Consultant Psychiatrist, Assertive Outreach: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

We are looking for a consultant psychiatrist to provide clinical leadership and support the ongoing development of a new innovative Assertive Outreach Function to support local mental health services in the urban centres of Slough and Reading.

The role will work very flexibly with a team of NHS and VCSE staff to provide excellent care to patients with psychosis who find our conventional services harder to engage with. A caseload for the function capped at an agreed optimal (AO-compatible) level will ensure that patients in greatest need of additional input will receive it. Clear best practice guidelines, formulation based care delivery and shared caseload principles will support smooth-running of the service.

As an Advanced Foundation Trust, with an Outstanding rating from the CQC, and one of the best staff survey results in the country, we are able to deliver positive changes for our service users and their carers via our mature Quality Improvement approach to innovation and development whilst being a great place to work.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be working in a new post as the Consultant Psychiatrist for the new AO function across the Reading and Slough localities. They will be expected to case manage a cohort of around 30 patients in each location, giving a total full caseload of 60 for the AO function in Reading and Slough. This is open to review. Those patients will be selected by the place MDT (including input from the AO team members) from the cohort of patients with psychosis as those most requiring an AO approach for their wellbeing and for the safety of our communities.

The post holder will be expected to take a lead role in the clinical management of patients and to be the Responsible Clinician. Some of these patients with be subject to community treatment orders. The majority of these patients will be under existing services and the postholder will be expected to receive transfer of care of these patients in a manageable agreed timescale.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification.

Desirable

• Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management.
• MRCPsych
• Additional clinical qualifications, especially relevant to clinical role.

Eligibility

Essential

• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment.
• Included on the GMC Specialist Register OR within six months.
• Approved Clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment.

Desirable

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

Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• Excellent knowledge of evidence-base for management of psychosis, especially risk in psychosis, treatment innovations, Assertive outreach.
• 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 decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others.
• Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA.

Desirable

• Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service.
• Experience in Assertive Outreach, Assertive Community Treatment, FACT or Rehabilitation Psychiatry.
• Experience of Addiction’s Psychiatry or Dual Diagnosis.
• Any experience in forensic psychiatry or with patients subject to part III of the act.

Academic Skills & Lifelong Learning

Essential

• Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training.
• Ability to work in and lead team
• Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement.
• Participated in continuous professional development
• Able to use and appraise clinical evidence.
• Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programmes.

Desirable

• Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post.
• Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken
• Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation.
• Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications.
• Has led clinical audits leading to service change or improved outcomes to patients.

Closing Date: 16 September 2026