Consultant Psychiatrist - Liaison CAMHS
Melksham
Full Time
£113,565 - £150,569 per annum | pro-rata
Expires: 01/11/2026
Consultant
Fixed term: 12 months (contract)
About the Role
Job overview
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.
Working for our organisation
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
Detailed job description and main 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:
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 criteria
- 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 criteria
- 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 criteria
- 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 criteria
- 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 criteria
- 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 criteria
- Formal leadership and management training
- Experience of team /service leadership
Documents to Download
Liaison CAMHS JD (PDF, 752.3KB)
Functional requirements (PDF, 264.6KB)
Recruiter Contact Details
Name: Dr Kindy Mahal
Title: Consultant Psychiatrist CAMHS LD (Wilts/BaNES)
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 07887 610918