Specialty Doctor - General Adult Inpatients - Oakwood Ward

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust; Bristol; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Bristol seeks Specialty Doctors for full-time and part-time roles in acute psychiatry. The position focuses on providing medical input in a dynamic ward environment and offers opportunities to broaden clinical knowledge. Candidates should have relevant medical qualifications and be eligible for GMC registration. The role involves managing inpatient care and working closely with a multidisciplinary team to enhance service quality.

Qualifications

• Eligible for full GMC registration with a license to practice.
• Completed at least four years of postgraduate training in Psychiatry.
• Up-to-date knowledge of Mental Health Service issues.

Responsibilities

• Managing inpatients under the care of the Consultant Psychiatrist.
• Providing medical support to Mason Ward as requested.
• Participating in ward reviews and multidisciplinary team meetings.

Skills

Time management

Performance appraisal

Written communication

Oral communication

Leadership skills

Education

MB BS or equivalent medical degree

Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists

Section 12 Approval

Job description

The Trust is seeking two Specialty Doctors to join the team on Oakwood Ward, with both full‑time and part‑time positions available. Oakwood Ward is a general adult acute inpatient unit based on the Southmead Hospital site in Bristol.

In‑Ward duties

In addition to their core duties on Oakwood Ward, the post‑holders will also provide medical input to Mason Ward for up to four patients as required. This will include clerking new admissions and undertaking medical reviews when clinically indicated.

Ward environment

Oakwood Ward is a dynamic and forward‑thinking acute psychiatric unit that embraces the challenges of acute mental health care. The ward operates as a psychologically informed environment and works within a genuinely multidisciplinary model.

The team is highly motivated, committed to improving service quality, and actively engaged in developing and delivering quality improvement projects. Their shared goal is to provide the highest standard of care while supporting patients and carers throughout the recovery journey.

There are no on‑call commitments attached to this post; however, there may be opportunities to join the out‑of‑hours full‑shift rota if desired.

Main duties of the job

The post‑holder will be responsible for managing inpatients under the care of the full‑time Consultant Psychiatrist based exclusively on Oakwood Ward. They will work closely alongside a Core Trainee and Foundation Doctors as part of the medical team.

In addition to their duties on Oakwood Ward, the post‑holder will provide medical support to Mason Ward when requested. Mason Ward is a four‑bedded Place of Safety located adjacent to Oakwood Ward. Work on Mason Ward will be supervised by the on‑call Consultant and will include reviewing patients requiring medical input and clerking individuals admitted under Section 140.

Oakwood Ward is a 21‑bedded mixed‑gender acute inpatient unit, typically receiving around three new admissions per week, with an average length of stay of 4‑6 weeks. The post‑holder will contribute to ward reviews, participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, and maintain close liaison with community mental health teams and crisis services.

This role offers an excellent opportunity to broaden clinical knowledge and develop new skills within acute psychiatry. The post‑holder will receive support to prepare tribunal reports and attend Mental Health Review Tribunals (MHRT), subject to appropriate experience.

Regular supervision will be provided by the substantive Consultant, and the post‑holder will have access to weekly journal clubs and academic meetings.

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 description

Job responsibilities

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

Person specification

Qualifications

• MB BS or equivalent medical

• Membership of the Royal College of Psychists.
• Section 12 Approval

Eligibility

• Eligible for Full GMC registration with a licence to practise at time of confirmation of appointment.
• Completed at least four years' full‑time postgraduate training (or its equivalent gained on a part‑time or flexible basis) at least two of which will be in a specialty training programme in Psychiatry or as a fixed‑term specialty trainee in Psychiatry or shall have equivalent experience and competencies.

Skills

• Ability to manage own time and workload and prioritise clinical work
• Ability to appraise own performance
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Evidence of specific achievements that demonstrate leadership skills

Knowledge

• Up to date knowledge of issues in Mental Health Service for this specialty.

Teaching skills

• Commitment to teaching other members of the multi disciplinary team.

• Teaching of undergraduate students
• PGCME or equivalent/aspiration to attain a postgraduate teaching qualification

Research and audit

• Ability to critically appraise published research.
• Experience of carrying out an audit project

• Experience in involvement in a research project and publication.
• Interest in research