Consultant Psychiatrist in General Adult; CRHTT - Southwest

We are currently seeking a Consultant Psychiatrist to join our busy division of Acute and Urgent Care in Hertfordshire. The post holder will work alongside the multi-disciplinary team, including SAS & Trainee doctors allocated to SWCRHTT. People receiving services from the crisis & home treatment services are predominantly experiencing mental health crisis or stepping down from inpatient services. Therefore, active and regular involvement of the consultant psychiatrist in the assessment and care programming is vital.

The consultant will be expected to work independently on a day‑to‑day basis and support SWCRHTT with clinical/medical leadership.

The post holder will be based at Colne House, Watford and will be expected to do regular home visits across the catchment area. The successful candidate will support the multidisciplinary team in providing diagnostic assessments and treatment to patients with severe, complex and high‑risk psychiatric conditions.

The Consultant will undertake or support detailed assessments of clinical risks, liaising closely with community and acute care pathway colleagues, as well as GPs and carers. The post holder is expected to provide regular supervision to junior staff (trainees, SAS, associate specialists).

• Providing clinical leadership to the multi‑disciplinary team
• Providing expert clinical input (including clinical assessment) for patients with complex presentations
• Oversight of initiating clinical treatment plans for service users awaiting mental health admission
• Regular review of service users awaiting admission to ensure changing needs are addressed and to implement appropriate changes to management plans for the least restrictive treatment options
• Multi‑agency support and management of frequent attenders to the acute pathway
• Collaborating with Mental Health Liaison teams, the Mental Health Urgent Care Centre, Adult Community Mental Health teams in Watford and Borehamwood, Path first‑episode psychosis teams and inpatient wards to support smooth transition of service users between services
• Working with partner organisations in the wider system to support joined‑up working, policy and safe practice development, and to engage all stakeholders to further enhance the service. This includes the local Drug & Alcohol service provider CGL (Change, Grow, Live) and local housing, police, probation, primary care, ambulance services and voluntary sector providers as needed
• Joint managerial oversight of performance, quality and safety of the service with team leaders and the Service Manager
• Attending regular patient flow meetings within HPFT and relevant Acute Trusts as needed

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an exceptional organisation with big ambitions. Our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disabilities within the UK.

With over 4,300 staff and an annual income of some £330 million this year, the Trust provides integrated health and social care services through a network of community and inpatient settings, serving diverse communities across Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and Norfolk. As a University NHS Foundation Trust, HPFT continues to develop strong links with the University of Hertfordshire, providing excellent learning and development opportunities and strengthening our clinical research capability.

While it is a challenging period of the NHS, there has never been a more exciting time to join HPFT following our CQC rating of Outstanding award in 2019. We are currently undertaking our "Great Together" strategy for 2023‑2028. This strategy has been meticulously developed and co‑produced in collaboration with service users, carers, staff, partners and local communities. It provides a well‑defined roadmap to realise our vision of providing exceptional care and achieving outstanding outcomes.

We are dedicated to addressing inequalities and equity, developing our workforce, and fostering a dynamic learning environment, all while engaging in robust partnerships to deliver the highest quality care.

For further details / informal visits contact:
Name:
Dr Kiran Vishwanath

Job title:

Medical Lead
Email address: