Post details: / This substantive speciality doctor post is available from 19th August 2013; we will also consider applications for a locum period. Based at Scotland and Northern Ireland’s high secure special hospital, The State Hospital at Carstairs, you will work in very well resourced multi-disciplinary teams to deliver high quality care to our patients. The hospital is located in rural South Lanarkshire within easy access of Scotland’s central belt (Edinburgh and Glasgow). Our newly built hospital offers an excellent physical environment for patients, staff and visitors. In addition to day to day service commitments, there are excellent opportunities to develop interests in research, audit and psychological therapies. Other duties include participation in a quiet non-residential 1:6 on call rota with prospective cover. We offer a half day per fortnight of “time back” for participation on the on call rota; this can be combined with SPA time for professional development, for example, to gain experience in other areas of psychiatry, subject to agreement at job planning.
Experience/
Qualifications / This post would be suitable for applicants with previous experience of psychiatry of CT2 level and upwards, as outlined on the Scottish SMT website
Interested? / Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be made to Dr Ian Dewar 01555 842044 or Dr Fergus Douds on 01555 842045. The post is open primarily to applicants who do not require a work permit for employment within the UK. Applicants who do require a work permit will only be considered if no UK or EEA national is identified for the post. Further immigration information is available at
The recruitment package can be obtained by contacting Fiona Higgins on 01555 842084 or email
Closing
Date: / The closing date for the post is 9 August 2013
This post will also be advertised on SHOW
The StateHospital: Job Description for Specialty Doctor Appointment
The StateHospital, Carstairs
The StateHospital provides care under conditions of “special security” (high security) to psychiatric inpatients from Scotland and Northern Ireland. Prior to 2001, there were no medium secure services in Scotland or Northern Ireland and “special security” therefore encompassed high and medium secure care. This has changed in recent years. The “South-East of Scotland” provides medium secure care at the Orchard Clinic in Edinburgh, the “West of Scotland” at the Rowanbank Clinic in Glasgow and from January 2013, the Rohallion Clinic in Perth opened, covering the “North of Scotland”. There is also a medium secure unit near Belfast (the Shannon Clinic) providing care for Northern Ireland. Finally, irrespective of the availability of inpatient services, the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 introduced a right of appeal against “excessive security” to patients detained in high secure conditions.
The StateHospital was entirely rebuilt in 2011, providing 140 beds and brand new facilities for patients and staff. Only male patients are accommodated and they mainly suffer from mental illness, though there is a small population of patients with a learning disability. There is no female service and the very small number of female patients requiring high secure care are admitted to the National Women's Service at RamptonHospital, a high secure hospital near Nottingham in England.
The StateHospital’s buildings are bright, well designed and the wards are divided over four 35 bedded “hubs”. We have very well staffed, enthusiastic multidisciplinary teams, a full range of psychological therapies and on site occupational therapy, vocational and recreational resources. Given the secure nature of our service, we have a security department, excellent alarm systems and security procedures. All new staff undergo security induction upon arrival at the hospital.
Post Responsibilities
The Speciality Doctor will be working alongside 4 Specialty Trainees (“junior doctors”) and 1 other Specialty Doctor. Each is attached to two or three consultant psychiatrists and either one or two multidisciplinary teams. Most posts involve day to day responsibilities for the care of approximately 25 patients. We expect our junior medical staff to regularly attend and be available to their wards, to regularly attend the multidisciplinary team meetings and to maintain up to date records of patients’ formal reviews, case histories and so on. Given that our patients have significant (and sometimes high profile) forensic histories, we expect a high standard of written documentation of case reviews and therefore the reports you will write will be more detailed than you may be used to from other services. We know that it takes some time for new members of staff to get to grips with our paperwork systems and we will ensure you are offered guidance and support in this area so that you understand your responsibilities.
Our junior medical staff take part in a non-residential out of hours 1:6 on call rota. The rota is not busy but we expect on call doctors to be approachable and to have a low threshold for attending at the hospital (attendance is still exceptional). All out of hours non-psychiatric medical advice is sought from NHS 24 and does not involve the duty psychiatry trainee. The main tasks the duty psychiatrist undertakes are clerking in of new patients arriving after 5pm Monday to Friday, assessment and provision of advice regarding particularly hard to manage patients (e.g. requiring restraint or seclusion) and out of hours psychiatric prescriptions. We offer a half day per fortnight of “time back” for participation on the on call rota; this can be combined with SPA time for professional development, for example, to gain experience in other areas of psychiatry, subject to agreement at job planning. Previous Speciality Doctors have successfully gone on to do Higher training.
We prioritise training at The State Hospital. There is a weekly journal club / case presentation that all trainees are expected to take part in. We encourage our trainees to take advantage of other training experiences, for example, risk assessment training, and accompanying consultant colleagues on assessment visits to other hospitals or prisons. There is an excellent Education Centre on site, which has a wealth of texts and journals, mainly focussed upon forensic mental health services but including more generic core publications. All trainees have internet and email access from PCs in their offices.
Further information
Further information, including guidance on the hospital including directions can be found on our website on:
If you think you might be interested, please contact Dr Dewar’s secretary on: 01555-842044 or Dr Douds’ secretary on 01555-842045.
Dr Ian Dewar, Clinical Tutor, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
Dr Fergus Douds, Joint Associate Medical Director
SPECIALTY DOCTOR IN FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY
Thank you for expressing your interest in the above post, please find the following enclosures:
- Copy of original advert
- Job Description
- Criminal Records Office Enquiry Form
If you would like an informal discussion regarding the post, please contact Dr Ian Dewar 01555 842044 or Dr Fergus Douds on 01555 842045.
If, after reading this material, you wish to apply, please return a copy of your CV to or forward to the following address no later than 9 August 2013
Human Resources
The StateHospital
Carstairs
Lanark
ML11 8RP
Criminal Records Office Enquiry
Because of the nature of the job for which you are applying for is exempted from the provision of section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitations of offenders Act 1974 by virtue of the Rehabilitations of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975.
Applicants are therefore not entitled to withhold information about convictions of which for other purposes are “Spent” under provision of the Act in the event of employment.
This post is subject to a Criminal Records Office Enquiry and we would therefore ask you to complete the questions below. Any failure to disclose such convictions could result in dismissal or disciplinary action by The State Hospital. The information given will be completely confidential.
Have you had a conviction?Yes / No
If Yes:1. When did it take place?
2. What was the Charge?
The information given is true and complete. I understand that if any of the above details are found to be false, this may result in my dismissal.
Print name:______
Post:______
Signature:______
Date:______