
Job requirements
Essential
27 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Eligibility
Must be in possession or within 6 months of possession of a CCT in Psychiatry or on Specialist Register in Psychiatry.
- Eligibility
Section 12(2) approval and Approved Clinician approval or ability to obtain approval before starting post
- Eligibility
If no CCT in Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability / not on Specialist Register in Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability, then must demonstrate interest and ability to apply psychiatric practice to this patient group
- Self Awareness
To have an understanding of own strengths and weaknesses and how these attributes affect professional functioning
- Self Awareness
To have an understanding of the stresses involved in being a consultant psychiatrist and how to manage these appropriately.
- Leadership Skills
Understand principles of leadership and give examples of leadership in own practice.
- Leadership Skills
Able to provide clinical leadership to a multi-disciplinary team and while valuing and recognising the skills, training and experience of team members in allied professions in the community learning disability team, both health and social care.
- Management Skills
Understand the importance of working with managers in the interest of good patient care
- Management Skills
Able to manage priorities
- Management Skills
Evidence of management/Leadership skills training
- Research and Audit
Experience of carrying out an audit project.
- Research and Audit
Experience or involvement in a research project and publication.
- Research and Audit
Ability to supervisor junior medical staff undertaking research projects.
- Clinical Governance
An understanding of the importance of Clinical Governance in the NHS organisations and importance in patient care.
- Clinical Governance
Awareness of current issues in mental health service provision, policy and legislation
- Qualifications/Training
General medical Qualification e.g. MBBS, or equivalent and hold a Licence to Practise.
- Qualifications/Training
MRCPsych or recognised equivalent, e.g. membership of a psychiatry college in another country.
- Dorset HealthCare Values
Proactive, respectful, supportive, reliable, trustworthy and positive.
- Supervision of Junior medical Staff
Knowledge of requirements for supervision and appraisal of junior medical staff.
- Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Excellent knowledge in specialty
- Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Evidence of effective multidisciplinary team involvement.
- Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wider medical knowledge.
- Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience
An understanding of how psychiatric issues and non-psychiatric issues may present as changes in behaviour, and competence in assessing mixed or unclear presentations.
- Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Competence in prescribing and deprescribing short and long term psychiatric medications.
- Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA
- Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Make decisions based on evidence and experience including contribution of others.
- Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Desirable
10 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Eligibility
Experience of medicine outside psychiatry e.g. general practice, medicine.
- Eligibility
CCT in Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability
- Management Skills
Previous management experience including that of other junior medical staff
- Research and Audit
Published audit project
- Research and Audit
Ability to critically appraise published research.
- Qualifications/Training
Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management.
- Qualifications/Training
Additional clinical qualification.
- Supervision of Junior medical Staff
Approved educational supervisor training.
- Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Teaching Experience.
- Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within the NHS or comparable service.
Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity to join our service as a part-time (6 PA) Consultant Psychiatrist in Learning Disability Psychiatry, as part of the reconfiguration of Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability (Learning Disability) provision within the Community Learning Disability Teams in Dorset.
As the consultant psychiatrist you’ll provide a community psychiatry service for adults with learning disabilities across the Purbeck and Ferndown areas. The role does not include epilepsy management, which is provided by the specialist Dorset Epilepsy Service within the Neurology service.
You will be supported by experienced colleagues in Learning Disability Psychiatry and will work as part of a well-established, integrated Community Learning Disability Team, with additional support from the Intensive Support Team. You’ll contribute to weekly IST review meetings and the wider development of community-based Learning Disability services.
This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to the ongoing development of community-based Learning Disability services, working collaboratively with a skilled multidisciplinary team to deliver high-quality, person-centred care to adults with learning disabilities across Dorset.
Main duties of the job
You’ll provide psychiatric leadership, assessment, diagnosis and treatment for adults with learning disabilities, alongside psychiatric input to patients supported by the IST. Clinical work will be a combination of clinics and home visits. The role includes medical cross-cover for annual, study and emergency sick leave with Consultant colleagues across the adult Learning Disability service.
We offer a £10,000 Recruitment & Retention Payment, paid monthly during your first year in post, alongside a relocation package of up to £10,000 if you are relocating to Dorset. You'll also benefit from flexible working, excellent NHS benefits, 10 days’ study leave and an annual study budget of up to £1,000 - supporting you both professionally and personally.
You'll be offered the opportunity to participate in the county-wide senior on-call rota, which attracts a 3% on call availability supplement plus 0.75 APA per week. The on-call frequency is approximately 1 in 21.
Interested in finding out more? We'd love to hear from you. Contact Dr Cressida Manning, Medical Lead for Specialist Services at cressida.manning@nhs.net for an informal conversation about the opportunity.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.
We understand that using AI can be a useful and supportive tool when completing your application. However, we have also seen an increase in the over-reliance of AI tools which is negatively impacting applications as they remove candidate’s individuality, and it becomes much harder to get a sense of who you are and your authentic experience. If you do use AI, it should be used to enhance your application and not to create your supporting statement in its entirety. If we suspect you have used AI to create your supporting statement and this does not match your experience, we may withdraw your application.
As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact dhc.wideningparticipation@nhs.net
Applicant requirements
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.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Consultant in LD for Ferndown and Purbeck with Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust in Poole, England. It is listed as a Consultant Medical doctor Psychiatry role. The advertised salary is £113,565 - £150,569 pa pro rata for part time.. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 04 Oct 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (11 Sep 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHSjob search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
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