UCAT South Consultant

Transformation Unit; Northampton; Remote; GBP 114,000 - 151,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

£40,000 welcome bonus

Job summary

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Consultant Psychiatrist to join the Urgent Care Assessment Team for the South of the county, based in Northampton. The role offers a £40,000 welcome bonus to the successful candidate, payable over the first two years in post.

Responsibilities include providing 24/7 assessment services, acting as gatekeeper to acute inpatient care, and delivering rapid, flexible interventions while coordinating with community teams. Apply by 19/11/2026.

Qualifications

• On Specialist Register/CCT in General Adult Psychiatry or eligible for inclusion within six months.
• Approval under Section12 of the Mental Health Act and able to act as Responsible Clinician.
• Minimum of six years postgraduate experience (including three years as SpR in approved training post).
• Publication of original research.

Responsibilities

• 24/7 UCAT service providing mental health assessments from referrals and addressing home treatment caseload.
• Act as gatekeeper to acute inpatient care.
• Provide rapid, intensive, flexible interventions to service users, families and carers.
• Address social issues surrounding crisis from the outset.
• Administer and supervise medication.
• Link patient care to continuing care after crisis.

Skills

Excellent communication

Team leadership

MDT collaboration

Education

Specialist Register/CCT General Adult Psychiatry

Section12 approval & Responsible Clinician

Job description

Main area General Adult Psychiatry Grade Consultant Contract Permanent: Various Hours Full time - 10 sessions per week (Various) Job ref 270-MED412-E

Employer Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Campbell House Town Northampton Salary £113,565 - £150,569 pa Salary period Yearly Closing 19/11/2026 23:59

UCAT South Consultant

Job overview

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, a CQC Outstanding rate organisation, is looking for a Consultant Psychiatrist to join our fantastic Urgent Care Assessment Team for the South of the county, based in Northampton

We are offering a £40,000 welcome bonus to the successful candidate, paid over the course of your first two years in post.

For further information on the benefits package and joining the Trust, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Main duties of the job

• 24 hour - seven days a week service. UCAT will undertake mental health assessments following referrals from recognised sources (as per operational policy) and will respond to the needs of the home treatment caseload
• Act as gatekeeper to acute inpatient care
• Rapid response following referral to UCAT – intensive, flexible interventions provided to service user, family and carers
• Address the social issues surrounding crisis right from the beginning
• Assertive approach to engagement
• Provide practical problem solving help
• To administer and supervise medication
• Time limited intervention that has sufficient flexibility to respond to differing service users needs
• Learning from crisis
• Ensure that service users care is linked up to further continuing care

Working for our organisation

Our core strategy is to be an employer of choice, a great place to work and be known for a diverse and inclusive culture whose staff feel valued. We provide a range of NHS services including physical, mental health and specialty services provided in hospital settings and out in the community within schools, GP clinics and patients own homes.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The primary objectives of the UCAT are to:

Offer an assessment service for residents of Northamptonshire who, immediately prior to the Team’s involvement, have been assessed as requiring admission to hospital;

Provide intensive community-based treatment to clients in the acute phase of mental illness, thus diminishing the need for hospital admission;

Facilitate early discharge from hospital where hospital admission has already been necessary;

Secure appropriate follow-up care for the client once the alleviation of the acute phase of mental illness has occurred;

Be fully integrated into the Northamptonshire mental health systems and the community as a whole.

For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading or contact Medical Workforce. The full person specification can be accessed under the ‘About You’ Section of the document.

Knowledge and Experience

• On Specialist Register/CCT in General Adult Psychiatry or eligible for inclusion within six months.
• Approval under Section12 of the Mental Health Act and able to act as Responsible Clinician.
• Minimum of six years postgraduate experience (including three years as SpR in approved training post) or equivalent
• Part of this period may be in a post of equivalent responsibility and training.
• Additional Postgraduate Qualifications / endorsement in Rehab Psychiatry
• Publication of original research

Behaviours and Values

• In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice
• Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement
• Ability to work independently as well as part of A MDT
• Able to form a good working relationship with the peer group
• Willingness to undertake training and CPD in areas appropriate to this post
• Ability to work under pressure
• Willingness to participate in in-house training

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills Evidence of the ability to communicate with patients, colleagues and staff at all levels.
• Ability to present complex information to a variety of audiences including courts and tribunals
• Ability to motivate and develop junior Medical Staff and other MDT members
• To balance individual requirements against those of the Directorate and Trust as a whole.
• An understanding of the political and financial framework within which the Services operate
• Ability to work independently as well as part of A MDT.
• An understanding of the use of security in the treatment of psychiatric patients.
• An understanding of the dynamics of working with damaged and disturbed patients.
• Awareness of the national agenda for secure psychiatric care and criminal justice.

We are an equal opportunities employer, which aims to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons from all backgrounds.

All roles are subject to the home office immigration rules and therefore eligibility must meet certain requirements for any sponsorship to be considered. Please visit the government website for more information regarding eligibility,

At NHFT we support many of our colleagues to work flexibly and we will consider requests for flexible working from day one. For this role, we are open to discussing a range of options including flexible hours, agile/home working, compressed hours and part time hours. Please have a conversation with the recruiting manager about the flexibility you need and we will promise to explore what is possible with you.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.

All posts that are engaged in a regulated activity will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and a DBS re-check on a three yearly basis whilst employed in such a role. Staff employed in these posts will therefore be asked to register with the DBS Automatic Update Service upon receipt of their DBS certificate and must update yearly , the annual fee will be reimbursed subject to Trust policy. For further information please visit: DBS Update Service: applicant guide - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Please note if a DBS is applicable for the position then a charge will be deducted from your first salary.

Please note that all new starters to the trustare subject to a probationary period.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.