Consultant Psychiatrist, South Somerset CMHT - Yeovil

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust; Yeovil; On-site; GBP 109,000 - 146,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Yeovil is seeking a full-time Consultant to provide senior psychiatric input within the community mental health team. The role includes managing complex cases and routine referrals, with opportunities for career development and a strong focus on work-life balance. The position offers a competitive salary ranging from £109,725 to £145,478 annually, supported by NHS benefits.

Benefits

NHS pension scheme

Generous annual leave allowance

Blue Light Card discounts

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience in community mental health.
• Proven ability to manage patients with serious mental illness (SMI).
• Experience in working with specific medication supervision requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior psychiatric input to community mental health team.
• Manage routine and urgent referrals from GPs.
• Cover inpatient wards as part of on-call rota.

Skills

Senior psychiatric care

Complex case management

Joint assessment capabilities

Diagnostic assessments

Education

MBBS or equivalent medical degree

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a full time, permanent Consultant to work as part of a team of three community consultants covering the South Somerset area (Yeovil East, Yeovil West and Chard). There is an established associate specialist who will work alongside the consultant.

This post provides senior psychiatric input to the Yeovil West part of the community mental health team, which is aligned to 5 of the 20 GP surgeries in the Yeovil area. The consultants work to a functional model following a community/inpatient split. The GP population catchment area for Yeovil West CMHT is 45,162 which is within Royal College recommendations.

The working pattern is 9-5, Monday to Friday with a 1:11 on call requirement.

Main duties of the job

• Routine and urgent referrals from GPs and other sources are dealt with through a single point of access. Referrals are processed through a streaming meeting and more complex cases may come to a Local Leadership Group (LLG) meeting. Referrals for doctors can be reviewed individually by the doctor to ensure good practice. Medical staff take a proportion of referrals as clinically indicated either for joint assessment with a team member or more usually as individual outpatient assessments.
• The average number of new referrals to the South Somerset Team (East and West) is 3623 per year.
• The consultant caseload will include patients with SMI, complex cases with medical comorbidities, diagnostic assessments, joint worked cases, cases with specific medication supervision requirements, ADHD with significant comorbidity.
• This is a 1 in 11 rota operating 5pm to 9am on weekdays; at weekends the rota operates from 9am on Saturday morning to 9am on Monday morning. The post-holder can opt to join the senior out-of-hours on-call rota subject to availability.
• This rota provides senior medical cover including Responsible Clinician duties to all the in-patient wards in the Trust. If the doctor does not have AC approval cover for this can be arranged. It therefore covers all inpatient services. Hence it includes duties for patients within the following specialties: general adult, old age, rehabilitation and learning disability.

Benefits and working environment

• At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer
• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential
• Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset?

Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London. The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future. Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Salary: £109,725 to £145,478 a year. Out of hours rota attracts 1.125 PA and 3% availability payment.