Job overview

This is a new consultant post created to provide medical leadership to Hammersmith & Fulham’s new Complex Psychosis Team, which brings together the existing Community Rehabilitation Service (CRS) and a new Assertive Outreach (AO) function under a single clinical and operational structure, each delivered as a distinct “arm” of one team with a single Service Manager. The post holder will hold overall medical responsibility for both arms, working closely with a 0.5 WTE Specialty (SAS) Doctor whose recruitment is running in parallel with this post.

Because the AO function is a new, NHS England–mandated service still in its mobilisation phase, this post carries a genuine and time-limited service development component: helping to finalise the tri-borough clinical model, establishing pathways and standard operating procedures, and shaping caseload and workforce arrangements as the service beds in. This is reflected explicitly in the job plan (Section 9)

Main duties of the job

·       Direct clinical care across the CRS and AO arms: new assessments, ongoing reviews, medication management, CTO reviews, and Mental Health Act assessments as required.

·       Assertive, community-based contact with the AO cohort, including home visits and joint visits with care co-ordinators, reflecting the AO model’s emphasis on engagement as a therapeutic intervention.

·       Weekly multidisciplinary team meeting for the Complex Psychosis Team (both arms), plus daily flagging/triage of urgent concerns.

·       Support to the team’s duty function for urgent risk and safeguarding concerns.

·       The post holder will be an Approved Clinician under the Mental Health Act and to hold Section 12 approval, consistent with the clinical responsibilities of this role.

·       No dedicated outpatient clinic ratio applies in the traditional sense; clinical contact is organised around MDT review clinics, home/community visits and duty cover, as set out in the job plan (Section 9). There are no inpatient beds or day-patient services attached to this post.

·       Be professionally accountable to the Clinical Director – H&F and the H&F Clinical Lead for Community Mental Health Services, and operationally accountable to the Clinical Director – H&F and the Service Manager for the Complex Psychosis Team.

·       Be a member of the H&F Medical Advisory Committee (MAC), contributing to operational and strategic matters and to discussion of major service developments.

Working for our organisation

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and   Hammersmith & Fulham).  We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.