Consultant Psychiatrist in Older Adults (Watford)

Job summary

We are seeking a Consultant in Older Adult Psychiatry.

Watford General Hospital is a 650-bedded district general hospital, mainly serving the needs of the Hertfordshire population, although patients can also come from North West London, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. It has a busy Accident and Emergency Department as it is the only A&E in West Hertfordshire.

As a Consultant Older Adult Liaison Psychiatrist working alongside a Consultant General Adult Liaison Psychiatrist, the post holder will provide clinical leadership to a well-established multidisciplinary Liaison Psychiatry Team.

The Watford Mental Health Liaison team is a multidisciplinary team. The team is commissioned to operate as a 24/7 service. The service receives referrals for any patients 18 and over presenting with mental health difficulties who have been admitted to Watford General Hospital or who are attending the Emergency Department at Watford General Hospital. The team currently receives an average of 275 individual referrals per month, with the majority (70 %) of referrals coming from the Emergency Department (ED) and the remainder (30 %) coming from the inpatient wards. The referrals include service users of both Working Age and also Older Adults.

Main duties of the job

• Providing Clinical Leadership and supervision to other members of the team and to the multi-disciplinary team. Also provide cross cover for the General Adult Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist.
• Providing expert clinical input (including clinical assessment) for patients with complex presentations. They will assess and review patients in the A&E department and wards and provide psychiatric expertise for complex cases, working with clinical staff in the Acute Trust to improve patient care and outcomes. The post holder will contribute to an ad hoc outpatient follow-up clinic where patients assessed by the Mental Health Liaison team and discharged home can be brought back for joint geriatrics review under delirium pathway (Ambulatory care)
• Regular review of service users waiting for MH admission to ensure review of changing needs and implement appropriate changes to management plan to offer least restrictive treatment options.
• Providing clinical leadership to daily referrals meetings and board round. The post holder will attend multidisciplinary professionals’ meetings and other multiagency meetings with clinical partners providing acute physical healthcare to provide an integrated approach. There is opportunity to develop specialised clinics in conjunction with other teams and provide input to focused initiatives E.g.: High Intensity User Support Teams.

Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification.
• MRCPsych OR MRCPsych equivalent approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Desirable

• Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management.
• Relevant higher degree, e.g. MD, PhD, MSc or other additional clinical qualifications.

ELIGIBILITY

Essential

• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment.
• CCT in Old Age Psychiatry; OR Inclusion on the GMC Specialist Register in psychiatry; OR within six months of achieving CCT/CESR at the time of interview.

Desirable

• In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice.
• Section 12/Approved clinician approval.
• Liaison Endorsement

CLINICAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Experience of the full range of clinical responsibilities expected of a consultant in Older Adults Liaison psychiatry.
• Experience of close collaborative working with social care and other agencies.
• Experience of working with service users who have complex needs within Liaison and Older Adult psychiatry.
• Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wide medical knowledge.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Able to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty.
• Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others.

Desirable

• Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service.
• Excellent degree of medical knowledge in relation to Older adult population

ACADEMIC SKILLS LIFELONG LEARNING

Essential

• Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training.
• Participated in continuous professional development.
• Participated in research or service evaluation.
• Able to use and appraise clinical evidence.
• Has actively participated in clinical audit.

Desirable

• Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post.
• Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken.
• Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation.
• Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications.
• Has led clinical audits leading to service change.
• Experience of organising and overseeing psychotherapy training program for psychiatry trainees.
• Holds a full valid driving license and access to a car (Unless you have a disability as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995).

Closing Date: 4 August 2026