Psychiatry

About the Role

The Cowichan Valley Department of Psychiatry of Vancouver Island Health Authority (Island Health) is seeking a General Psychiatrist to join the Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) programs. The role involves consulting across a continuum of services, including:

• Short Term Services (community Crisis Response and Brief interventions) for GP referrals.
• Case Management Services, including moderate community support, an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team, and an Early Psychosis Intervention program.
• Substance Use programs offering counselling and access to residential treatment, integrated with community responses to the opioid crisis.
• Graduated housing programs supporting community living for individuals who otherwise could not.

Separate psychiatric services for seniors are provided by Island Health, with opportunities for participation. The team also supports two tertiary psychiatry facilities in the Cowichan Valley: 25-bed seniors tertiary care and 27-bed adult tertiary care.

The MHSU program provides a modified psychiatrist on-call response with a crisis response team for the Cowichan District Hospital Emergency Department and throughout the hospital, connected to a consultation-liaison function. This may be supported by BC’s “Medical On Call Availability Program” (MOCAP).

As part of the UBC Faculty of Medicine Island Medical Program, there are opportunities for training medical students and residents, applying for clinical appointments, and participating in research facilitated by Island Health.

Administrative duties include attending clinical team meetings and providing reports to the Department of Psychiatry meetings. This role contributes to the development of psychiatry services within a new, state-of-the-art acute care campus, including a dedicated psychiatric emergency zone, a four-bed psychiatric intensive care unit, and a 20-bed inpatient unit.

Community Information

Located in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, Duncan enjoys Canada’s most temperate climate. The region features diverse landscapes, including lush countryside, scenic coastal villages, freshwater lakes, saltwater beaches, and farmland. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy hiking, biking, golfing, sailing, canoeing, and ocean kayaking. The area is also home to local artisans, five top vineyards and wineries, and excellent public and private schools. Victoria, just 45 minutes south, offers additional educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities. Vancouver Island is renowned for its natural beauty and high quality of life.

Compensation

Compensation is fee-for-service with mixed fee-for-service and sessional billing.

• May be eligible for additional remuneration under the Rural Subsidiary Agreement (RSA), including:
  • Retention Premium: 4.2%
  • Retention Flat Fee: $6,374
  • Relocation Funding: up to $15,000
  • Recruitment Incentive: $10,000
• Additional incentives under the RSA (subject to eligibility):
  • Rural CME starting at $3,000/annum in years 3 & 4, increasing to a maximum of $6,000/annum after 4 years.
  • Free shared office space, secretary, telephone, fax, and email.