SpR post details (August 2012 - July 2013)

Name of Supervisor: Dr Simon Sandhu
Location of the post: Heathfield House, Stockport and Prospect Place, Birch Hill Hospital, Rochdale. Pennine Care NHS Trust.
Telephone numbers: 0161 716 4300

1. DETAILS OF PLACEMENT (LOCATION, POPULATION, INPATIENT OR OUTPATIENT, BEDS)
The Low Secure Unit (Prospect Place, Birch Hill Hospital, Rochdale) offers a psychiatric rehabilitation service for 44 male patients. Heathfield House is a refurbished step-down community rehabilitation unit in Stockport offering relational security for up to 22 males (including 3 step-down studio flats). There is a strong emphasis on multidisciplinary working, psychosocial intervention, social inclusion and the recovery model on both units. Dr Sandhu’s team is responsible for 6 patients at Prospect Place and 12 patients at Heathfield House. Trainees can apply for Rehabilitation endorsement if they complete a year in post.

Core Placement: No
Endorsements: Endorsement in Rehabilitation Psychiatry
Supervisor: Full time

2. DETAILS OF ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPERIENCE TRAINEE WILL GAIN
Review and management of patients with severe mental illness on a Low Secure Unit in Rochdale and an intensive rehabilitation unit (Heathfield House) in Stockport. Attendance at multidisciplinary review meetings, and CPA planning meetings. Managing several of the patients as acting Responsible Clinician (under supervision), learning to lead the MDT and supervise the junior doctors, under consultant supervision. Visiting and assessing referrals from various sources in the NW Region, including acute wards, MSU’s, Special Hospitals, district general hospitals, prisons and units in the independent sector. Writing reports for and attending managers’ appeals and The Tribunals Service (Mental Health) on those patients for whom the ST has a special responsibility, under consultant supervision. Liaison with the Ministry of Justice with regard to restricted patients. Learning the principles of risk assessment and risk management. Learning the principles of rehabilitation, and to manage patients with severe and often intractable mental illnesses. Liaison with other services in the community. Learning to assess the needs of patients prior to discharge and to assess the appropriateness of proposed accommodation and treatment packages.

3. JUNIOR DOCTOR SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION
Supervision to a core trainee based at Prospect Place. Supervision to Junior doctors whilst on-call.

4. ON CALL COMMITMENT AND PAY BANDING
1 in 9 on Birch Hill Hospital rota as middle grade. Supervised by on-call consultant and to provide supervision to Junior Doctors and other members of the MDT. Responsible for undertaking assessments where senior advice is required, including in Police Cells, A+E (Rochdale patients) and in the community
Banding: 1B

5. TEACHING / SUPERVISION / ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
Involvement in teaching programme for junior doctors in at Birch Hill Hospital including case conferences, journal clubs and seminars. Participation in induction course for junior doctors. Opportunities for teaching non-medical staff.
Dr Sandhu provides weekly formal supervision for one hour but there are numerous opportunities for additional supervision including clinical supervision. The formal supervision follows the learning objectives set and provides opportunities for career advice and support around non-clinical issues. There is specific supervision available from other disciplines depending on the trainees interests.

6. AUDIT / RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
The directorate has numerous ongoing audits and is supported by the Trust’s Audit Department who will analyse data and produce reports. We have a dedicated governance manager who will also support audit and clinical effectiveness. The trainee is encouraged to make full use of their Research and Special Interest sessions.

7. MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE
Dr Sandhu is the Lead Consultant for the Rehabilitation & High Support Directorate in Pennine Care and this allows the trainee to be involved in Trust Level Management. The ST will be encouraged to take on management responsibilities (under consultant supervision) for a specific management project which should be completed within the time frame that the Trainee is in post. This could include developing policy or protocols, depending on the interest of the ST.

8. ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE AVAILABLE
This post provides an excellent opportunity to learn about the functioning of the NHS as a wider organisation as the Directorate has close working relationships with 8 Primary Care Trusts and with the North West Specialised Commissioning Team. The ST can attend numerous Service Level Agreement Meetings to learn about managing contracts and how to effectively deal with commissioners. There is exposure to working with performance indicators and outcomes based commissioning.

9. IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL DETAILS (FACILITIES etc)
The ST will have access to an office, both at Prospect Place and Heathfield House, equipped with a networked PC, telephone, printer and filing space. There is also access to a laptop and projector at request. Both sites have free car parking. There is full time secretarial support. A mobile phone will be provided for work use only. Both units have enhanced security features such as personal attack alarms and Royal College of Psychiatrists’ standard interview facilities.

PROBABLE TRAINEE TIMETABLE (FIXED DUTIES ARE IN BOLD):