MH&A Consultant Psychiatrist, Emergency Department

Consultant Psychiatrist Middlemore Hospital Emergency Department

Permanent | Acute Psychiatry | Middlemore Hospital, Auckland

Shape the future of acute mental health care in one of New Zealands busiest Emergency Departments.

We are seeking an experienced and collaborative Consultant Psychiatrist to join our Acute Community Services (ACS) team at Middlemore Hospital. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the interface of acute psychiatry and emergency medicine, alongside a highly skilled and collegial multidisciplinary team.

Youll have the opportunity to make a real difference to patient care while contributing to the development of a new co-governed Emergency Department and Mental Health Assessment Unit an exciting initiative that will help shape the future of acute mental health care in Counties Manukau and is expected to be the first of its kind in New Zealand.

About the role

Acute Community Services provides acute mental health assessment across the community and Middlemore Hospital Emergency Department. Following assessment, our Home-Based Treatment (HBT) team provides intensive acute care in peoples homes and community respite settings.

As Consultant Psychiatrist, you will provide senior clinical leadership within the Emergency Department, working closely with our nurse practitioner, mental health nurses, social workers, co-existing disorder practitioners and peer support specialists.

The clinical work is varied and rewarding, with presentations ranging from substance-related and serious mental illness to organic, psychosomatic and other complex presentations.

You will also have opportunities to:

• Provide clinical leadership and support high standards of patient-centred care
• Teach, supervise and mentor medical, nursing and allied health students and psychiatry registrars
• Contribute to policy, clinical practice, service development and quality improvement
• Initiate and lead improvement projects, supported by protected non-clinical time
• Help develop the new co-governed ED and Mental Health Assessment Unit
• Work collaboratively with ED colleagues in a culture where clinical decisions are shared, considered and focused on the needs of the patient

Work-life balance matters to us. The role comes with generous provisions under the collective agreement, including protected non-clinical time and excellent leave entitlements. We actively support our psychiatrists to pursue professional development, service improvement and areas of clinical interest.

About the team and service

Middlemore Hospital Emergency Department is one of the busiest in Australasia, with more than 120,000 presentations each year. It serves the exceptionally diverse and culturally rich communities of Counties Manukau, providing a unique environment in which to develop your clinical and leadership skills.

Our ACS team is committed to excellence, continuous improvement, equity and culturally safe care. We have strong relationships across the Emergency Department and wider mental health service, with a genuinely collaborative approach to complex clinical decision-making.

The development of a local co-governed ED and Mental Health Assessment Unit, within the ED footprint, provides an exceptional opportunity to be involved in meaningful service transformation from the outset.

About you

We are looking for a psychiatrist who is passionate about acute mental health care and enjoys working collaboratively in a complex, fast-paced environment.

You will bring:

• Excellent communication, clinical and organisational skills
• The ability to build strong relationships and promote effective teamwork
• A commitment to equitable and culturally safe healthcare
• Confidence working with complex presentations and navigating clinical challenges
• The ability and enthusiasm to provide leadership to a small multidisciplinary team within an Emergency Department

Experience in acute psychiatry or liaison psychiatry would be advantageous, as would experience supervising psychiatry registrars, although neither is essential. We are equally interested in clinicians who are keen to develop these skills.

Most importantly, you will be someone who values collaboration, supports a strong team culture and wants to contribute to improving outcomes for the people of Counties Manukau.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We particularly welcome applications from our Māori, Pacific, disabled and rainbow communities.

For more information about living and working in Auckland, visit the Health New Zealand careers website.

To view the job description, please use the job description link provided with this vacancy.

Join us and help shape the next generation of acute mental health care at Middlemore.

How to Apply

To apply please click apply now.  All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact the Clinical Head -  Song Chan @ song.chan@tewhatuora.govt.nz or reach out to our SMO Recruitment Consultant @ barbara.ridgway@tewhatuora.govt.nz