NHS Borders – Job Information Pack
POSITION: Specialty Doctor in General Adult
Psychiatry – East Community Health Team
Scott’s View, Scottish Borders
Job Description and particulars for the post:
Specialty Doctor in General Adult Psychiatry – East Community
Health Team
Reference
Grade
Location
Hours / PA’s
Salary Scale
Closing Date
Your
Application
MED596
Please quote on all correspondence
Specialty Doctor in General Adult Psychiatry – East Community Health Team
Borders General Hospital
Part-time - 8 PAs
Specialty Doctor scale - £37,176 - £69,325 pro rata
Thank you for expressing an interest in the above post within NHS Borders. Please
find all the relevant information attached to begin the application process.
Should you require further information regarding this post you can contact the
Medical Staffing team or make informal enquiries with the department using the
contact details below.
To ensure we can process your application as easily as possible please complete all
the information required within the Application Pack and return with your full C.V.
Contact Details
Application
Process
Telephone
Email
01896 826167
Medical.staffing@borders.scot.nhs.uk
To apply please submit a copy of your Curriculum Vitae along with the completed
Application Pack (below), together with a daytime telephone number where you can
be contacted, to Medical Staffing, Borders General Hospital, Melrose TD6 9BS. Tel:
01896
826167.
Fax:
01896
826159
or
e-mail
to:
medical.staffing@borders.scot.nhs.uk.
If emailing your CV please telephone 01896 826167 to confirm safe receipt.
Interview Date:
Application Pack
MED596
Visits and
Enquiries
Informal visits can be arranged and informal enquiries regarding this post will be
welcomed by:-
Date post is
vacant
Dr C Sharp
Associate Medical Director
01896 827155 (secretary)
Dr B Switzer
Consultant Psychiatrist
01361 882162
The post is a replacement post vacant immediately and a start date will be agreed
with the successful candidate(s).
NHS Borders
Website
For further information regarding NHS Borders, please visit our website:www.nhsborders.org.uk
The Department
Description of East Community Mental Health Team
The Scottish Borders General Adult Psychiatry service provides specialist care for
people suffering from mental illness with associated needs and disabilities. The aim
of the service is to provide multidisciplinary assessment, care and treatment of those
with mental health problems who do not have a learning disability, and are aged 1869 years old.
The service currently consists of three multidisciplinary adult Community Mental
Health Teams with access to 19 inpatient beds at Huntlyburn House adjacent to the
Borders General Hospital in Melrose.
The East Community Team cares for people throughout eastern part of the Borders,
covering GP practices in Melrose, Duns, Newton St Boswells, Earlston, Greenlaw,
Eyemouth and Kelso.
The multi-disciplinary team consists of:1 wte Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Basel Switzer
1 wte GP Specialty Trainee
1 x Band 7 CPN, Team Manager
2 x CPN band 6
2 x CPN band 5
0.8 wte Support Worker
0.8 wte OT, band 5
1 wte MHO.
1.75 wte team secretaries
Close working with Clinical Psychologist and CAAP Therapist colleagues
Close working with Social Work Colleagues
The team accepts referrals from primary care services and assessments take place
either in the community or in in-patient setting.
POST INFORMATION
The Post
A permanent part-time Specialty Doctor post (8 PAs) has become available in the
Department of Psychiatry – east Borders Community Mental Health Team.
Reporting
Arrangements
Health and
Safety
This is a replacement post which is available immediately.
The Associate Medical Director (Dr Cliff Sharp) will agree your job plan on an annual
basis.
You are required to comply with NHS Borders Health and Safety Policies.
Training Grade
Medical Staff
You will share responsibility for the training and supervision of the Training Grade
Medical staff (Foundation Trainees, GPSTs and Specialty Registrars) and you will
be expected to devote time to this on a regular basis.
Medical Staff
Consultants (15)
Dr S Glen
Dr T McArdle
Dr D Dickson
Dr A Cotton
Dr B Switzer
Dr M. Kehoe
Dr M Hughes
(CAMHS)
(CAMHS)
(West CMHT)
(South CMHT)
(East CMHT)
(Addictions)
(Learning Disabilities)
Dr P Morris
Dr G Yellowlees
Dr I Swan
Dr C Sharp
(MHOAS)
(MHOAS)
(MHOAS)
(South CMHT & Assoc Med.
Dr J Smith
(Liaison psychiatry and Crisis
Director)
Team)
Dr R. Solomon
(Rehabilitation Service)
Dr J Sussman (Rehabilitation Service)
Dr G Skilling
(Forensic Psychiatry)
Associate Specialists Dr A McGhee (CAMHS)
Dr M Foreman (CAMHS)
Dr C Sirisena
(Learning Disability)
Dr F Sinclair
(Rehabilitation)
Specialty Doctors
Vacant Post
Dr Eimear O’Kane
Dr R Murray-Park
Dr Lucy Calvert
Specialist Registrars Dr A Cameron
(East Team)
(West Team)
(Inpatient Unit)
(MHOAS)
(CAMHS)
GP w Special Interest:
Dr J Forbes
(Addictions)
StRs/FY2:
6 in total, comprising 3 GP Specialty Trainees from
Borders rotation, 1 FY2 post and 2 Psychiatry
Specialty Trainees from South East Scotland Deanery
Duties






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To provide experienced medical and psychiatric input to the multidisciplinary
team which provides assessment, care and treatment of those with mental
illness.
To carry a caseload of appropriate patients under consultant supervision.
To give appropriate medical advice and guidance to nursing colleagues.
To assess patients referred to the service and make appropriate
recommendations.
To act as Approved Medical Practitioner within the remit of the Mental Health
and Incapacity Legislation (this would be desirable but not essential).
To participate in audit, critical incident reviews and the clinical governance
infrastructure, educational meetings, appraisal, Continuing Professional
Development and Revalidation.
To ensure appropriate documentation is completed.
Outline Job Plan
Days
Monday
Timing
Type of Work
CBT Peer Group and
Outpatients (alternate)
AM
Location
Melrose / Newton
Huntlyburn In-patients
(alternate)
Huntlyburn
CPD Activities
Various
Outpatients
Melrose / St Boswells /
Earlston
PM
Team Meeting
AM
Duns
Outpatient Liaison
Outpatients
Tuesday
PM
Duns
Psychology Monthly Meeting
Outpatients
Kelso
Outpatients
Kelso
AM
Clinical Admin
Duns
PM
Flexible Clinical Work / SPA
Duns
AM
Wednesday
PM
Thursday
Friday
Out of Hours oncall
Notes on Job Plan

This is a draft job plan – a final job plan will be agreed with the successful candidate.
General Description of Mental Health Services
NHS Borders Mental Health Services continue to develop following the closure of Dingleton Hospital in
April 2001. Care is now provided in smaller, more homely units and several wards have now been
relocated to the BGH campus - wards for Dementia Assessment and the Functionally-Ill elderly, with a
Dementia continuing care unit nearby. The Community Mental Health Team offices are currently located
in Duns with plans to relocate more centrally in conjunction with the West CMHT.
NHS Borders has invested in Mental Health to further develop its longstanding community services.
There are 10 Community Mental Health teams, with clinical leadership provided by 15 Consultant
Psychiatrists:



Mental Health for Older Adults (MHOAS)
(Over-70s)
East Community Mental Health Team (General Adult)
South Community Mental Health Team (General Adult)







West Community Mental Health Team (General Adult)
Community Rehabilitation Team
(Severe and Enduring Illness)
Borders Addiction Services (BAS)
(Alcohol & Substance Misuse)
Child & Adolescent Mental Health Team (Under-18s)
Liaison Psychiatry Team (includes elderly)
(Within the Borders General Hospital)
Borders Crisis Team (BCT)
(Emergency & Crisis Intervention)
Learning Disability Service
The Borders In-Patient Services
The Mental Health Service has developed its service from the Therapeutic Community principles
introduced by Dr. Maxwell Jones to Dingleton Hospital in the 1960’s, continuing to value open
communication, a flattened hierarchy and a high level of participation in planning and service
management. This has helped to maintain staff morale and ensure a high quality service even in times
of economic hardship. The philosophy is essentially that people respond to their maximum potential
when given the maximum appropriate involvement and responsibility. In this way we have been able not
only to help patients more, but also provide a stimulating and attractive environment for staff.
Medical staff contribute to the in-patient service through weekly assessment (ward round) meetings.
These draw together the assessment and care plan in collaboration with patients and carers, where
appropriate. Continuity of care is provided both by the care planning process and the fact that
community staff keep in direct contact with patients during their admission. This also enables a detailed
account of the person’s social context and supports to be communicated to ward staff and ensure early
and appropriate discharge plans.
Borders Community Mental Health Services
The Borders service places special emphasis upon its community psychiatric service. Some aims of this
are:





To assess and treat people in the environment of their choice.
To encourage referrals at an earlier stage, before a crisis arises.
To attempt to resolve emotional crises and illnesses as far as possible in the individuals own family
setting.
To ensure continuation of appropriate support in the community so that recurrence may be less likely.
To help the person alter their coping strategies, where necessary, to help maximise social
functioning.
To identify those for whom in-patient treatment is required.
Psychiatric services attempt to broaden Mental Health Education by increasing liaison with others,
whether within the Health Service, (such as General Practitioners, Practice Nurses, Health Visitors and
District Nurses), or in partner agencies such as Social Work, with Support Workers and the Voluntary
sector. To this end we meet with many of these groups.
Community Teams may assess referrals in their own homes, in Primary care facilities or Community
team bases, with therapeutic work carried out on a multi-disciplinary basis.
An important element of the multi-disciplinary approach is the mutual learning and skill-sharing between
medical and non-medical members of the team. Patients who are referred to the team are, often
together with their relatives, where possible, seen by two members of the Community Team.
For first referrals one of these members is usually a psychiatrist, undertake complex assessment,
diagnosis and formulation of a treatment plan. While the doctor may continue to be involved, appropriate
patients may have continuing treatment and support from non-medical members of the Team.
Continuing Professional Development
The post holder will be entitled to study leave of up to 30 days in any period of 3 years. There is an
excellent library on the Borders General Hospital campus which is close to the Huntlyburn Acute Unit.
The librarian is able to supply the usual services including inter-library loans. Access to on-line
databases and internet is available.
The post holder will be expected to keep up to date via the Continuing Professional Development
programme and contribute to the weekly journal club/case conference programme within the hospital.
She/he will be provided with professional development advice by Dr. Sharp, Associate Medical Director
who provides this advice to the service’s Specialty Doctors.
The Scottish Borders
The Hospital is situated on the outskirts of Melrose in the Scottish Borders. The Borders covers a large
and scenically beautiful area of the Southern Uplands of Scotland. Predominately rural, it is historically a
unique part of the country, the home of the Border Reivers, where annually each town in the Borders
maintain its links with the past during the season of Common Ridings. Seven-a-side rugby originated in
Melrose, and the Melrose event in particular draws large crowds each year. The Borders has
tremendous facilities for sport and leisure. Glentress and Innerleithen mountain bike parks are world
renowned for both cross country and down hill biking. The beautiful Berwickshire coast provides options
for sea kayaking, surfing, diving and sea fishing. In addition there are facilities for fishing, golf, swimming,
horse riding, cricket, football, hiking and many other activities. The Borders has excellent cultural
opportunities in terms of music and art societies, drama, and small theatres in Melrose and Selkirk as
well as amateur opera. There are excellent restaurants, cinemas and shops. The Hospital also has
corporate membership of an excellent Fitness Centre in Galashiels. There is a purpose built nursery in
the grounds of the hospital for hospital employees’ children.
The Scottish Borders offers all the benefits of rural life with very easy access to major cities such as
Edinburgh (37 miles) Glasgow (75 miles) Newcastle (75 miles). Edinburgh is renowned for its cultural
activities in music, including opera and ballet, theatre, cinemas (including a film theatre) and visual arts,
and of course every year there is the world famous Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe Festival.
Glasgow also runs an annual festival in the early summer.
There are rail links to the rest of the country at Berwick Upon Tweed, and Carlisle and there is easy
access to Edinburgh Airport (approximately 1 hour 15 minutes) and Newcastle Airport (approximately 1
hour 30 minutes). The reopening of the Waverly line, Edinburgh Waverly Station – Tweedbank Station
terminus (1 mile from BGH) railway line is expected by the end of 2014.
House prices in the Borders Region are significantly less than in major cities and also less than many
other rural parts of the country, particularly in the south. As part of our policy there is assistance with
temporary housing costs and relocation allowances for the successful applicant.
Please see Websites:
Scottish Borders Tourist Board Southern Reporter NHS Borders –
www.scot-borders.co.uk
www.borderstoday.co.uk
http://www.nhsborders.
Person Specification
Requirements
Essential
Desirable
– MRCPsych
Qualifications
Primary Medical Degree
MBBS or equivalent.
Training and Experience
Full GMC registration with
license to practice
Minimum of 3 years experience
in psychiatry, at trainee level (or
equivalent).
Approved
Medical
Practitioner status
Experience in General Adult
psychiatry.
Teaching experience e.g.
Sufficient experience to exercise junior doctors / other
an intermediate level of clinical healthcare professionals.
responsibility.
Continuing medical education
record.
Management Skills
Good time management.
Research/
Publications
Ability to work in a team
Experience of preparation and
presentation of audit.
Appreciation
management
Computer / IT literate
of
risk
Enthusiasm to be involved in
Audit and Research &
Development
Personal Attributes
Able to work in a team with
colleagues in own and other
disciplines
Good
communicator
verbally and in writing.
both
Sound communication skills with
patients, relatives and
colleagues throughout primary
and secondary care.
Able to organise time efficiently
and effectively
Effective interpersonal skills
Demonstrable ability to relate to
and work within a team
Other
Satisfy EU Immigration / Work
Permit Regulations.
Ability to travel independently.
Satisfactory pre-employment
health screening including
Full driving licence
Hepatitis B immune status.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Main Conditions of Service
The Terms and Conditions of Service are the Specialty Doctor Terms and Conditions of
Service (2008). Copies of these terms & conditions are available in the Human Resources
Department, Borders General Hospital .
Salary Scale:
£37,176 - £69,325 p.a. pro rata.
Placement on the incremental scale depends on previous experience.
Annual Leave:
5 weeks for first 2 years of completed service in this grade (unless entitled to 6 weeks’ leave
in your current regular post in which case you will retain this entitlement).
Public Holidays:
10 days entitlement per annum pro rata
Notice
The appointment would be subject to 3 months notice on either side.
Removal Expenses:
Assistance with removal expenses, etc. may be reimbursed in accordance with the NHS
Borders Policy.
Superannuation:
A NHS (Scotland) Superannuation Scheme is available unless you wish to opt out in favour
of some other arrangement.
No Smoking
NHS Borders operates a No Smoking Policy. It is a condition of your employment that you
must not smoke whilst you are on duty. Failure to observe this rule could result in
disciplinary action. When selecting new staff, NHS Borders does not discriminate against
applicants who smoke but applicants who accept an offer of employment will, in doing so,
agree to observe the policy and the legal requirements on smoking in public places.
Equal Opportunities
The Equal Opportunities Policy affirms that all employees should be offered equal
opportunities in employment, irrespective of their age, gender, marital status, race, religion,
creed, sexual orientation, colour or disability.