bipolar at risk symptoms, functional impairments and functional disability of help-seeking people at risk of developing bipolar disorders.
Prevent the first onset of bipolar disorder in individuals at clinical high risk.
Reduce the duration of untreated mania in individuals at clinical high risk who will later transit to bipolar disorder despite the preventive interventions
Implement public-health outreach for good mental health promotion and prevention of affective disorders that can benefit the local community, particularly in disadvantaged subgroups.

Advice and signposting are offered by the team to referrers/carers/self-referrals if a clinical high risk state for bipolar is not met. OASIS-BAR will also provide an extensive outreach program to statutory organisations, including health services, GPs and social care providers, to educate about who might be at risk of developing bipolar disorders, how to identify these young people, and how to refer to the service. OASIS-BAR will also provide an extensive community engagement program to non-statutory health services such as faith groups, colleges, universities, members of the public and other voluntary sector providers. This aims to raise awareness and increase understanding about mental health in order to reduce stigma and encourage young people to seek help as early as possible.

Staffing

The OASIS-BAR is a multi-disciplinary team comprised of a team leader, an honorary assistant psychologist, keyworkers, a psychologist, a senior psychologist, and a part-time consultant psychiatrist (this post). The staff may be recruited to work across adult and children and adolescent directorates, in line with the transitional nature of the OASIS-BAR. As for the consultant sessions, the successful applicant will work with two other consultants: Dr Paolo Fusi-Poli (OASIS Lambeth) and Dr Andrea Mechelli (OASIS Lewisham). This post has been set up as a strategic role of integrating the new OASIS-BAR in the Trust

Location of postOASIS Lambethis based at 190 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5DL. The nearest tube station is Kennington (Northern line); the nearest overground stations are Vauxhall and Elephant & Castle. There isa number of buses from Waterloo, Elephant & Castle, Vauxhall and Brixton. There are London cycle hire stations nearby.

Clinical duties of post holder

The main duties include:

To substantially contribute to service developments by optimising clinical policies, protocols and implementing quality improvement projects.
To provide enthusiastic, and flexible, joint senior leadership and consultant input into the OASIS-BAR (Lambeth), alongside the team lead, scientific coordinator and Directorates leads.
To conduct the clinical assessment to detect subjects at clinical high risk for bipolar disorder using the OASIS-BAR psychometric instrument Semistructured Interview for Bipolar At Risk States (SIBARS).
To communicate clinical formulation of the psychometric assessment to clients with mental health needs. To appropriately signpost/refer onward those individuals who do not meet the threshold for OASIS service but present with other mental health needs or those who are above the threshold and would need the care of Early Intervention Care Pathway for bipolar disorders.
To take consultant responsibility for patients under the care of the OASIS-BAR, acting as Approved Clinician and assessing or supervising assessment and management of patients and devising or helping to devise appropriate treatment plans and medication regimes, providing prompt medical response, and advising and working closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team
To offer expert risk assessment and management skills in complex care of people at clinical high risk of developing bipolar disorders
To select and deliver evidence-based specialist preventive treatments in collaboration with the scientific coordinator, monitoring outcomes and modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical options.
To act as a source of support, advice and information to current or prospective patients
To establish and maintain communications and working relationships with first episode and prevention of bipolar teams, community mental health teams, in particular those engaged with affective disorders, children and adolescent mental health services.
To provide medical review, monitor risk, complete MHA assessments, and ensure assertive clinical monitoring and pharmacological treatment for OASIS-BAR clients, as applicable.
To participate in training activities relating to prevention of bipolar disorder and continuous professional development
To be involved in on-going research projects, with strong links to the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Kings College of London.
To engage in outreach activities and optimse efficient communications and working relationships with team leaders, clients and families and other referring agencies. To liaise closely with other services in the borough that may work with young people, including children and adolescent mental health teams, primary care, community mental health services and 3rdsector organisations. Part of this role will be to consolidate existing links and outreach campaigns and to form new links with services in the borough in order to raise awareness of the early warning signs of bipolar disorder and to ensure referrals are made to OASIS at the earliest opportunity, to comply with waiting time standards set by the NHS England and Department of Health.
To participate in ongoing training activities relating to detection and prevention of bipolar and continuous professional development
To take part in interdisciplinary educational activities within the team, inpatient services, Directorate and Trust.
To work flexibly with other teams at SLaM and other mental trusts, and with the voluntary sector, to ensure good coordination of care

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical need

The OASIS-BAR service aims to provide evidence-based assessments and interventions to those living across Lambeth, who are identified as being at clinical high risk of developing bipolar disorder.

We offer an open-referral system whereby anyone can refer to us, including self-referrals, in order to increase accessibility to our service.

Communications and working relationships

Daily

Team manager and other team members

Weekly

OASIS-BAR weekly multidisciplinary team meeting remotely or in person (Lambeth)
OASIS-BAR weekly meeting with the scientific coordinator
Senior colleagues in the Directorates
Outreach meetings with local agencies

Monthly

OASIS4-borough teams meeting
Community Medical Lead for monthly 1:1 session suggested for newly qualified/early career consultants
Consultant colleagues and some of the Lambeth senior leadership team at monthly Medical Advisory Committee (MAC)
Community consultant colleagues in the monthly huddle
Team Leaders, and Clinical Service Leads for other Lambeth services at monthly Directorate leadership meeting

Ad hoc

Trust-wide consultants via quarterly CPD events
Primary care colleagues
Local Commissioners
Other third sector providers, community organisations as needed

Therapeutic interventions

Psychological therapies
Medical reviews
Personalised preventive interventions (psychoeducation, sleep hygiene, identification and monitoring of risk and resilience factors)
Additional support (family intervention work, key-worker support, carer support and other psycho-social interventions)
Prompt referral to local community mental health teams in case bipolar disorders will develop

The objectives of the OASIS-BAR team are to:

Ameliorate the presenting bipolar at risk symptoms, functional impairments and functional disability of help-seeking people at risk of developing bipolar disorders.
Prevent the first onset of bipolar disorder in individuals at clinical high risk.
Reduce the duration of untreated mania in individuals at clinical high risk who will later transit to bipolar disorder despite the preventive interventions
Implement public-health outreach for good mental health promotion and prevention of affective disorders that can benefit the local community, particularly in disadvantaged subgroups.

Staffing

Clinical duties of post holder

The main duties include:

To substantially contribute to service developments by optimising clinical policies, protocols and implementing quality improvement projects.
To provide enthusiastic, and flexible, joint senior leadership and consultant input into the OASIS-BAR (Lambeth), alongside the team lead, scientific coordinator and Directorates leads.
To conduct the clinical assessment to detect subjects at clinical high risk for bipolar disorder using the OASIS-BAR psychometric instrument Semistructured Interview for Bipolar At Risk States (SIBARS).
To communicate clinical formulation of the psychometric assessment to clients with mental health needs. To appropriately signpost/refer onward those individuals who do not meet the threshold for OASIS service but present with other mental health needs or those who are above the threshold and would need the care of Early Intervention Care Pathway for bipolar disorders.
To take consultant responsibility for patients under the care of the OASIS-BAR, acting as Approved Clinician and assessing or supervising assessment and management of patients and devising or helping to devise appropriate treatment plans and medication regimes, providing prompt medical response, and advising and working closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team
To offer expert risk assessment and management skills in complex care of people at clinical high risk of developing bipolar disorders
To select and deliver evidence-based specialist preventive treatments in collaboration with the scientific coordinator, monitoring outcomes and modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical options.
To act as a source of support, advice and information to current or prospective patients
To establish and maintain communications and working relationships with first episode and prevention of bipolar teams, community mental health teams, in particular those engaged with affective disorders, children and adolescent mental health services.
To provide medical review, monitor risk, complete MHA assessments, and ensure assertive clinical monitoring and pharmacological treatment for OASIS-BAR clients, as applicable.
To participate in training activities relating to prevention of bipolar disorder and continuous professional development
To be involved in on-going research projects, with strong links to the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), Kings College of London.
To engage in outreach activities and optimse efficient communications and working relationships with team leaders, clients and families and other referring agencies. To liaise closely with other services in the borough that may work with young people, including children and adolescent mental health teams, primary care, community mental health services and 3rdsector organisations. Part of this role will be to consolidate existing links and outreach campaigns and to form new links with services in the borough in order to raise awareness of the early warning signs of bipolar disorder and to ensure referrals are made to OASIS at the earliest opportunity, to comply with waiting time standards set by the NHS England and Department of Health.
To participate in ongoing training activities relating to detection and prevention of bipolar and continuous professional development
To take part in interdisciplinary educational activities within the team, inpatient services, Directorate and Trust.
To work flexibly with other teams at SLaM and other mental trusts, and with the voluntary sector, to ensure good coordination of care

Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

MB BS or equivalent medical qualification

Desirable

Membership or Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists or equivalent. Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management

ELIGIBILITY

Essential

Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment. Evidence for inclusion in the Specialist Register or within six months of gaining CCT in General Adult Psychiatry or equivalent. Section 12(2) approved or eligibility for approval. Approved Clinician status or able to achieve within three months of appointment

CLINICAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Essential

Wide-ranging knowledge and clinical expertise in early detection or intervention in mental health, including assessment, multidisciplinary treatment and management of patients with early detection or intervention service/teams in particular with respect to bipolar disorders
Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology of emerging mental disorders and evidence-base for the relevant treatment. Significant experience in risk assessment and management including positive risk taking. Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others. Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA

Desirable

Experience of range of specialist and sub-specialist areas relevant to post within NHS or comparable service. Ability to conduct a detailed psychopathological assessment of people at clinical high risk for mental disorders. Evidence of sensitivity to issues of equality and diversity

ACADEMIC SKILLS & LIFELONG LEARNING

Essential

Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement. Participated in continuous professional development. Able to use and appraise clinical evidence. Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programmes

Desirable

Experience of teaching a multidisciplinary team. Experience in clinical research and / or service evaluation. Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications. Has led quality improvement projects leading to service change or improved outcomes for patients. Experience of multi-agency collaboration

APTITUDE AND PERSONAL QUALITIES

Essential

Ability to deal effectively with pressure. Ability to manage own time, workload and prioritise clinical work. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively. Excellent skills as a team player, working collaboratively and effectively with others in a multidisciplinary team and the wider Trust and community. Reliability and honesty. Flexible approach to working practice. Positive approach to the job planning and appraisal process. Ability to appraise own performance.

Desirable

Experience of multi-agency collaboration

Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

MB BS or equivalent medical qualification

Desirable

Membership or Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists or equivalent. Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management

ELIGIBILITY

Essential

Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment. Evidence for inclusion in the Specialist Register or within six months of gaining CCT in General Adult Psychiatry or equivalent. Section 12(2) approved or eligibility for approval. Approved Clinician status or able to achieve within three months of appointment

CLINICAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Essential

Wide-ranging knowledge and clinical expertise in early detection or intervention in mental health, including assessment, multidisciplinary treatment and management of patients with early detection or intervention service/teams in particular with respect to bipolar disorders
Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology of emerging mental disorders and evidence-base for the relevant treatment. Significant experience in risk assessment and management including positive risk taking. Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others. Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA

Desirable

Experience of range of specialist and sub-specialist areas relevant to post within NHS or comparable service. Ability to conduct a detailed psychopathological assessment of people at clinical high risk for mental disorders. Evidence of sensitivity to issues of equality and diversity

ACADEMIC SKILLS & LIFELONG LEARNING

Essential

Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement. Participated in continuous professional development. Able to use and appraise clinical evidence. Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programmes

Desirable

Experience of teaching a multidisciplinary team. Experience in clinical research and / or service evaluation. Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications. Has led quality improvement projects leading to service change or improved outcomes for patients. Experience of multi-agency collaboration

APTITUDE AND PERSONAL QUALITIES

Essential

Ability to deal effectively with pressure. Ability to manage own time, workload and prioritise clinical work. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively. Excellent skills as a team player, working collaboratively and effectively with others in a multidisciplinary team and the wider Trust and community. Reliability and honesty. Flexible approach to working practice. Positive approach to the job planning and appraisal process. Ability to appraise own performance.

Desirable

Experience of multi-agency collaboration

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).