Consultant Psychiatrist - Wantage Community Hospital

The Wantage AMHT is based at Wantage Community Hospital. The team serves adults aged 18 to 65 across a primarily urban and rural catchment area, and a population of approximately 32,000. The team receives around 230 referrals per year, with referral patterns evolving following the development of the PCMHT. The team holds a whole-team caseload of approximately 190 patients requiring longer-term treatment and coordinated multidisciplinary care. The consultant hold 3 clinics a week, with an approximate ratio of 5 follow ups to one new assessment. The consultant will see approximately 1 to 2 new assessment per week, 10-14 follow ups and hold a caseload of approximately 150-200 patients.

Wantage Team works with adults presenting with significant clinical complexity, including severe and enduring mental illness, complex risk presentations and needs requiring coordinated multidisciplinary input. The Consultant Psychiatrist will provide direct assessment and treatment, while also offering senior clinical oversight of the wider caseload through MDT discussion, care planning and complex case review. The post offers a varied clinical role, including typically one to two new assessments per week, follow-up clinics and complex reviews within a secondary care CMHT model.

Current team leadership: Vacant Consultant Psychiatrist post (0.8 FTE)Team Manager (1.0 FTE)

The Consultant Psychiatrist will work closely with the Team Manager to provide joined-up clinical and operational leadership, supporting collaborative local decision-making, effective MDT working and high-quality patient care.Consultants work part-time across the week, covering 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and provide senior leadership alongside the Operational Manager and non-medical Clinical Lead. AMHT staff are aligned as closely as possible to consultant catchment areas, specific geographical localities and GP surgeries, supporting continuity of care, familiarity with patients and strong links with Primary Care Networks.

AMHTs work closely with primary care, which remains the main source of referrals. Primary Care Hubs now receive most routine referrals, while AMHTs continue to triage appropriate referrals and allocate patients for assessment. Following assessment, the team may offer acute or longer-term treatment or support onward referral or signposting to other services and agencies where this best meets the persons needs.

Primary Care Mental Health Teams (PCMHT) have been developed in line with the Community Mental Health Framework and the NHS Long Term Plan for Mental Health, with the aim of providing timely, accessible care closer to home. This model places community mental health services at the centre of local communities, improves access to advice and support, and aligns with the Health on the High Street agenda by making services more visible and accessible in familiar community settings.

The PCMHT offer includes access to wider support services that help people maintain their mental health and wellbeing, including housing, benefits, drug and alcohol services, Citizens Advice, and health and wellbeing support. Based within Keystone Hubs, PCMHTs provide space for individual and group interventions and support access through self-referral. The Hubs are intended to be welcoming, non-stigmatised high street venues used by the public, community groups and people seeking mental health support.

We offer rewarding career development with protected SPA time as part of your job plan, encouraging you to take leadership courses to enhance your skills. We also offer a relocation allowance of up to £8,000 for external applicants (subject to eligibility criteria).

Oxford Health is a great place to work and to be able to showcase the best of yourself when making an application please read the "candidate guide to making an application" and ensure your supporting statement is tailored to the role you are applying for and addresses any essential criteria.

As a Trust we provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and Northeast Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: "Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our values are: "Caring, safe and excellent"

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

o Excellent opportunities for career progressiono Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and developmento 33 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 35 days with continuous serviceo NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailerso Competitive pension schemeo Lease car schemeo Cycle to work schemeo Employee Assistance Programmeo Mental Health First Aiderso Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists apply)o Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team

Qualifications

Knowledge and Experience

Desirable: - Experience of service development and introducing new services in mental health; - Experience of working at consultant level in an inpatient environment

Teaching

Desirable: - Medical education qualification

Research and Audit

Essential: - Audit or other quality improvement experience

Desirable: - Experience of grant-funded project work