Consultant Psychiatrist-Forensic Psychiatry-Community Forensic Service

Job summary

We are seeking a Consultant Psychiatrist, with an interest in community forensic work and experience working with patients who have learning disability and/or autism, to join the Secure Services medical team.

This is a new post following a successful business case for service expansion. The post holder will join a group of 16 consultants (12 WTE) working in the service, 5 of whom work in community services.

The service supports a number of core and advanced psychiatry trainee posts. The post holder will work 6 PAs in the Forensic Intellectual, Neuropsychiatric and Developmental Disorders team (FIND) team and 4 PAs in the Specialist Community Forensic Team.

They will work with a caseload of approximately 22 patients who are under care-coordination in the community. They will regularly contribute to consultations with external teams and to assessments.

The service supports consultants to take additional leadership roles in medical education, management, quality improvement and research.

There are lots of opportunities for staff to be involved in service development work within AWP and SWPC. This includes the service's current cultural quality improvement project "Making Secure a Great Place to".

Interested candidates are encouraged to make contact with the Medical Lead to arrange a meeting and tour of the unit.

Interview Date: 22 October 2026

Main duties of the job

To act as consultant and Responsible Clinician for a caseload of patients in the community and fulfil associated duties related to the MHA, MAPPA and MoJ.

To provide forensic psychiatric and medico-legal expertise into the team. To support the development of multi-disciplinary formulations, assessments and treatment plans for patients on the caseload.

To provide clinical leadership into the team by overseeing clinical decisions, contributing to multi-disciplinary meetings and offering supervision and advice to colleagues.

To attend referral and bed management meetings as appropriate. To undertake access assessments and admission assessments for patients referred into the service. To provide senior clinical leadership into their teams. To work closely with the team manager and to contribute towards the management, governance and development of the ward.

To regularly attend team meetings and reflective practice. To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with other teams and external stakeholders.

To work closely with other senior leaders within the medical team and wider service and contribute to quality improvement and service development projects.

To participate in the consultant on-call rota for secure services. To participate in teaching and educational initiatives, and to supervise trainee psychiatrists.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care. We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

Please note that Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust is not currently a sponsor under the GMC Sponsorship Scheme. As a result, we regret to inform you that we are unable to consider applications from individuals who require GMC sponsorship.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the accompanying job description for full details on the roles and responsibilities of this post.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification
• Relevant Higher Degree e.g MD,PHD,Msc or other additional clinical qualifications
• MRCPsych OR MRCPsych equivalent approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment
• Included on the GMC Specialist Register OR within six months of gaining CCT
• Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment
• Approved under S12 OR able to achieve with 3 months of appointment
• CCT in Forensic Psychiatry or CCT in General Adult Psychiatry with significant experience of working in the community
• Experience of assessing and treating patients in a inpatient setting.
• Knowledge and evidence of participation in CPD
• Evidence of effective multidisciplinary team involvement
• Experience of working in forensic psychiatry.

Personal Skills

• To possess leadership skills and be able to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to manage own time, workload and prioritise clinical work
• Ability to appraise own performance as a Consultant.
• Able to demonstrate excellent communication skills, in order to effectively work with patients, carers and staff.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Evidence of specific achievements that demonstrate leadership skills

Clinical Skills

• Ability to assess and treat adults of working age with complex mental health and risk issues.
• Previous experience of working with individuals in secure services.
• Understanding of the management skills required to function successfully as a Consultant.
• Awareness of current issues in mental health service provision, policy and legislation.
• Knowledge of alternatives to inpatient admission care approaches

Teaching

• Commitment to and experience of undergraduate and postgraduate learning and teaching.
• Understand principles of teaching.
• Experience as an Educational Supervisor for trainees

Research and Audit

• Experience or involvement in a research project and publication.
• Experience of carrying out an audit project.
• Evidence of management/leadership skills training.
• Previous management experience including that of other junior medical staff

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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