NHS Oxford job advert insults ME patients

[Countrygirl]

NHS Job Advert

Clinical Psychologist – CFS & Renal: Oxford University NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a large Clinical Health Psychology team integrated into an acute hospital Trust and work in two clinical specialties: the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Service and Renal and Transplant Medicine service.

Extracts:

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide a highly specialist clinical psychology service to patients who access the Myalgic Encaphalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Service (0.5wte) and Renal and Transplant Service (0.5wte).

Job description

Job responsibilities

• To communicate effectively, empathically and clearly with team members and other medical professionals regarding psychological or medical matters which will regularly be highly complicated… and which may require managing difficulties in understanding (such as cognitive deficits, or unconscious denial of psychological conflicts), or overcoming communication difficulties with patient who are hostile, antagonistic, highly anxious or psychotic.
• In carrying out the duties of the post, to cope with and manage challenging behaviour at times, including verbal abuse and risk of physical aggression (for example from people with behavioural problems or enduring mental illness).

 

[Countrygirl]

Dr Charles Shepherd, ME Association MEdical Advisor has written to Oxford with this letter of complaint:

The ME Association writes to Oxford NHS Trust about ‘inaccurate’ and ‘offensive’ job advert​

August 14, 2023
Dear Dr Haldane and Oxford NHS Foundation Trust

Re: Job advert for clinical psychologist to work with ME/CFS and renal transplant services
This job advert (see below) has found its way onto social media and two of the descriptions regarding ‘responsibilities' are, not surprisingly, attracting a great deal of adverse comment and upset from people with ME/CFS.

The way in which people with ME/CFS are described is inaccurate, offensive and unnecessary and I am sure that people with kidney disease who are awaiting a transplant would also find these descriptions offensive.
I suspect that you may not be aware that the DHSC issued an interim delivery plan for ME/CFS last week. This plan places great emphasis on the use of language and the way in which health professionals have failed to empathise with people with ME/CFS and acknowledge the disability that is caused by ME/CFS.
To quote from the Interim Delivery Plan:
“…many people with ME/CFS and their family members report experiencing dismissive attitudes, stigma and misconceptions from professionals about the nature and impact of ME/CFS on their life. This is not acceptable.

“The impact of such attitudes can be profound for individuals and those close to them. We have heard that poor responses from some professionals have led to many people in the ME/CFS community feeling ashamed and let down by the public sector.
“In some cases, people in the ME/CFS community have resolved to stay away from health and welfare services, had suicidal thoughts or even taken their own lives.”
I hope that you will therefore urgently remove the offensive language in this advert that puts the communication blame on patients rather than health professionals.
Yours sincerely

Dr Charles Shepherd
Hon Medical Adviser, MEA

 

[BrightCandle]

I wont believe the Department for Health is serious about addressing and rolling out NICE guidelines until the individual behind this ad is fired. The fact is they should not be doing anything but NICE compliant treatments now, anything else leaves them open to legal challenges of malpractice. The DHSC if its serious about fixing the NHS and getting the guidelines rolled out needs to act decisively against all the open holdouts who refuse to comply, they have no place in the NHS whatsoever.

 

[Countrygirl]

The lead psychiatrist in Oxford is Prof Michael Sharpe which probably explains the offensive language in the advert.

 

[hapl808]

Anyone have the money to take out a fake ad for nurses at that clinic?

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a large Clinical Health Psychology team integrated into an acute hospital Trust and work in two fast paced clinical specialties: gaslighting patients, and stroking the fragile ego of physicians from a wide range of useless specialties whose whole identity is tied to their specialist stature.

You will need to overcome communication difficulties with physicians who are hostile, antagonistic, narcissistic, or just plain cruel.

In carrying out the duties of the post, you may need to manage challenging behaviour, including verbal abuse and physical aggression (for example from physicians if you dare to question their godlike status).

We look forward to working with you! Remember, we are all united fighting the same enemy - the patients!

 

[Countrygirl]

Dr Shepherd receives an unsatisfactory reply from Oxford and responds with a more combative response.

https://meassociation.org.uk/2023/0...to-disappointing-reply-from-oxford-nhs-trust/

ME Association responds to disappointing reply from Oxford NHS Trust about ‘inaccurate’ and ‘offensive’ job advert​

August 21, 2023
On 14 August, Dr Shepherd wrote to Dr Haldene and the Oxford NHS Trust about an ‘inaccurate' and ‘offensive' job advertisement for a clinical psychologist to work with the ME/CFS specialist service (and the renal transplant service). We received a disappointing reply from Dr Prangnell – Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist – to which Dr Shepherd has responded (below). He has also written to Professor Meghana Pandit, Chief Executive of the Oxford NHS Trust.

• The ME Association writes to Oxford NHS Trust about ‘inaccurate’ and ‘offensive’ job advert | 14 August 2023