Consultant Psychiatrist - Liaison CAMHS

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust; Melksham; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust in the UK is recruiting a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist to lead a new CAMHS Liaison Service across Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire on a 12‑month fixed-term contract. You will shape a future model of care with an expanded multidisciplinary team across three District General Hospitals.

You will design pathways with crisis and inpatient services, drive service development, improve outcomes for children and young people in crisis

Qualifications

• Medical degree and GMC registration are essential.
• Eligibility for Specialist Register or CCT timing required.
• Section 12 Approval or willingness to apply on posting.
• Desirable MSc or higher and royal college qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior clinical leadership across three hospitals.
• Lead development of a new CAMHS Liaison model and secure funding.
• Assess high-risk crises and advise on complex management.
• Collaborate across urgent care pathways to improve flow and reduce admissions.
• Foster governance, supervision and a culture of quality improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Team leadership

Communication

Clinical complexity management

Education

Medical degree

Full GMC registration

Eligible for Specialist Register (or within 6 months of CCT)

Section 12 Approval / Approved Clinician

MSc or higher degree

Job description

Are you an innovative and ambitious Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist looking for the opportunity to shape a new service from the ground up?

We are recruiting a full-time or part-time Consultant Psychiatrist to join our newly developing BSW CAMHS Liaison Service across Bath & North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire for a 12 month fixed term contract to expand and transform our liaison offer for children and young people presenting in mental health crisis within acute hospital settings.

You'll provide clinical leadership across three District General Hospitals - the Royal United Hospital (Bath), Great Western Hospital (Swindon) and Salisbury District Hospital - working alongside a newly established leadership team and expanded multidisciplinary workforce.

This is far more than a traditional liaison post. You will help design and develop a future model of care, strengthen pathways with crisis and inpatient services, influence system-wide practice, and play a key role in demonstrating the impact of the service to secure permanent funding.

We are looking for a clinician who thrives on innovation, service development and collaborative working. You'll have the opportunity to improve outcomes for young people in crisis, reduce avoidable admissions and ensure children and families receive timely, compassionate and effective care.

Join us and help create the next generation of CAMHS liaison services.

Main duties of the job

• Lead the development of a new CAMHS Liaison model across BSW as part of a newly established clinical leadership team, shape and enhance the CAMHS Liaison Service, helping to develop a comprehensive urgent mental health offer and supporting the case for permanent funding.
• Provide senior clinical leadership across three District General Hospitals offering psychiatric expertise and clinical oversight to multidisciplinary liaison teams working within the Royal United Hospital (Bath), Great Western Hospital (Swindon) and Salisbury District Hospital.
• Assess and manage young people presenting with high-risk mental health crises supporting complex assessments, providing specialist consultation, undertaking Mental Health Act work when required, and advising colleagues managing high-risk presentations.
• Work collaboratively across urgent care pathways through developing strong links with the Crisis and Home Treatment Service (CAHTS), inpatient services, acute hospitals and wider networks to improve care, reduce avoidable admissions and promote least restrictive interventions.
• Lead and support multidisciplinary teams through clinical leadership, governance, supervision and consultation to liaison clinicians and medical trainees, fostering a culture of quality improvement, learning and compassionate care.

About us

As a Trust we provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and Northeast Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team

Our values are:Caring, safe and excellent

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

• Excellent opportunities for career progression
• Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
• 33 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 35 days after seven years seniority
• NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
• Competitive pension scheme
• Lease car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental Health First Aiders
• Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists apply)
• Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team

Job description

Job responsibilities

We have described the job in detail in the attached Job Description and Person Specification, but we would be delighted to answer any questions you might have and to find out more about you.

You can start getting to know by having a look at our recruitment video made by members of the team and children, young people and young adults who have accessed our services:

BSW RECRUITMENT - YouTube

We offer rewarding career development with protected SPA time as part of your job plan, encouraging you to take leadership courses to enhance your skills. We also offer a relocation allowance of up to £8,000 for external applicants (subject to eligibility criteria).

Person Specification

Qualifications and Registration

Essential

• Medical degree
• Full GMC registration
• Eligible for inclusion in the GMC Specialist Register (or Specialist Registrar within 6 months of gaining CCT at time of interview)
• Eligible for Section 12 Approval (Mental Health Act)/ Approved Clinician or willing to apply for such approval once in post

Desirable

• MSc or higher degree
• Membership or Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists or equivalent qualification (in accordance with Royal College of Psychiatrists guidelines)

Experience

Essential

• Experience of clinical work in specialty at SpR, SAS/Specialist grade or consultant level within the last 3 years
• Excellent working knowledge and experience of the application of the Mental Health Act
• Appreciation and understanding of ethnic minority issues and a commitment to developing culturally sensitive practices

Desirable

• Experience of service development and introducing new services in mental health
• Experience of working at consultant level in an inpatient environment

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Leadership skills
• Commitment to fostering a culture in the team that is respectful, fair, supportive and compassionate and role modelling these behaviours
• Ability to manage complex workloads and support others to do that
• Ability to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty

Desirable

• Formal leadership and management training
• Experience of team /service leadership