Consultant Psychiatrist - OST Addictions

Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand; Tauranga; On-site; NZD 140,000 - 190,000; Part time

Job summary

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Bay of Plenty is seeking a Consultant Psychiatrist with an addiction medicine focus to join the Specialist Addiction Service in Tauranga. You will lead OST care, work with psychiatrists, registrars, addiction clinicians, GPs and pharmacists to deliver safe, recovery‑oriented treatment.

The role emphasises collaboration, clinical leadership and contribution to wider AOD services, with opportunities for professional development and participation in NAOTP meetings.

Qualifications

• Vocationally registered psychiatrist with Medical Council of NZ or eligible.
• Fellowship with the RANZCP or equivalent essential.
• Passion for working with those suffering addictions and teaching/training others in this area.

Responsibilities

• Provide OST leadership and specialist addiction care across the Bay of Plenty.
• Deliver care aligned with NZ OST guidelines and collaborate with the multidisciplinary team.
• Participate in ongoing professional development and NAOTP activities.

Skills

Teaching

Leadership

Communication

Addiction care

Education

Vocational registration

RANZCP fellowship

Job description

Consultant Psychiatrist - OST Addictions

• Permanent 0.8FTE position
• Opportunity to make a difference

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

Are you looking for?

• A friendly team environment?
• A service that is striving to deliver excellent care to clients on their journey of recovery?
• A challenging role delivering Opioid Substitution Treatment and other interventions?

Then this is the opportunity for you!

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, Bay of Plenty is seeking a Consultant Psychiatrist or Medical Officer with an interest in addiction medicine to join our multidisciplinary Specialist Addiction Service based in Tauranga.

In this role, you will provide clinical leadership and specialist care for people receiving Opioid Substitution Treatment (OST) across the Bay of Plenty district, ensuring service delivery aligns with the New Zealand OST Guidelines. You will work closely with experienced psychiatrists, registrars, addiction clinicians, general practitioners, and community pharmacists to support safe, effective, and recovery-focused care.

While the primary focus of the position is OST, you will also contribute to the wider Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) service as required. The successful applicant will be expected to maintain familiarity with the 2025 OST Guidelines, become a member of the New Zealand Association for Opioid Treatment Practitioners (NAOTP), and actively participate in relevant professional development and NAOTP meetings.

This position also includes the opportunity to take on the role of Lead Clinician for the OST Service, providing clinical leadership and supporting ongoing service development. Further details regarding this responsibility will be discussed during the interview process.

We are excited to offer:

• A well‑established group of peers for you to join.
• General Adult Inpatient and outpatient services, Psychogeriatrics, Consult Liaison, Child and Adolescent, Drug and alcohol and Maternal Mental Health services.
• We are a teaching hospital with Psychiatric Registrars Training through the Upper Central North Island (UCNI) training scheme and 5th and 6th year medical students through the University of Auckland.
• Opportunities for research and teaching roles through our clinical campus and close links with Auckland University.
• Opportunities for involvement in service development and clinical leadership.

This is a permanent, 0.8FTE position working 64 hours per fortnight.

About You

Criteria for this position:

• You need to be a Vocationally Registered Psychiatrist with the Medical Council of NZ or be eligible for this.
• Have fellowship with the RANZCP or the equivalent is essential.
• A passion for working with those suffering addictions and someone who enjoys teaching and training others in this area.

If you like to work in a team that puts the patient at the centre, and is collaborative, creative and collegial, please consider this your next job.

Applying from overseas? You can complete the self‑assessment tool on theMedical Council of New Zealand website to determine which pathway to registration (as a medical practitioner in New Zealand) you might be eligible for.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.