We are looking for an enthusiastic, committed consultant psychiatrist to provide integrated care to older adults presenting with mental health needs in Bedford Hospital. The successful applicant will work effectively within a multidisciplinary team and collaborate closely with other teams and services both inside and outside the hospital.

Bedford Psychiatric Liaison Service is an established team providing 24/7 cover to the Emergency Department and inpatient wards of Bedford Hospital. The team has good working relationship with acute Trust colleagues and a particular advantage to patient care is that the teams office space is collocated in an integrated hub with the hospitals social workers, discharge planners and safeguarding team.

As an old age psychiatrist you will find a good network of collaborative colleagues who are passionate about the care of older people across both ELFT and Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust.

Your role will primarily involve providing clinical leadership in the care of older adults seen by the service but on some occasions service needs will require you to provide care and advice for working age adults.

At ELFT, and we are proud of our field leading Quality Improvement Programme and excellent leadership development support, which put improving care and developing staff at the core of what we do.

We work closely with the Institute of Health Improvement, and partner across the BLMK STP system to drive innovations in healthcare, and staff are actively encouraged to engage and lead transformation work.

Bedfordshire and Luton sit at the heart of the three counties in the rolling Chilterns, which have been designated an area of outstanding natural beauty. It is also an area of great social and cultural diversity bringing richness both to personal and professional life.

The area boasts a multitude of picturesque villages, and outstanding Ofsted rated state and independent schools, with St Albans, Hitchin and Berkhamsted, (Sunday Times Best Place to Live 2019), all a short distance away.

Bedfordshire and Luton are very well connected, with frequent direct trains to central London which can be reached in just over half an hour.
The M1 and M25 are easily accessible, and Luton Airport enables direct links to cities across mainland Europe, and beyond.

If you are looking to relocate when you join us, we can also offer you support with this.

We offer support to new consultant though our buddying scheme , enabling you access to practical and mentoring support when you need it.

We recognised the importance of work lifebalance and encourage flexible working. Talk to us about your needs and we can adjust your job plan to accommodate this.

ELFT is a teaching trust, with many opportunities to teach medical students from Cambridge University and supervise Core and Higher Trainees from East of England Deanery.

ELFT actively support academic and clinical clinicians with close links with WHO affiliated research centre the Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, part of Queen Mary and CLAHRC NIHR ARC research network. Colleagues with an interest in research are actively encouraged and supported to engage with this.

This post is advertised as 10 PA post. If you want to discuss alternative working arrangement please contact us. We welcome job-share application.

Contact details:

Dr Angharad Ruttley, Clinical Director, Crisis Care Services, Luton and Bedfordshire Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist East London Foundation Trust

I do not work Thursday pm

E.A. Makeda Crawlle-Wright

01525638539

Makeda.crawlle-wright@nhs.net

If you would like to visit the service or have an informal conversation please contact Dr Carol Wilson, Consultant Old age Liaison Psychiatrist or Dr Angharad Ruttley,  Clinical Director, Crisis Care Services through E.A Makeda Crawlle-Wright 01525638539.