Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist

NHS; Chichester; On-site; GBP 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Chichester is seeking a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist to lead clinical efforts in a low secure ward. This role is vital for providing expert care for male patients with complex psychiatric conditions. Candidates should possess a medical degree, leadership experience, and be registered with the GMC. The position offers a competitive Recruitment and Retention payment structured over three years and focuses on enhancing the quality of forensic healthcare services.

Benefits

Recruitment and Retention payment of £45,000

Opportunities for career development

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• 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.
• Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership for the new low secure ward.
• Deliver inpatient care and assessments for complex psychiatric needs.
• Participate in governance meetings and contribute to quality improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Team collaboration

Patient assessment

Clinical supervision

Education

MB BS or equivalent medical qualification

Qualification or higher degree in medical education

Additional clinical qualifications

Job description

Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist - Chichester Centre (£45k RRP)

Are you an outstanding Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist looking for new challenges, career development and making a difference in mental health? This is an exciting time to join us to contribute to providing leadership to deliver high-quality, person‑centred care to male patients on a low secure ward.

You will work alongside a collaborative multi‑disciplinary team, offering expert assessment, diagnosis, and care for adults with complex psychiatric needs following a trauma‑informed care approach.

We are committed to delivering care with compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence, ensuring that our patients and service users are at the heart of everything we do. By working closely with our partners, we’re creating a forward‑thinking, inclusive organisation that champions staff development, well‑being, and collaboration.

This job attracts aRecruitment and Retention payment of £45,000 structured over a three‑year period as follows:

• £15,000 payable upon successful recruitment

The Recruitment and Retention payment is pro rata for part‑time employees. If you would like further information, or to know the full terms of the Recruitment and Retention Payment and/or the Relocation Allowance, then please do not hesitate to contact our Medical HR Team via [e-mail].

Job responsibilities

The post‑holder will provide clinical leadership for the new male low secure ward at the Chichester Centre. Consultant Psychiatrist would be part of FHS consultant group.

This vacancy has arisen due to reconfiguration and relocation of the secure bed estate, and the Trust regards this as an opportune moment to develop the functioning of the team.

This post is one example of the commitment of the Trust to develop better provision and capacity for Forensic Healthcare Services and the families and carers using the service in challenging times. This post adds to the medical establishment of the team providing a minimum of 10 whole‑time equivalent Consultant Psychiatrists for the Forensic Healthcare Services.

This post completes the medical establishment of low secure team providing a 0.8 whole‑time equivalent (WTE) Consultant Psychiatrist and adds to already recruited 0.2 WTE consultant on the ward. This post also adds to FHS 10.0 WTE consultant psychiatrist and 1.0 WTE Multiprofessional Responsible clinician (MPARC).

The inpatient clinical caseload is 12 male patients on low secure ward. All patients are detained under the Mental Health Act.

Clinical duties include delivering inpatient care to the patients and assessment of patients referred to the forensic service through a single point of access. Referrals are allocated at the weekly referrals meeting. On an average there is 1 referral per week.

Assessments are undertaken independently and with another member of staff from the team (nursing/psychologist), depending on the patient’s mental health needs.

Chair weekly recovery reviews (ward rounds), CPA meetings and participate in risk clinics. Reviews of patients outside the MDT meetings.

The post‑holder will be expected to provide professional leadership including clinical supervision to the medical team and to provide clinical leadership to the wider MDT.

Attendance at local governance meetings will form an opportunity to contribute towards business planning for the locality and, as appropriate, contributing to the broader strategic and planning work of the Trust.

The postholder will be expected to lead on the improvement of the quality of care within the team and contribute to improving quality across the system.

About us

We provide NHS care and treatment to children, young people, adults and older people who have mental health problems, learning disabilities or neurodiversity needs.

We employ about 5,700 staff. Many of our services are provided in partnership with other organisations. We provide care in people’s homes, in specialist clinics, hospitals and GP surgeries.

As well as being a provider of services across Sussex we also commission specialist beds. Working with NHS and independent sector healthcare organisations across the South‑East we are the lead provider in three Provider Collaboratives. These cover adult eating disorders, secure care and children and young people inpatient services.

Sussex Partnership was formed in April 2006 as an NHS Trust and established as an NHS Foundation Trust with teaching trust status in August 2008. We work closely with Brighton and Sussex Medical School, a partnership between the Universities of Brighton and Sussex. In 2015, we became a member of the Association of UK University Hospitals, the representative body for university hospitals with major teaching and research interests across the UK and internationally.

Our services are rated “good” by the Care Quality Commission and “outstanding” for caring. We work closely with other health and care partners to provide the best possible care to our local populations. We have strengths in innovation, including our work in the field of research and development.

Person specification

Qualifications

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification.
• Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management.
• Additional clinical qualifications.

Eligibility

• 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.
• Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment
• Approved under S12 OR able to achieve with 3 months of appointment
• In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice

Clinical skills, knowledge & experience

• Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training
• Ability to work in and lead team
• Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement.
• Participated in continuous professional development
• Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programmes
• Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post
• Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken
• Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation.
• Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications.

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.