Post title: Consultant Psychiatrist
Accountable to: Medical Director
COMPANY BACKGROUND
Danshell is a leading independent provider of holistic services for adults with a learning disability and high
level challenging behaviour and associated complex needs. The company provides care for people, many
of whom have passed through a series of failed placements. We receive referrals from the whole of the
UK, from the NHS, Social Services and other referrers.
As a company, Danshell is committed to the positive development of each individual referred to us. We
operate a range of services, from independent hospitals, to highly supported, community based,
residential services, in Scotland and England.
We seek to appoint to Danshell excellent and committed individuals to augment our multidisciplinary
provision, as our services develop. The appointee will be self-motivated and intent upon high standards;
and will be a specialist in the field of Learning Disability; or have an established interest in this area.
He/she will have a proven track record as both a team worker and a team leader.
JOB SUMMARY
To ensure the provision of a high quality psychiatric service to Danshell units. Working autonomously
within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the psychiatric cover of patients on your
caseload, both informal and those detained under the Mental Health Act. A major requirement of the job
is to act as a highly specialist resource to the wider professional community and to carry out audit, policy
and service development and research activities and/or programmes. To propose and implement policy
and service development changes within Danshell.
KEY RESULT AREAS
CLINICAL: DIRECT
1. Clinical duties include direct reviews of patients, both informal and those detained under the
Mental Health Act. The co-ordination of individualised care for each patient, with other members
of the multidisciplinary team, as well as family members and external professionals, is a central
role.
2. Manage patients using all aspects of the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and DoLS
safeguards
3. Attendance as required at unit MDT meetings, CPA meetings, Associate Managers’ panels and
MHRTs.
4.
5. Perform assessment of potential new patients and provide a written report of assessment within a
time frame contained in the agreed Company policies
6. Work with general practitioner colleagues to ensure the highest quality physical healthcare for our
residents
7. To contribute to the local on call rota and to respond to emergency requests in a timely and
appropriate manner.
CLINICAL: INDIRECT
1. Within Danshell, there is no prescribed approach for each Consultant Psychiatrist. However, there
is an expectation that each will work as a team member, as well as offering leadership in the coordination of services for each individual patient under their care, with the aim of delivering the
best standards of care possible to all service users.
2. The model of care employed within the company is based around a Positive Behaviour Support
model, but is eclectic and Psychiatrists are encouraged to apply their expertise in specific areas to
inform and support the care of each patient; and to take part in an active and co-operative
exchange of ideas with other professionals within the team.
As a member of the Clinical Team your duties would be:
1. To support the clinical, nursing and direct care teams in making skilled evaluations and decisions
about clinical options.
2. To contribute to multidisciplinary risk assessment and risk management for relevant individual
clients and to provide both general and specialist advice for psychiatric aspects of risk assessment
and management.
3. To communicate information concerning the clinical plans of clients and to monitor and evaluate
progress during the course multi-disciplinary reviews using agreed outcome measures.
4. To provide expertise and advice to facilitate the effective and appropriate provision of psychiatric
care by all members of the team
5. To provide consultation about the psychiatric care of the client group to staff, families and other
agencies.
TEACHING, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION
1. The appointee will be given the opportunity to maintain an up to date knowledge base, through inhouse meetings, e-learning and attendance at conferences. There will be the opportunity, also, to
develop a specialist interest.
2. Each Psychiatrist within the service is involved in an active process of Continuing Professional
Development with regular CPD peer group meetings. The company has its own training
department and quality management team, and has achieved recognition of the quality of its
services from external assessors (ISO 9001, Investors in People and UKAS Quality Management).
3. There is an established system of annual appraisal, including a multi-source feedback system,
which will be introduced on commencement of employment. This will generate the required
information for the revalidation process.
4. All clinicians within the service are considered to be educators, both in a formal and informal
sense.
MANAGEMENT, RECRUITMENT, POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
1. There is an active programme of Clinical Governance, as well as a multidisciplinary Academic
Programme and monthly Clinical Team Meetings.
2. Participate in unit led Clinical Governance meetings as agreed within Clinical Leads – completion of
PSR audits as required.
3. As senior members of the Clinical Team, Consultant Psychiatrists within the company have a
managerial role and are encouraged to contribute, in theory and in practice, to service delivery at
all levels. The appointee will be expected to develop positive relationships with colleagues at all
levels and of all disciplines within the company; and also with referral agencies and other
professionals.
RESEARCH AND SERVICE EVALUATION
1. To work with colleagues from across the service to plan and implement systems for the evaluation,
monitoring and development of the service.
2. To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in
individual work, work with other team members and across the service.
3. To undertake appropriate research and provide research advice to other staff undertaking
research within the service
GENERAL
1. Danshell is an exciting and progressive company, which offers considerable opportunity for a
motivated, hard working clinician, with good people skills and an intention to provide high quality
care. We continue to develop specialist services, in Autism and other areas alongside our generic
services; and there is considerable opportunity for creative contribution to this process.
2. The appointee will be a registered medical practitioner, included on the Specialist Register of the
General Medical Council. They will be Approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act
(1983) (England) and be an Approved Clinician.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
This is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities and the post holder may be required to
undertake other duties which fall within the grade of the job, in discussion with the Group Medical
Director.
This job description will be reviewed regularly, in the light of changing service requirements and any such
changes will be discussed with the post holder.
The post holder is expected to comply with all relevant Danshell policies, procedures and guidelines,
including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety and Confidentiality of Information.