Locum Consultant General Adult Psychiatrist North Cork Mental Health Services, St. Stephen'S Hospital

Purpose of the Post To provide a consultant medical service in General Adult Psychiatry in North Cork Mental Health Services.
The post involves providing Consultant leadership to the Kanturk sector team and provision of Consultant care to continuing care patients in St Stephen's Hospital and Mount Alvernia Hospital.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities a) To participate in development of and undertake all duties and functions pertinent to the Consultant's area of competence, as set out within the Clinical Directorate Service Plan and in line with policies as specified by the Employer.

b) To ensure that duties and functions are undertaken in a manner that minimises delays for patients and possible disruption of services.

c) To work within the framework of the hospital / agency's service plan and/or levels of service (volume, types etc.) as determined by the Employer.
Service planning for individual clinical services will be progressed through the Clinical Directorate structure or other arrangements as apply.

d) To co-operate with the expeditious implementation of the Disciplinary Procedure.

e) To formally review the execution of the Clinical Directorate Service Plan with the Executive Clinical Director / Employer periodically.
The Clinical Directorate Service Plan shall be reviewed periodically at the request of the Consultant or Clinical Director / Employer.
The Consultant may initially seek internal review of the determinations of the Executive Clinical Director regarding the Service Plan.

f) To participate in the development and operation of the Clinical Directorate structure and in such management or representative structures as are in place or being developed.
The Consultant shall receive training and support to enable him/her to participate fully in such structures.

g) To provide, as appropriate, consultation in the Consultant's area of designated expertise in respect of patients of other Consultants at their request.

h) To ensure in consultation with the Executive Clinical Director/nominated clinical director that appropriate medical cover is available at all times having due regard to the implementation of the European Working Time Directive as it relates to doctors in training.

i) To supervise and be responsible for diagnosis, treatment and care provided by non-Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) treating patients under the Consultant's care.

j) To participate as a right and obligation in selection processes for non-Consultant Hospital Doctors and other staff as appropriate.
The Employer will provide training as required.
The Employer shall ensure that a Consultant representative of the relevant specialty / sub-specialty is involved in the selection process.

k) To participate in clinical audit and proactive risk management and facilitate production of all data/information required for same in accordance with regulatory, statutory and corporate policies and procedures.

l) To participate in and facilitate production of all data/information required to validate delivery of duties and functions and inform planning and management of service delivery.

m) To carry out teaching as appropriate.

Clinical: · To practice as a consultant general adult psychiatrist in North Cork Mental Health Services under the Contract for Consultants on the Public Only Consultant Contract 2023 by the HSE:

(a) To attend at the facilities of North Cork Mental Health Services and associated services with a commitment to the regular provision of services at such times as may be determined by the executive clinical Director/chief officer or other designated officer, and in emergencies as required and to remain in attendance thereat as long as his/her services are required

(b) To attend at any clinic or site maintained by the Health Service Executive – South within the group catchment as appropriate and to provide either thereat or in the appropriate hospital such diagnostic, treatment or consultation service as may be appropriate.

(c) To attend as consultant general adult psychiatrist as and when required in any hospital or institution managed by the HSE South.

(d) To ensure compliance with all aspects of the Mental Health Act 2001.

· To be responsible for the care and treatment of patients in his/her clinical charge and to ensure mechanisms for the co-ordination of the care with the multidisciplinary team and between the team and other health and social care agencies are established and maintained.

· To provide a diagnostic treatment or consultation service as may be appropriate for or in respect of patients for whom the HSE is obliged under any enactment to provide.
To develop and provide special clinics and associated services for identified patients.

· To arrange for the discharge of all patients in his/her clinical charge for whom treatment, in his/her opinion, is no longer required.
To ensure that discharge plans and post discharge care arrangements are in place prior to discharge.

· To keep such records as may be required from time to time by the HSE.

· To examine, assess, report and provide advice on every person referred to him/her if appropriate.

· To furnish on request to any registered medical practitioner authorized by the HSE or the Minister, the clinical details regarding any person who is or who has been under his/her care, on production of the written consent of the person or the written consent of the person's representative or next of kin.
Whenever the Minister is of the opinion, however, that it would not be in the interests of the common good to seek such consent and he/she certifies accordingly, the officer shall furnish all required information to a registered medical practitioner authorised by the Minister.
Where, however, the officer is of the opinion that the nature of the case is such that he/she should inform the patient of the requirement of the Minister, he/she then shall be at liberty to do so.
It is not however intended that this requirement will operate in a manner, which would detract from the patient's character or reputation.

· To examine, as appropriate, any person referred to him/her by the chief officer or other designated officer of the HSE for examination and report and furnish to the HSE a full report of his /her findings on such examination, unless the person referred informs the officer that he/ she objects to such report, in which event the officer shall notify the HSE.

· To issue, as appropriate, or arrange for the issue of, to or in respect of any patient under his /her care in the hospital or referred to him /her at a clinic and without payment by or on behalf of the HSE, any certificate/s which might reasonably be required by such patient regard to the state of his/ her health in connection with his /her normal employment, his/ her entitlement to benefit under the scheme of social insurance or assistance.

· To supervise and be responsible for the clinical work and record keeping of non-consultant hospital doctors and as appropriate other staff attached to his/her department in the hospital and to instruct them in the proper performance of their duties.

· To request that adequate and appropriate supplies of such drugs, medicines, medical and surgical appliances as he/she considers necessary, will be available in his/her department of the hospital.

· To report to the HSE, arrangements for the custody of dangerous drugs etc., which he/she considers to be unsatisfactory.

· To be responsible, under the executive clinical director, for the general management and running of hospital and community based departments or any such other psychiatric services operated by the HSE as may be assigned to him/her and to attend and be responsible for the care and treatment of patients concerned in such assignment.

· To take a special interest in and be responsible, as appropriate, under the person in charge, for the general organisation of such aspects of the Mental Health Services of the HSE as may be assigned to him/her.

· To be responsible for the maintenance of appropriate liaison arrangements between his/her department in the hospital or community services and the patients normal medical attendant.

· To participate in a system of professional practice review to support the maintenance of service quality and standards.
To actively participate in and promote continuing education and review activities consistent with the position, and maintain a programme of continuing professional development applicable to the responsibilities of the post.
To establish and develop, as appropriate, multidisciplinary risk management/audit and review committees within the allocated area of responsibility and/or as requested by the management of the psychiatric services.

Organisational:

· To work with the HSE; heads of services, executive clinical director and supporting structures, hospital managers and director of nursing, medical and surgical staff of the hospital/community services in all matters pertaining to their general efficiency.

· To participate in structured arrangements for the determination of resource provision and utilisation, service planning and evaluation and performance review appropriate to North Cork Mental Health Services.

· To allow a minimum of 32 hours per week for clinical activity (inpatient care; outpatient clinics and consultation services as required)

· To participate in the on-call rota as required.
To deputise and supply cross-cover as appropriate for his/her colleagues in the event of service exigencies in agreement with the executive clinical director and management of the service.

· To agree with his/her executive clinical director, the consultant colleagues to assume clinical responsibility for his/her patients during his/her absence and document same.
He/she shall agree with the executive clinical director, prior to taking leave, which members of medical staff will be on-call and available during that time.

· To undertake referral meetings, case reviews as appropriate.

· To write letters and communications to general practitioners and other professionals as appropriate.

· To participate in various medical staff meetings within the HSE- South as appropriate.

· To provide lectures/training as appropriate and as required in the Hospital and Clinical Service areas for medical, nursing and other staff or students.

· To perform duties in occasional emergencies and unforeseen circumstances on consultation with senior and junior colleagues.

· To assist in the development of best practice protocols in line with emerging research and best practice.

· To provide advice, support and consultancy in a variety of settings to minimise risk.

· To participate in activities such as: clinical practice; risk management; health and safety; financial; administration and HR.

· To participate in regular audit and quality assurance programmes to improve and maintain high standards of service.

· To participate in clinical audit, clinical governance and strategic planning.

· To contribute to or conduct research in clinical or service areas pertinent to the service and their own relevant experience.

· To comply with reporting requirements and system developments e.g.
Mental Health Commission etc and to provide data / activity as required for performance monitoring processes in the HSE- South.

· To ensure compliance with all HSE national and local policies and procedures as appropriate.

· To notify the appropriate officer of any case of infectious or suspected infectious disease in his / her Department and to furnish such particulars as may be required in each case and to carry out the preventative measure that may be necessary.

· To reside at such centre as approved by the Chief Officer, Community Healthcare Organisation, Cork & Kerry.

· The person appointed will hold office under the terms and conditions of the revised consultant's contract, which will determine that he /she will participate actively in the management of the unit, appropriate, take cognisance, as appropriate, of resource constraints and retain clinical autonomy while practising.

· To work with a multidisciplinary team, as appropriate, providing assessment and therapeutic services and to have special administrative responsibility if required for the Service.

· The person appointed will take an active role in the selection and recruitment of staff where required.

· To be responsible for the maintenance of appropriate liaison arrangements between his / her unit and the patients normal medical attendants.

· The person appointed to the office is a mandated person under the Children First Act 2015.
As a mandated person under the Act, you have a statutory duty to report child protection concerns to Tusla-Child and Family Agency and provide mandated assistance when requested.

· To prepare clinical and court reports pursuant to Section 25 of the Mental Health Act 2001.

· To ensure that current Health and Safety Legislation is complied with in consultation with the Executive Clinical Director, Director of Nursing and other responsible persons.

· To participate and ensure, as appropriate, that junior medical staff participate in regular health and safety exercise e.g.
fire drill.

· To perform such other duties as appropriate to his/ her office as may be assigned to him / her by the Head of Mental Health Services Cork & Kerry / Area Manager / Executive Clinical Director or other designated officer.

Teaching:

To undertake undergraduate and postgraduate medical teaching duties. To provide lectures for students and health care staff. · Training/Professional Development

The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.