StR/ SpR POST DETAILS 2009-2010

DETAILS OF PLACEMENT:

The liaison service”Psychological Medicine Service” is funded to provide out-patient care for those patients with physical health difficulties. Although the service is open to all physicianly specialties, the bulk of the referrals come from:
Rheumatology
Oncology
Palliative Care
Gastroenterology
Breast Surgery
The job is purely out-patient based, and there is also opportunity to work in the local ICATS service (for musculoskeletal issues i.e. chronic pain).

EXPERIENCE WILL THE TRAINEE GAIN / DUTIES:

Out-patient clinics, the number of which will vary according to your own educational needs. There is the occasional ward referral, but this isn’t a formal part of your job description.

There are regular team meetings, and a weekly consultant meeting which you are encouraged to attend.

There is no ST1-3 or foundation doctor in the team.

ON CALL COMMITMENT:

There are currently only 2 middle grades in Oldham, so you essentially slot yourself into the consultant rota as an extra tier, at a frequency of 1 in 8.

This is a 1b rota.

The on-calls like many places are very variable. There is a dedicated 136 suite out with the A&E Department.

TEACHING / ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE:

There is plenty of opportunity to get involved in teaching Foundation Doctors from the Acute trust. You can lead the teaching programme in psychiatry for all Oldham FY doctors. There are weekly teaching sessions on Wednesday lunchtimes for the psychiatry trainees, where you can probably organise to teach the ST trainees.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES:

There is data on quality of services collected routinely by the liaison service which you could have access to in order to analyse this.

There is lots of encouragement to pursue research.

MANAGEMENT TRAINING:

The trust has generally been supportive of people wanting to get involved in management, and is receptive to juniors wanting to get involved in trust-level projects.

You can sit on the Local Negotiating Committee (LNC).

PROBABLE TRAINEE TIMETABLE:

IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

Dr Sarah Burlinson works part-time.

It is possible to gain an endorsement in Liaison Psychiatry from this post.

The team is small, but incredibly supportive and friendly.

There is lots of support to ensure that you are on track to achieve your educational objectives.

You are essentially supernumerary in this post, and so there is lots of flexibility in your timetable.