Advertised role location: Downshire Hospital, Downpatrick
Official document: 55987173 - JD Locum Consultant Psychiatrist ID DPK Sept 26 (docx)
Locum Consultant Psychiatrist

Adult Intellectual Disability

Locum Consultant Psychiatrist

Adult Intellectual Disability




JOB DESCRIPTION

POST: Locum Consultant Psychiatrist in
Adult Intellectual Disability

LOCATION: South Eastern Health and Care Trust
Downpatrick – Downshire Hospital

DIRECTORATE: Mental Health Adult Services

REPORTS TO: Clinical Director for Psychiatry

RESPONSIBLE TO: Medical Director

JOB SUMMARY
The South Eastern Trust wishes to appoint a full time (10 PA) Locum Consultant in Intellectual Disability Psychiatry based in The Downshire Hospital, Downpatrick. This post is available for 12 months in the first instance. This post is also part of a planned expansion of the service.

The successful candidate will deliver community-based assessment, treatment and on-going psychiatric care to adults with intellectual disability resident in the Downpatrick sector area. They will also provide inpatient care to patients from their catchment area when they are admitted to an acute psychiatric bed within the South Eastern Trust.

This is a full-time post, however applications from practitioners who wish to contract for a reduced number of planned activities, or on a job share basis are welcome.

Profile of the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust (SET) is an Investors In People (IIP) accredited organisation, employing approximately 12,500 Staff. The Trust is excellently placed to offer integrated health and social services which are accessible, appropriate and of the highest quality.

It is an integrated Trust, incorporating acute hospital services, community health and social services. The Trust serves a population of 440,000 people approximately 70,000 of whom are aged over 65-years-old. This number is expected to rise to 90,000 within the next 10 years.
The Trust covers a wide geographical area from Bangor in the North, Portaferry in the East, to Newcastle in the South and Moira in the West. The main hospital base is the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald with local hospitals in Lisburn and Downpatrick. A community hospital is based in Newtownards with associated outpatient services. There are also outpatient services in Bangor.
In addition to its geographical spread, there is also a noticeable diversity in population characteristics, embracing areas of relative wealth and prosperity as well as pockets of considerable deprivation and need.

The North Down and Ards sectors have a predominantly rural catchment area with a population of 161,300. The main centres of population are concentrated in the market towns of Bangor, Newtownards and the small expanding town of Comber, five miles from Newtownards.

The Down and Lisburn sectors of the Trust have a combined population of 201,100. The Lisburn sector incorporates the northern part of the Trust which is more urban and includes the city of Lisburn and large housing estates on the fringe of West Belfast. This sector includes geographical wards which have high deprivation measures. The Down sector is mainly rural but does have geographical wards with high measures of deprivation and relative poverty.

The Ulster Hospital
The Ulster Hospital is the major acute hospital for the Trust and delivers the full range of acute services for the population. This includes a type 1 Emergency Department which is open 24/7 (23/24 ~135k new & unplanned attendances), a comprehensive range of diagnostic services, the full range of outpatient, inpatient and daycase medical and surgical services, cancer care, coronary care, obstetrics, paediatric services and a psychiatric inpatient unit. The regional Plastic and Maxillo-Facial services are mainly delivered from the Ulster site.
The Ulster Hospital has undergone significant redevelopment. In February 2017, the new inpatient ward block (IWB) was opened with 288 single en-suite rooms, 4 day surgery theatres and 3 endoscopy rooms.
The Acute Services Ward Block (ASB) is now operational. It includes 213 single en-suite rooms, a new X-ray department including CT, MRI and Nuclear Medicine imaging. The Emergency Department, which completes the final stage of the £280m Phase B redevelopment project, opened on the 6 September 2023.

A new Urgent Care Centre opened at the Ulster Hospital in June 2025, providing a modern, purpose-built facility to access and treat a range of minor injuries and patients requiring urgent care. Open 7 days a week, 8am - 6pm and is Consultant led.

The Ulster Hospital is a major teaching hospital associated with Queens University of Belfast and with the Ulster University. The library is linked to Queens University Medical Library and comprehensive on-line search facilities and other resources are provided through library connections. Facilities for Med-line and Cochrane Database are also available. Research opportunities are also being developed, particularly in the field of bronchiectasis, lung cancer and health related technology.

Lagan Valley Hospital
Lagan Valley Hospital is located in the city of Lisburn, a 30-minute commute from the Ulster Hospital. It is situated close the M1 motorway, with easy access from Belfast. The Emergency Department team operate an Urgent Care Centre, which is a phone first system (appointment only), which is open 8am-6pm Monday-Friday (closed at weekends). 

The hospital also has 84 inpatient medical beds, maternity services via Midwifery led Unit, inpatient medical services as well as outpatient, diagnostic, day-case services for the local population.

The Downe Hospital
The Downe Hospital is located in the culturally historic town of Downpatrick, a 40-minute commute from the Ulster Hospital. The hospital has a phone-first (appointment only) Urgent Care Centre, operated by the Emergency Department Team. The Urgent Care Centre is open 8am-6pm Monday-Friday and also provides a Minor Injury Service on Saturday and Sunday.

The hospital has 40 inpatient beds for a range of medical conditions and Frail Elderly Rapid Assessment Clinic staffed 0900-1800 Monday to Friday. The Downe provides the Trust wide Bowel Screening Service and Sexual Health Service, as well as a range of outpatient, diagnostics and day-case services, such as cataract surgery. Two GP practices are located on the first floor, along with community and dental services.

Downshire Hospital
The Trust’s psychiatric rehabilitation and continuing care service is located in the Downshire Hospital along with a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit and the inpatient Addictions Treatment Unit.

Ards Hospital
Ards Community Hospital provides a comprehensive range of health, primary and social care services, including an X-Ray Department, GP Ward, Medical, Surgical, Gynaecology and Psychiatry Outpatients Department. The Trust’s breast screening service is delivered from a new building on the site.

Bangor Community Hospital
Bangor Community Hospital provides a range of health, social and primary care services, including an Outpatients Department, a Therapy & Rehabilitation Centre, and an X-Ray Department. Gynaecology outpatients and urogynaecology clinics are held on this site. The continence service for the area is based in Bangor Hospital and urodynamic studies are performed on an outpatient basis.

Trust Medical Management Structure
Medical Director – Professor Stephen Kirk
Deputy Medical Directors- Mr Bob Darling, Mr Sean McGovern

There is support for the medical staff through this structure and there is a well-organised Revalidation office to support the process of appraisal and revalidation for all medical staff.
Mental Health Adult Services Directorate
The Senior Management Team comprises:
Dr Gail Walker, Clinical Director for Psychiatry
Dr Róinin McNally, Associate Clinical Director for Old Age Psychiatry
Dr Heather Hawthorn, Associate Clinical Director for General Adult Psychiatry (Acute)
Dr Gary Woods, Associate Clinical Director for General Adult Psychiatry (Community)
Dr Mark Finnerty, Educational Supervisor
Dr Catherine Boucher, Educational Supervisor
Ms Rachel Gibbs, Director of Adult Services and Prison Healthcare
Ms Fiona Dagg, Assistant Director for Community Services
Ms Kiera Lavery, Assistant Director for Acute Services

The Directorate has an active and dynamic medical staff group and the Medical Staff Committee meets monthly. The Chair of the committee is Dr Kathy Hadden with other members holding positions to support the committee.

The Trust is in the process of integrating a number of its programmes into a single Mental Health Directorate. During this period of transition, the Mental Health Service for Older People will join the Adult Mental Health Service, Addictions Service, Psychology Service (including Clinical Psychology for Older People) and the recently established Mental Capacity Act Service to deliver treatment and care to patients based on their assessed needs.

The Mental Health service is split into three sectors. The North Down and Ards sector has a population of 161,300 and incorporates the towns of Newtownards and Bangor and the mostly rural Ards peninsula. Community Mental health services for this sector are based at Ards Hospital with acute inpatient beds at the Ulster Hospital which is a large teaching hospital.

The Lisburn sector has a population of around 105,000 and has a combination of rural and urban catchment including the city of Lisburn and parts of West Belfast. Mental Health community and inpatient services are based at Lagan Valley hospital in Lisburn.

The Down sector has the smallest population size at around 95,000 and is a mostly rural catchment. Community services are based at Finneston House in Downpatrick with acute inpatient beds in the Downe Hospital which is a small district general hospital. There are also some PICU and non –acute mental health beds based in the Downshire hospital. Administrative and managerial base for the Mental Health service is also based at the Downshire hospital. Finneston House, the Downe hospital and the Downshire hospital are located on adjacent sites.

Mental Health Services in Down, Lisburn and Newtownards sectors
Lisburn
Mental Health services in the Lisburn sector serve a population of approximately 110,000. There is a 21 bed adult psychiatry inpatient unit at Lagan Valley Hospital, Lisburn as well as a 16 bedded inpatient unit for older people with dementia and mental illness.

The current staffing for the Lisburn sector includes: Four consultant General Adult Psychiatrists, and three (2.6 wte) consultants in Psychiatry of Old Age. Each consultant team consists of junior medical staff and dedicated secretarial support. There is also a social worker attached to each consultant team. The sector’s Assessment Centre has a dedicated speciality doctor. In addition, there is a Home Treatment Team, staffed by five nurses and a specialty doctor.

The consultants in the Lisburn sector have traditionally been GP aligned, and provide community, including Home Treatment, Day Hospital, and inpatient services.
Dr Heather Hawthorn GAP
Dr Darran Carson GAP
Dr Michael McMorran GAP
Dr Stephen Moore GAP
Dr Angela Wilson POA
Dr Mark Macauley POA
Dr Leo Tumelty POA
Dr Roisin Smith CAT
There are SAS doctors working in MHAC, Home Treatment and older people’s services
Dr Sally Moran HTT
Dr Nicholas McAlinden MHAC
Dr Julie Forth POA
Dr Carol Mullan POA

Down Sector
The current staffing for the Downpatrick sector includes: Four consultant General Adult Psychiatrists, a part time consultant in rehabilitation and 2 consultants in Psychiatry of Old Age. In addition there is a speciality doctor (0.8 wte).
There are twenty-four acute beds and a further 20 bedded dementia assessment unit at the Downe Hospital serving a population of 95,000 in the Down area. This ward also takes overflow from the Ards community area. On the Downshire hospital site, as well as the sub-regional addiction ward, there is a six bedded PICU ward. The Down sector also provides the trust’s ECT service.

Consultants in this sector are divided between outpatient and inpatient functions.
Dr Ashley McGrady GAP inpatients
Dr Mark Finnerty GAP inpatients
Dr Kathleen Hadden GAP HTT and community
Dr Michael McParland GAP community
Dr Laura Somerville GAP rehabilitation
Dr Lynn Agnew POA
Dr Liz Dawson POA
Dr Siobhan Flanagan addictions inpatient and CAT

SAS doctors in this sector
Dr Clare Robinson MHAC and HTT Down
Dr Abier Assal SAS POA
Newtownards Sector
There is a 24 bed inpatient unit at the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald, together with inpatient beds at the Downe Hospital, Downpatrick.

The current staffing for the Newtownards sector includes: Six General Adult consultant Psychiatrists and four Psychiatry of Old Age consultants. There are two inpatient consultants, three Liaison consultants and two Perinatal consultants as well as an addictions consultant. (1WTE). Each consultant team is supported by a trainee doctor and dedicated secretarial support. The MHAC and Crisis Response Home Treatment Team each have a dedicated specialty doctor:

Dr Sinead O’Neill MHAC
Dr Fiona Gorman HTT

There are four SAS doctors working in the community mental health service for older people: Dr Gabrielle Hasson
Dr Joanne Younge
Dr Darryl Trainor
Dr Ryan McIlwaine

Services in the sector have been developed along functional lines.

The Crisis Response/Assessment Centres in each sector provide both emergency and routine assessments of individuals referred from primary care. This provides a single point of access to secondary psychiatric services.

Specialist eating disorders service, neuropsychiatry, forensic psychiatry and services for children and young people are purchased from the Belfast Trust.

Consultant Staff:

Dr Ben McClure inpatients
Dr Rachel Morrow inpatients

Dr Catherine Boucher GAP community Dr Roinin McNally POA
Dr Gail Walker GAP community Dr Graeme Young POA
Dr Gary Woods GAP community Dr Stephanie Campbell POA
Dr Sara Maguire GAP/ADHD Service Dr Ruth Grant POA
Dr Rachel Smylie GAP and HTT Dr Siobhan Flanagan CAT
Dr Claire Coulter ADHD Service and HTT Dr Roisin Smith CAT
Dr Carolyn O’Connor PNMH
Dr Riona McCann PNMH
Dr Jacinta McLaughlin GAP Liaison
Dr Pratibha Nirodi OAP Liaison
Dr Dearbhail Lewis MCA/OAP Liaison

Intellectual disability (ID) services within the South Eastern Trust (SET)

ID services are provided through different Sectors: Down, Lisburn and North Down & Ards (NDA).

The current vision for the SET ID Psychiatry Service is to have a consultant psychiatrist for each of the Sectors, representing an expansion from the previous two-consultant model.

The Senior Management Team for the Adult ID Service comprises:
Assistant Director: Robyn Lennox.
Heads of service: Fiona McClean, Claire Crawford, Melissa Jones.
Service managers: Kieran McAteer, Kelly-Ann McCormick, Patsy McManus, Helen Carroll, Moira Peters.
Governance manager: Marguerite Doyle.
Clinical lead: Dr Matt McMurray.
Lead nurse: Nikki Smyth.
Consultant nurse: Barbara Tate.

Consultant psychiatrists:
Downpatrick: vacant
Lisburn: vacant
North Down & Ards: Dr Ken Yeow.

Resident doctors at both Core Trainee (CT) and Specialty Trainee (ST) level have been regularly allocated to the SET consultants.

Each Sector has a comprehensive multidisciplinary team with access to social work, learning disability nursing, behaviour/specialist practitioners (via the Intensive Support Service), psychology, psychiatry, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and dietetics.

A range of services exist for day opportunities, short breaks, domiciliary care, supported living, residential services and nursing home settings, both Trust-run and working in close collaboration with independent service providers.

There is an ethos of active multidisciplinary working, particularly around more complex cases, with shared decision-making and risk management such that each team member should feel well-supported in their clinical work.

Most patients can be managed in the community (with step-up multidisciplinary team input if necessary) but in cases of acute mental illness and major risk, psychiatric admission is sought through the SET acute mental health inpatient system. The SET also has access to one learning disability bed in Holywell Hospital, Antrim and are also in the process of developing an innovative Community Assessment & Treatment Unit (CATU) based at Thompson House.

An acute liaison nurse (Paula McIlwaine) provides valuable assistance with ID patients presenting to acute medical settings/the A+E Department.

The Post
This post is full time 10PAs.

The successful candidate will provide medical leadership to the Downpatrick Intellectual Disability Community Team and will provide the Intellectual Disability Psychiatry Service for the South Eastern Trust along with two consultant colleagues who will cover the other two Trust areas.

They will provide inpatient care to patients falling within their catchment area when required.

Administration support and office space are provided. The Trust provides access to desktop computer facilities as well as an iPad or laptop and a mobile telephone to facilitate mobile working. Digital dictation devices are available.

While this post is for an Intellectual Disability consultant it is expected that the post holder will be competent to provide psychiatric care to patients in a variety of inpatient and community settings. It is not possible to predict how services will be organised during the full course of the post holder’s future employment. The successful post holder should expect to work in different ways as services evolve over time. Future plans include the development of a single mental health inpatient unit on the Ulster Hospital site.

The successful post holder will work in partnership with the acute inpatient teams, General Adult Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT), Mental Health Services for Older People Teams (MHSOP), the Home Treatment Teams (HTT), Liaison and addictions services.

Summary of duties of the post

Clinical
The post holder will:
Provide psychiatric assessments and treatment to adults with an intellectual disability.
Provide clinical leadership to a team that seek to develop a comprehensive assessment and treatment plan for patients.
Participate in multidisciplinary reviews, family meetings, risk assessments and case discussions regarding patients under their care.
Work closely with the Intensive support Service and Community teams.
Carry out patient reviews, including home visits as required, working under the lone worker policy when doing so.
Actively participate in clinical audit and quality improvement work.
Participate in training undergraduate students and resident doctors as well as contributing to teaching and training other disciplines as required.
Cover colleagues as required.
Participate in the Trust’s appraisal and revalidation process.
Participate in the educational programmes of the directorate and remain in good standing with the Royal College of Psychiatrists for CPD.
Be required to undertake such duties as may occur from time to time through exigencies of the service.
Undertake clinical audit and quality improvement activities to protect patient safety and contribute to service development;
Maintain his/her knowledge and skills through continuous professional development, maintain GMC standards of medical practice and partake in annual appraisal and 5 yearly revalidation as required to maintain GMC registration and license;
Duties will develop in line with the Trust’s strategic direction;
Work with local service managers and professional colleagues in the efficient delivery of services.

The post holder will not be required to participate in the consultant on-call rota.

The post holder will be encouraged to be committed to development and improvement of the service where they work but also in the development of mental health services overall. He/she will be a member of the Directorate Medical Staff Committee which they will be encouraged to attend and actively contribute to.

The post holder will be expected to work within the Mental Health Adult Services Directorate structure, which is led by the Clinical Director. This will mean attendance at Directorate meetings and willingness to progress developments or quality initiatives agreed by the Directorate.

The post holder will be involved with Trust incident review procedures.

Audit and QI are expected aspects of appraisal and revalidation. These are supported through the directorate medical Governance and patient safety monthly meeting. Through this meeting there is an active programme of reflective practice, Morbidity and Mortality Reviews, safety, quality improvement and audit. There is a Trust audit department which can support audit design and data collection. There is a dynamic SQE department which encourages and supports quality improvement activity.

Fulfilment of Continuing Professional development (CPD) is a requirement by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Practicing evidence-based medicine and effective team working within the multi-disciplinary team is essential. Participation in clinical audit and appropriate quality assurance exercises is a contractual requirement. The post-holder will be expected to attend / participate in ‘rolling’ medical audit meetings and be involved in regional audits.

The Trust is committed to delivering a person-centred, recovery-based metal health service. The active participation of service users and carers is fundamental to this objective. Successful candidates will be expected to facilitate such participation in the planning, delivery and monitoring of the service



Job Plan
The job plan below is preliminary and will develop, according to needs, in negotiation with the Clinical Director/Associate Clinical Director.

Time
Activity
PA’s

DCC
SPA

MONDAY
0900-1300

1300-1700

Post-weekend follow-up, planning for the week, urgent reviews, priority case discussions, etc.

Urgent reviews, home visits, priority case discussions, clinical admin, etc.
1.0

1.0



TUESDAY
0900-1300

1300-1700
Outpatient clinic

Home visits/inpatient ward liaison, clinical admin
1.0

1.0

WEDNESDAY
0900-1300

1300-1500

1500-1700
Team meetings, complex case discussions

Clinical admin

Audit/QI activity
1.0

0.5

0.5

THURSDAY
0900-1300

1300-1700
Outpatient clinic

Home visits/inpatient ward liaison, clinical admin
1.0

1.0

FRIDAY
0900-0930
0930-1130
1130-1230
1230-1400
1400-1500
1500-1700
Travel/admin
Management meetings 2-3/4
Academic meeting
Travel/admin
Trainee supervision
Pre-weekend urgent matters, tidying up for the week
0.125

0.375

0.5

0.5
0.25

0.25

Total
8.5
1.5

10 PAs

If required to work at a different site this will be factored into the pa allocation/ job plan of the successful applicant. The job plan will be subject to regular review (within 3 months in the first instance and no less than annually thereafter) to ensure that the allocation of PA’s, and in particular the split between DCC and SPA’s remains appropriate. Any changes will be made with agreement between the post holder and clinical management.
Appraisal and Revalidation
The post holder will meet the requirements of annual clinical appraisal and revalidation in accordance with the Trust policy under the direction of the Clinical Director for Psychiatry and Associate Clinical Director for Old Age Psychiatry. The post holder will be encouraged to undertake training which is provided by the Trust. The post holder will be allocated an appraiser by the Office of the Medical Director. The appraisal must be completed before the end of June each year using the electronic Regional Appraisal System. Outcome of the annual appraisal forms the basis of the decision by the Responsible Medical Officer (Professor S. Kirk) to recommend revalidation to the General Medical Council.

Continuing Professional Development
The post holder will keep their knowledge and skills up-to-date through continuing professional development. All consultant psychiatrists are expected to be members of a peer group and to obtain a certificate of good professional standing for continuing professional development issued by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. There are several peer groups in the Trust and new post holders are always welcome to join these. Alternatively, they may choose to maintain peer group membership with colleagues in other Trusts.

The Trust will facilitate and fund (including expenses) study leave up to a maximum of 30 days in any period of 3 years. Courses and study leave activities must form part of the post holder’s personal development plan and be approved by their peer group.

The Trust subscribes to the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ ‘CPD Online’ service. All members of the Psychiatry Medical Staff Committee can access the service free-of-charge.

The post holder will participate in the weekly academic programme for psychiatry and share their knowledge for the benefit of the medical colleagues and students in attendance.

Patient Safety and Risk Management
The post holder will attend the monthly Directorate Governance and Patient Safety meeting chaired by the Clinical Director. They will contribute to Mortality and Morbidity reviews to identify potential learning or to suggest improvements in systems. The post holder will participate in Trust adverse event review processes and respond to complaints, if required. They will provide senior medical expertise as a peer reviewer for serious adverse incidents within the Directorate.

Teaching, Research, Audit and Quality Improvement:
The Ulster Hospital is a major teaching hospital, that receives a large number of medical students. It is affiliated with the Queen's University Belfast and the Ulster University. The successful candidate will be expected to take an active interest in the teaching of undergraduates and resident doctors.

The post holder should undertake training to obtain and maintain their status as a Medical Trainer recognised by the General Medical Council. They will be expected to provide clinical supervision for resident doctors, SAS doctors and members of the multidisciplinary team. If formal roles incorporating teaching and or supervision of additional resident doctors are agreed with the post-holder the job plan will be reviewed and adjusted accordingly.

There are dedicated Educational Supervisors for the Specialty:
Dr Mark Finnerty and Dr Catherine Boucher.

Dr N. Leonard (University Sub-Dean) is supported by 4 undergraduate medical education leads (Dr M. Finnerty, Dr H. Hawthorn, Dr R. McNally and Dr G. Woods) and 3 SAS Teaching Fellows (Dr F. Gorman, Dr C. Mullan and Dr S. O’Neill) to organise placements in Psychiatry and supervise and assess undergraduate medical students from the Queen’s University of Belfast and Ulster University. The post holder will assist with the provision of teaching and clinical supervision for these students. They will also actively participate in the teaching and clinical supervision of resident doctor in other medical specialities and staff receiving training in the care of older people with mental illness or dementia.

The Innovation, Research and Development (IRD) department offers a comprehensive service designed to support research activity within the Trust. The IRD office can assist with new research proposals by helping to secure approvals from regulatory authorities and providing support during the course of the project. Dr P. Donnelly is the Clinical Director for Research and Innovation. Dr G. Woods is the Trust lead for the Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network’s (NICRN) Mental Health clinical management group.

In addition to their own personal research activities, the appointee will be expected to encourage the research activities of resident doctors. If necessary, the job plan will be reviewed and adjusted accordingly.

Participation in clinical audit is a contractual requirement and, together with quality improvement activities, contributes to medical appraisal and revalidation. The Directorate supports an active programme of clinical audit which includes local, regional and national projects. The post holder will contribute to this programme and support resident doctors with their audit projects. The Trust’s audit department can provide expertise on audit design, give practical support with data collection and advice on presentation of findings.

The post holder will be a member of the Mental Health Directorate Committee which meets monthly. They should provide advice on planning, monitoring, resource allocation and service delivery to the Chief Executive and senior manager colleagues. They will be expected to support service developments and quality improvement initiatives agreed by the Directorate.

The Trust has established a Quality Improvement Academy to support staff with quality improvement and innovation work. The post holder will collect data relating to their own clinical activity and that of the service to inform further improvement and development.

There is a Trust subscription to the Royal College of Psychiatrists CPD Online service and all members of the Psychiatry Medical Staff can access this.

All psychiatrists are expected to be members of a peer group to support their maintenance of a certificate of good standing with the Royal College of Psychiatrists. There are several local peer groups in the Trust and new post holders are always welcome to join these or to maintain peer group membership with colleagues in other Trusts.

Pastoral and Wellbeing Support
The Trust is committed to supporting the wellbeing of all staff and to the goal of successful and satisfying careers. Informal support is strong among the very collegiate medical staff group in psychiatry.

Formal pastoral support following a significant event or other need will normally be provided by the Clinical Director or other nominated colleague as agreed. Some consultants access reflective practice or Balint groups outside the Trust and this can be funded through the study leave budget. There are Balint groups available for trainees and the development of an in- service group for consultants is under consideration.

The Trust has an active wellbeing programme which provides an excellent selection of free courses and activities for staff from stress management to yoga and couch to 5K groups. The Trust also provide staff with access to Inspire a free, confidential and immediate support 24 hours a day helpline.

Occupational Health
The Occupational Health & Well-being Service aspires to provide services which are professionally sound, ever improving and innovative to facilitate to the highest degree the physical, mental and social well-being of its employees.

The Occupational Health Team undertakes to always respect the individual of those receiving service and to offer choice through provision of a confidential and complete service, facilitating health at work, appropriate return to and rehabilitation back to the workplace

The service will endeavour to provide services which are convenient and easy to use and strive to ensure the suitability of the workplace environment to the employee's physiological and psychological needs.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
These posts are subject to the National Terms and Conditions of Service for Consultants (2004) and updated 2013.

Remuneration: As per the current salary scale under National Terms and Conditions of Service for Hospital staff as updated via DoH circular on rates of pay, the most recent HSC (TC8) 05/2025 with effect from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 and all uplifts thereafter.

This full-time appointment will be for 10 PAs per week.

Annual leave entitlement on appointment is 32 days for full time staff (10Pas).
After 7 years completed consultant service increases to 34 days for full time staff (10Pas). There are 10 general public holidays.

The appointee will maintain registration through Revalidation with the General Medical Council (London) and hold a valid Licence to Practice.

Appointees are required to participate in Consultant Appraisal and Annual Job Planning processes in accordance with DHSS&PS requirements.

The Trust supports the requirements for CME/CPD as laid down by the GMC and is committed to providing time and financial support for these activities.

In order to meet the on-call requirements of the post, the appointees are required to reside within a reasonable distance to their principal place of work, as per terms and conditions of service, and must be contactable by telephone.

Training for clinical appraisal is provided by the Trust and the appointee will be encouraged to undertake such training. Annual appraisal is conducted by a nominated trained appraiser, normally from within the Trust. Issues arising from appraisal will be constructively discussed with the appraiser initially, and if necessary with the Medical Director.

A 3 month period of informal mentoring will be available to the successful candidates.

General Responsibilities
All employees are required to comply with the procedures, policies and codes of practice within the Trust.

Indemnity
Employees are normally covered by the HSC Indemnity against claims for medical negligence. However, certain circumstances may not be covered by the Indemnity, especially where a separate fee is received. The Department of Health (DH) therefore advises that membership of a medical defence organisation is maintained.

Governance
The postholder must satisfy the Trust’s requirements in respect of continuing education and clinical governance.

Equality
The Trust is an Equal Opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sectors of the community irrespective of their religious belief, political opinion, race, gender, marital status, dependants, age, sexual orientation or disability.

All staff are required to comply with the Trusts policy on Equality of Opportunity and ensure it is promoted through his/her own actions and those of any staff for whom he/she has responsibility.

Superannuation
These posts will be superannuable unless the successful candidate decides to opt out of the scheme or is ineligible to join, and the remuneration will be subject to deduction of superannuation contributions in accordance with the Health Services Superannuation Scheme. There is reciprocity between the Northern Ireland Scheme and that in Great Britain.

Health & Safety
All employees must fully comply with the Trust’s various Health and Safety Policies and Procedures and Practices including relevant legislation and Codes of Practice.

Conduct
Staff must maintain high standards of personal accountability and abide by the Code of Business Conduct.

Members of staff are expected at all times to provide a caring service and to treat those whom they come into contact in a courteous and respectful manner.

Performance
Employees are expected to demonstrate commitment to the Trust by ensuring regular attendance at work and the efficient discharge of their duties.

Raising Concerns
All employees will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency.

All employees will ensure that they take any concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust’s Raising Concerns Policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.

Records Management
All employees of the Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Trust including patient/client, corporate and administrative records whether paper based or electronic and also including emails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant with the Trust’s policy and procedures on records management and to seek advice if in doubt.

Environmental Cleaning Strategy
The Trust’s Environmental Cleaning Strategy, recognises the key principle that “Cleanliness Matters. It is everyone’s responsibility, not just the cleaners”. Whilst there are staff employed by the Trust who are responsible for cleaning services, all staff employed by the Trust have a responsibility to ensure a clean, comfortable and safe environment for patients, clients, residents, visitors, staff and members of the general public.

Infection Prevention & Control
All Staff should co-operate fully with regard to Trust policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control. All staff should be aware of the Trust’s Infection Prevention & Control strategy and their local reduction of infection plan and know their role, in keeping with key principle Infection Prevention and Control is everyone’s business. Staff, in delivery of all care must:-
Wash their hands thoroughly between each patient contact.
Be compliant with Standard Infection Control Precautions, Hand Hygiene and decontamination and other relevant infection prevention and control measures.
Be aware of the Infection Control guidance within the Trust’s Infection Control
Manual and ensure they obtain mandatory Infection prevention control training or other specific infection control related training as required. 

Hygiene & Prevention of Infection
You will at all times be required to observe hygiene/infection prevention & control standards and notices in operation throughout the Trust.  Hygiene and control of -infection are key elements in delivery of safe, quality services and you will, in certain jobs, be required to undertake an appropriate training course at the expense of the Trust.

Personal Public involvement
Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients and their families in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust’s Personal Public Involvement (PPI) Strategy.

Trust Policies/Codes of Conduct
Staff must adhere at all times to all Trust policies/Codes of Conduct, including for example:
Smoke Free Policy
IT security Policy and Code of Conduct
Standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour

Location
Please note that it is a standard condition that all Trust staff may be required to
work at any location within the Trust’s area, as needs of the service demand.

This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all the duties involved in the post and may be amended to meet the changing needs of the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust; consequently an employee may be required to perform other duties appropriate to the post as assigned to them.

eHealth
The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust has invested in eHealth to deliver better, faster, safer care to our community and is committed to supporting staff to utilise associated information systems that directly and indirectly inform care. Trust staff are therefore required to commit sufficient time to ensure that they acquire and/or retain the core technology skills required to support their role.

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION


JOB TITLE Locum Consultant Psychiatrist, Intellectual Disability

DEPARTMENT / DIRECTORATE Mental Health Adult Services

Ref No: <to be inserted by HR>

Notes to applicants:
You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.
Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note The Organisation reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria.
Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor
Criteria
Ideally no more than 6-8 criteria in this section
Method of Assessment

Qualifications/ Experience

Full GMC registration with License to Practice.

Hold MRCPsych or equivalent.

Registered on the GMC’s Specialist Register in Psychiatry OR be within six months of their expected date of obtaining a CCT at the time of the interview.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other
Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment. These criteria will be waived in the case of applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to a form of transport approved by the Trust which will permit them to carry out the duties of the post.
Shortlisting by Application Form

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Personal Skills
& Attributes
Knowledge of and skills relevant to the management of patients with a wide range of psychiatric conditions including the spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Ability to obtain, evaluate and analyse complex evidence and differing views and weigh them appropriately in decision making.

Effectively manage and prioritise own workload to meet deadlines.

Knowledge of developments in the Health and Social care Services

Good interpersonal and communication skills

A willingness to work flexibly and accept the changing needs of the South Eastern H&SC Trust
Interview

Teaching

Ability to deliver high quality teaching
Interview

Research/ CPD/Audit/
Quality Improvement

Evidence of continuing professional development.

Evidence of interest and experience in research and medical audit.

Ability to lead a Quality Improvement initiative.
Interview

Management & Team working
Ability to lead and work effectively within a multidisciplinary team

Ability to lead change and to manage resistance from within teams/systems.

Ability to deal effectively and constructively in a variety of environments.
Interview

Physical Requirements
To be assessed by the Occupational Health Dept and have the standards applicable to a Doctor and Exposure Prone Worker
Pre employment health check

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

SECTION 3: these will ONLY be used where it is necessary to introduce additional job related criteria to ensure files are manageable. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

Factor
Criteria
Method of Assessment

Qualifications/
Experience

3 months experience working in Intellectual Disability at consultant level
Shortlisting by Application Form


As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for the Trust to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed.

To access a copy of the Access NI Code of Practice, please Click here
The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust has guidance on the Recruitment of People with Criminal Convictions. To access a copy of this guidance, please Click Here

Protecting and using your information
To access a copy of the Trust’s Data Protection Policy Statement,
Click Here

THE TRUST IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

All staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times
All staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times