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Community Psychiatry in a rural setting!
We are seeking an experienced Consultant Psychiatrist (Community) for a full-time permanent position to be based in Hawera (population 12,000) in the beautiful region of Taranaki, on the west coast of the North Island.
- Relaxed rural lifestyle and a welcoming multicultural community
- Interest and experience working in a rural setting
- 1:10 on call roster
- Experience in consultation liaison psychiatry helpful
- FRANZCP or equivalent specialist qualification, e.g. MRCPsych & CCT
- Spectacular natural landscape, mountain to sea – surf, hike & ski
- Famous for Mt Taranaki, Surf Highway 45, the township of Patea...
The Service
Taranaki District Health Board has a catchment population of approx 120,000 and provides a comprehensive Mental Health & Addictions Service (MHAS), from acute inpatient care, intensive psychiatric care, services for the elderly, psychology, alcohol and drug counselling and also specialist services for children and young people through the Child and Adolescent Service. The acute inpatient care facility, Te Puna Waiora, has been designed to respect the needs and privacy of the consumer and provide the best environment for treatment and recover
There are three community mental health teams - North East Taranaki, North West Taranaki and South Taranaki. Each team covers psychiatry, psychology, community nursing, Maori perspectives, social work, occupational therapy and rehabilitation and alcohol and drug services. The teams provide assessment and treatment services at a range of outpatient clinics throughout the region and care for people with complex needs requiring specialist mental health services. The Community Mental Health Services are mobile with approximately 50% of community activity being home based.
You will join a team of 13 psychiatrists (across the wider MHAS) and will work in the South Taranaki Team, who are based in Hawera. They deliver specialist community care to people who live rurally and in small towns around the southern base of Mount Taranaki and out towards the west coastline of the North Island. Townships such as Stratford, Opunake, Eltham, Hawera and Patea.
Find out more about the South Taranaki region
Taranaki base hospital is located in New Plymouth. A progressive regional secondary referral hospital providing an array of medical specialties, it underwent a NZ$80million redevelopment and offers modern, spacious facilities to staff and patients.
What’s on offer?
- Total package circa NZ$180,000 - $300,000 pa, depending on level of experience
- Includes base salary range NZ$158,141 - $230,000 pa (£82,700 - £120,000) depending on level of experience
- Annual $16,000 Continuing Medical Education allowance & 10 days CME leave to attend conferences
- Multidisciplinary team working
- Plus relocation assistance
The Region
The Taranaki region (colloquially known as “The Naki” by the locals) has a population of 106,000 and is known for its stunning natural landscape, which lends itself to all manner of outdoor activities from the mountains to the sea, such as surfing, windsurfing, ski-ing, mountain biking, fishing, golfing, hiking, sailing, cycling, ironman and triathlons, plus many more, and has been the backdrop for numerous well-known blockbuster movies (remember the mountain backdrop in ‘The Last Samurai’?).
The temperate climate and high sunshine hours (3rd highest in NZ), combined with a welcoming and multicultural community, makes it a really dynamic and enjoyable place to live. Famous for its Surf Highway 45 - featuring some of the best surfing and windsurfing spots in New Zealand – the annual music and art festivals, such as WOMAD, an established café culture, premier golfing and ski fields, means Taranaki successfully caters to all lifestyles and all ages.
The largest city in Taranaki is New Pymouth, it was voted the most liveable and sustainable community in the world at the 2008 ‘Liveable Communities Awards’ due to its clean air and water, as well as its strong economic growth. New Plymouth is equidistant from both Auckland and Wellington with a 4.5 hr drive or a 50 minute flight (the local airport connects to both Auckland and Wellington International airports, making flight connections to/from NZ really easy).
Find out more about the Taranaki lifestyle – places, schools, things to see and do!
Requirement for this role
Ideally you will hold FRANZCP and full Vocational registration with Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ).
Alternatively, if not NZ trained or based, you will hold equivalent specialist qualifications, e.g. MRCPsych & CCT, which are eligible for Provisional Vocational registration (long term) or Locum Tenens registration (short term up to 12 months and takes only 30 days to process). These are the specialist pathways for medical registration in NZ and we can assist with the registration and work visa applications if you are successfully appointed.
Please visit the MCNZ website for details on the medical registration requirements, including primary source verification of your qualifications which was introduced by MCNZ 1st November 2017.
For more details, please contact Caroline at caroline@headmedical.com with a copy of your CV.
Please note, Caroline is based in Wellington, New Zealand, having made the move back to NZ with her family in September 2017.