psychiatrynorthwest - specialist registrar training in general adult psychiatry in the north west of england
   
 
Dr Richard Porter, Consultant Psychiatrist. Click here to enlarge photograph.

  
Dr Richard Porter

John Elliott Unit
Birch Hill Hospital
Rochdale
OL12 9QB

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StR/ SpR POST DETAILS 2009-2010

DETAILS OF PLACEMENT:

Working age psychiatry. Currently this is a sectorised service with both in and out-patients.
We liaise with CMHT, Early Intervention & Crisis Resolution & Home Treatment staff (but Assertive Outreach is separate).
It is likely that “New Ways of Working” will be implemented in spring 2010 and that I and the StR will then have a mainly in-patient role. But the StR’s role will have some flexibility so as to continue to be a core training post with a good range of experience.

ST 1-3 trainee and FY2 doctor are linked to the team.

DUTIES OF TRAINEE AND EXPERIENCE GAINED:

New and follow-up out-patients; and our team typically has about 7 in-patients (numbers vary eg: 4-10).
Liaison with multi-disciplinary teams and opportunities to lead in meetings. Section appeals, report-writing and some MHA assessments of patients in our own sector.
Opportunities to supervise our juniors (we have both a FY2 and a ST doctor).
Occasional medical/surgical ward liaison.

ON CALL COMMITMENT:

1 in 8 as non-resident “2nd-on-call”, with consultant available as 3rd on-call. Band 1B.
Compensatory rest days meet EWTD requirements.
Being on call gives additional opportunities for MHA assessment; but on some on-call sessions there are no call-outs or sections; how busy it is is variable.

TEACHING / ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE:

Medical student teaching is episodic; individual students from Manchester have optional attachments here.
Besides our own FY2 and ST Dr, the department has several other juniors. StR’s take an active role in facilitating/chairing our Wednesday afternoon case conferences, journal clubs, interview skills training & Balint-type sessions, and do educational sessions in the twice-yearly induction programme for SHO’s.
StR’s can also do a presentation at a joint session with Rochdale physicians.

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES:

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust has recently started a research department and interested StRs could get in touch with the department.

MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE:

Regular involvement in Wednesday lunchtime consultants’ meeting (and sometimes chair it).
Opportunities to attend local management meetings (eg: Acute Services Improvement Group) and perhaps take on small tasks/projects; also can attend some Trust or Division (North half of Trust) meetings. Some SpRs have shadowed a trust board member.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE AVAILABLE:

RP the trainer is a CASC (previously OSCE) MRCPsych examiner, and previous SpRs have arranged OSCE practice for the SHOs. The current three StRs at Birch Hill put on a CASC practice in October 09 which was greatly appreciated by the STs.

Special interest: StRs have generally spent their special interest day away from Birch Hill.
At the Birch Hill site there is the opportunity to develop special interest sessions with the Crisis Resolution & Home Treatment Team.

PROBABLE TRAINEE TIMETABLE:

 
Example of Trainee's Timetable
AM
PM
MON
Supervision of ST/FY2 who has a new out-patient

 

TUE
9.30
In-patient ward round
(fixed)

3.30
Supervision
WED

Follow-up out-patients (typically
3 to 6 patients)

12.45
Consultants’ Meeting
(fixed)

2.00
On-site training
(fixed)

THU
New out-patient
FRI
Special interest/Research
Special interest/Research

NOTE: Out-patient sessions and the special interest day can be rearranged flexibly. The ward round, consultants’ meeting and on-site training, though desirable, are not essential for the whole year.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

No endorsements.
This is a core training post