SOUTH WESTERN DEANERY - South West Peninsula Deanery

POST:
TRAINER:
RESEARCH INTERESTS:
EMPLOYING TRUST:
Adult and Community Psychiatry, Exeter
Dr Sean Lynch
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Somatoform Disorders
Devon Partnership NHS Trust
JOB DESCRIPTION: This post offers experience in assertive outreach approaches (including outreach with the
homeless mentally ill) or community psychiatry.
The community psychiatry component (general adult psychiatry) is based in Exeter and involves the Recovery
and Independent Living Team (formerly CMHT) with opportunities for new patient reviews, community and
hospital reviews (with the team). The service operates within a ‘New Ways of Working’ model, with reviews
being largely planned jointly with care co-ordinators and other staff on the team. The team also receives new
patient referrals (triaged by the Wellbeing and Access team). About 45-50,000 adults of working age in Exeter
are covered by this part of the Recovery and Independent Living Team. The team is multidisciplinary with
nursing, social work, occupational therapy and recovery/support workers. Dr Saluja (consultant psychiatrist)
and Dr Pieczora (Associate Specialist) and a core trainee at CT2 level, work alongside the trainer, covering the
remaining areas of the Recovery and Independent Living Team. Cross-cover arrangements are well-established
between medical staff (it is anticipated that an additional core training post will be allocated to the service in
February 2010).
The Wellbeing and Access service, a new service with a primary care liaison function and which co-ordinates
and triages referrals and assessments, has been developed. This is multidisciplinary and based in Exeter. It has
close relationships with primary care services and can offer brief working and also assessment of referrals. This
might also offer training opportunities of interest to specialty trainees.
The Assertive Outreach component is based in Mid-Devon with the AOT base being in Crediton. This is a rural
area and offers experience of this model of assertive outreach. The team consists of nursing and occupational
therapy disciplines. This is a wide geographical area with two major clinical bases at Hillbank in Crediton and
Silverlea at Tiverton. It has a caseload of about 39 patients, three care co-ordinators and a support worker.
Care is delivered by a team-based approach. Regular clinical review meetings are held as well as planning and
feedback meetings as per the Policy Implementation Guidelines for AOT services.
The Outreach service for the homeless mentally ill of Exeter is based at the Clocktower Surgery in Exeter. The
mental health workers in the service consist of two CPN’s and a social worker. The service links closely and
seamlessly with the primary care team for the homeless and SHOT team (housing and accommodation
outreach and support). About 70 patients are on the caseload of the mental health workers who have complex
needs and co-morbidities in addition to severe mental illness. Due to their complex needs liaison with the
Exeter AOT and ENDAS/EDP (alcohol and substance use services) frequently occurs. The service offers
experience of outreach approaches for this patient group within in an inner urban area and of multi-agency
working. There are regular Clinical Team / Review meetings and the team is moving towards a team-based
model of working for more complex clients.
Additional training opportunities include the special interest of the trainer in chronic fatigue syndrome and
related disorders. The trainer has a wide range of interests and experience in medical education and research
and can offer supervision opportunities in these areas.
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