SOUTH WESTERN DEANERY - South West Peninsula Deanery

POST:
TRAINER:
EMPLOYING TRUST:
Old Age Psychiatry
Dr Giles Richards
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
JOB DESCRIPTION: The placement in Old Age Psychiatry would be an excellent training opportunity. Dr
Richards has a great interest in teaching and experience at undergraduate and postgraduate training (Current
Training Programme Director for ST Training in Adult and Old Age Psychiatry). His clinical work is
comprehensive and varied and offers excellent preparation to be a Consultant. Dr Richards is involved in
current research (linked to DeNDRon research org) and audit. Any research undertaken by the SpR can be
supervised by himself or alternatively research-active members of the Mental Health Research Group at the
Peninsula Medical School.
Role of the Trainee: To assist in the provision of medical care to the inpatient and community service for
patients with a mental illness who have Complex Care needs or are suffering from dementia in the Caradon
area of Cornwall.
Facilities: There is a 20 bedded dementia assessment unit at Bodmin Hospital for patients from the East of the
county. Our functionally ill patients are admitted to Fletcher Ward, Bodmin Hospital, where we have a limited
number of beds on an adult inpatient ward. We average a total of 2-8 inpatients. The community team based
at Trevillis House comprises of 4.5 Community Psychiatric Nurses, 1 Occupational Therapist and 3 Health Care
Assistants. There is one CMHT meeting per week for review of referrals, allocation and discussion of clinical
issues and any business matters that affect the team. We also provide a Memory Clinic for the patients of
Caradon comprising a Staff Nurse, an Occupational Therapist, Health Care Assistant and psychology input. The
Memory Clinic recently achieved ‘Excellence’ in the MSNAP Accreditation process. The medical team is a
Consultant Psychiatrist and a shared SHO.
Population Served: We cover the population of ten GP practices in Caradon with an elderly population of
15,500. This is a rural farming area with a low income and poor transport facilities. The consultant carries out
the vast majority of assessments and follow up appointments in the patient’s home with the exception of the
weekly review of the Memory Clinic patients.
Number of Consultants for the Service: There is an overall elderly population of just of 120,000 which is
served by 10 Consultant Old Age Psychiatrists that are based throughout the county. We meet monthly as a
group to discuss clinical, education and business matters.
Opportunity for Teaching: Medical students from the Peninsula Medical School have clinical placements with
our team and feedback sessions. There are also regular internal team training days, teaching staff in the local
community hospitals and the SpR would be encouraged to be involved in the academic meetings for the junior
doctors, both in house and on the MRCPsych course in Exeter.
Opportunity for Research: Specialist Registrars will have the opportunity to develop their own research
project under supervision from an appropriate supervisor or joining an established research project. There is a
South West older person’s research group that meets regularly and currently the inpatient team are gaining
great experience in the use of alternative approaches in managing dementia, including aromatherapy, art and
drama.
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