Locally Employed Doctor - Treatment Resistant Psychosis

The Treating Unmet Needs in Psychiatry (TUNEUP) service is a novel care model developed to enhance the long-term health and social outcomes for individuals with psychotic disorders. A key focus of the service is reducing unnecessary delays in clozapine initiation and ensuring that treatment decisions are guided by a thorough understanding of the patients clinical and functional profile. The service provides a structured platform for comprehensive assessment and treatment planning, including evaluation of symptoms, comorbidities, and cognitive function. Patients referred to TUNEUP will have an established diagnosis of psychosis and be under the care of a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). At entry, the service conducts a detailed baseline assessment that includes full psychiatric and medication history, standardised rating scales for symptom domains, and physical health assessment. Following assessment, a personalised management plan is co-developed with the patient. This may include recommendations regarding clozapine initiation, medication rationalization (e.g. reducing anticholinergic load), psychological or behavioral interventions, and strategies to address comorbid issues impacting recovery. The doctor appointed to the service will contribute to clinical delivery, service development, outcome evaluation, and translational research. They will be supervised by Associate Professor and Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Rob McCutcheon and will take part in journal clubs and service improvement activities. Job description Job responsibilities The Treating Unmet Needs in Psychiatry (TUNEUP) service is a novel care model developed to enhance the long-term health and social outcomes for individuals with psychotic disorders. A key focus of the service is reducing unnecessary delays in clozapine initiation and ensuring that treatment decisions are guided by a thorough understanding of the patients clinical and functional profile. The service provides a structured platform for comprehensive assessment and treatment planning, including evaluation of symptoms, comorbidities, and cognitive function. Patients referred to TUNEUP will have an established diagnosis of psychosis and be under the care of a Community Mental Health Team (CMHT). At entry, the service conducts a detailed baseline assessment that includes full psychiatric and medication history, standardised rating scales for symptom domains, and physical health assessment. Following assessment, a personalised management plan is co-developed with the patient. This may include recommendations regarding clozapine initiation, medication rationalization (e.g. reducing anticholinergic load), psychological or behavioral interventions, and strategies to address comorbid issues impacting recovery. The doctor appointed to the service will contribute to clinical delivery, service development, outcome evaluation, and translational research. They will be supervised by Associate Professor and Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Rob McCutcheon and will take part in journal clubs and service improvement activities.