Consultant Psychiatrist – Older Adults Inpatients (Dunes Ward): Sponsorship Available

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Job summary

We are seeking a forward-thinking Consultant Psychiatrist to join our dedicated inpatient team on Dunes Ward at Hartley Hospital.

Dunes Ward is a 20-bedded specialist older adult inpatient unit providing assessment, treatment and recovery-focused care for people with complex mental health needs. Located within Hartley Hospital, the ward offers a modern therapeutic environment designed to support excellent patient outcomes and staff wellbeing.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead an experienced multidisciplinary team delivering high-quality care for older adults requiring specialist inpatient treatment. You will have the opportunity to shape service development, contribute to teaching and training, and play a key role in driving continuous improvement within a supportive and ambitious organisation.

At Mersey Care, we are committed to creating an inclusive, compassionate and innovative workplace where our staff can thrive. We offer a strong medical leadership structure, excellent professional development opportunities and a culture that values collaboration, wellbeing and work-life balance.

Main duties of the job

You will provide clinical leadership to a skilled multidisciplinary team delivering specialist inpatient care for older adults with complex mental health needs.

You will be responsible for the assessment, diagnosis and ongoing management of patients admitted to the ward, acting as Responsible Clinician where appropriate and ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and recovery-focused care. Working closely with nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, pharmacy and social care colleagues, you will contribute to the development of personalised treatment plans and support timely, well-coordinated discharges back into the community.

This role offers the opportunity to influence and shape the future development of inpatient older adult mental health services within Mersey Care. You will play a key leadership role within the ward, supporting a positive team culture and providing supervision, teaching and development opportunities for medical students and postgraduate doctors in training.

You will contribute to service improvement, clinical governance and quality improvement initiatives, helping to ensure the highest standards of care for patients and their families.

Person Specification

Registration

Essential

  • Full registration with General Medical Council
  • Inclusion on or eligible for inclusion on the Specialist Register of the General Medical Council or within 6 months of CCST/CCT or equivalent in Old age Psychiatry at date of interview
  • Section 12 (2) Approval + Approved Clinician Status or demonstrated ability to gain approval

Desirable

  • In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice

Transport

Essential

  • Holds valid UK driving licence and will use own car for work related travel OR provides evidence of proposed alternative

Qualification and Training

Essential

  • MbChb, MBBS or equivalent
  • Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists or equivalent, 3 years higher professional training in Old age psychiatry

Desirable

  • Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management
  • Additional Qualifications
  • Undertaken ‘Train the Trainer’ and ‘Equality and Diversity’ Training

Clinical Skills,Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Excellent clinical knowledge in specialty
  • Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wide medical knowledge
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
  • Able to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty
  • Makes decision based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others
  • Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA

Desirable

  • Experience in working previously in similar roles at a relevant level
  • Training or worked as a DoLs assessor
  • Experience in management and service development
  • Knowledge and use of IT systems

Academic Skills & Lifgelong Learning

Essential

  • Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training

Desirable

  • Able to plan and deliver teaching and training relevant to the post

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 1 November 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.