Job Introduction

Part Time: 22.2 Hours Per Week / 3 Days Per Week

We are looking for a part-time (0.6 full-time equivalent) Speciality Doctor, Psychiatrist or GP to work in our community substance use service in City & Hackney.  We support flexible working.  Turning Point, working in partnership with MIND and Antidote to support City and Hackney residents who are concerned about their drug and alcohol use. The service works across each of City & Hackney’s neighbourhoods in order to be accessible, local and inclusive; we work with the City & Hackney locality multi-disciplinary team to provide patient centred support across a number of services. The fully integrated service contributes to recovery, social inclusion and improving the quality of life of all our service users in the City of London and Hackney borough. It aims to be shaped by the community needs and voices of service users, carers, families, communities, all staff and volunteers. We operate a neighbourhood hub model of working, with a focus on joint working with relevant agencies, and outreach.

City & Hackney is a busy community-based service which provides a range of clinical interventions including abstinence-based prescribing, opiates substitute treatment, comprehensive alcohol assessments, assessment of club drug clients, community alcohol detoxes, opiate detoxes, benzodiazepine reductions, dual diagnosis assessments, blood born virus intervention, and perinatal substance use support. We also support client to access inpatient detox, and rehab facilities.  We are commissioned to provide treatment for hepatitis C within the service.

We prescribed for over 800 opiate clients, and there is a high level of clinical complexity in the client group. As well as providing a range of community interventions, we have a dedicated clinical inpatient liaison team at the Homerton Hospital. More recently, the scope of our service provision has extended, to provide more focused, and extended support to rough sleepers, and criminal justice clients.

As a Speciality Doctor you’ll have an opportunity to work with complex addiction clients, and gain experience and expertise in the assessment of perinatal, club drug, rough sleeping, and criminal justice clients with addiction difficulties.

Turning Point have a comprehensive CDP programme which is delivered via online meeting of clinical staff, this includes teaching on clinical topics, clinical audit cycle, and person-centred clinical development plans. You will be supervised by the clinical lead at the service and received regular clinical supervision.

Role Responsibility

Duties include the initial assessment (including a physical examination) of new service users and negotiating the most effective and appropriate evidence-based treatment plans. Clients at the service are reviewed on a three-monthly cycle and you will be involved in the management of existing prescribed clients in the service and you will work closely with City & Hackney Recovery Services Non-Medical Prescribers, providing clinical support and supervision when required. 

The post holder will gain a broad experience of assessing and managing both drugs and alcohol related problems and will also gain experience of managing other co-morbid psychiatric conditions, especially personality disorders, psychosis, and affective disorders. The post-holder will have opportunity to identify and appropriately refer any associated medical disorders identified. The post-holder will take a lead role in providing day to day medical, psychiatric, and physical well-being within the team. There is a weekly MDT meeting at the service, a weekly alcohol MDT lead by the specialist alcohol workers, a bi-weekly perinatal MDT and a month club drug MDT. The Speciality doctor is expected to provide clinical leadership at the various MDT meeting, supported by the consultant in the service. There are opportunities to be involved in the development of the alcohol offer within the service.  

Additionally, due to the expansion of the clinical offer for rough sleepers in Hackney, further responsibilities will include assessing the need for specialist intervention in relation to clients who present complexity in terms of physical health, or mental health. This will be undertaken with the support of the consultant psychiatrist in the service, and a specific MDT team including a part-time GP, a well-being nurse, partner agencies and specialist recovery worker.

You will need to be empathetic and resilient while working with a challenging cohort of vulnerable and service users and be prepared to be flexible in the way you work, you will also need to provide patient and calm leadership and be experienced at engaging with a multi-disciplinary team.

The Ideal Candidate

Essential Requirements:

• Full GMC registration
• Experience working with substance use clients in a clinical capacity  
• A desire to work with patients with substance use problems
• A desire to work with patients with substance use problems
• A commitment to and experience in multi-professional team working
• Passionately believe in the ability of all people to change and be fully aligned with Turning Point’s organisational values

Desirable Requirements:

• MRCPsych, or MRCGP (or equivalent)
• Ability to contribute to the directorate and organisation’s strategic direction
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• Experience of working in Psychiatry, Substance use Psychiatry or General Practice for at least 2 years

About us

What Benefits Will I Receive?

We know reward looks different to each person and so whether its ways to make your money go further, a culture supporting recognition and celebration, or opportunities to boost your career – we want to support you in every way we can with our total reward package that includes:

• Comprehensive learning and development opportunities so we can invest in your future – we’re proud to have a silver accreditation from Investors in People. Choose from our range of courses to gain recognised qualifications
• 33 days’ paid holiday a year, increasing with each year of service up to 35 days. Plus the option to buy additional holidays and spread the cost
• An exclusive discounts hub for TP colleagues, to help make your money go further – including high street shopping, pubs and restaurants, mobile phones, gym memberships, and much more. You’ll also have access to the Blue Light Card, for even more discounts and savings!
• Flexible working solutions to support your work-life balance
• Life Assurance of up to 3x annual salary and a competitive Pension Scheme to support your savings and security
• Access to our Rightsteps Therapy service – free, confidential telephone based counselling sessions, access to an online wellbeing platform, and a Financial Education hub to support your total wellbeing
• A 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme including a Digital GP, legal advice and more – all free to you and your immediate family
• Recognition awards to recognise colleagues’ inspirational work and dedication, as well as Long Service bonuses to celebrate your commitment to us
• Flexible benefit options including a Cycle to Work scheme and interest-free Season Ticket Loans
• A £300 bonus if you successfully refer a friend as a new colleague through our Refer a Friend scheme, as a thanks from us!

We reserve the right to close this advert early if we are able to appoint to the vacancy before the advertised closed date.

Turning Point