Consultant in Perinatal Psychiatry

Job overview

Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a motivated and committed Consultant to join an established team as a substantive Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist to work as part of SMABS (Specialist Mother and Baby Mental Health Service), in a place where your team values you. This is a community perinatal mental health service covering the areas of Bradford, Airewarfe and Craven. We want someone who is a changemaker so come join us to help us reshape the future to work within a multi-disciplinary team based at Fieldhead Business Centre Bradford. You will work alongside Dr Lian Chua (6PA) and an expanding, engaged, supportive and passionate multidisciplinary team.

Closing date: 1st September 2025

Shortlisting: 2nd - 5th September 2025

Interviews: 15th September 2025

Main duties of the job

You will provide clinical medical input and leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective and caring high-quality specialist care. There is the expectation the you deliver direct patient care including new assessments for complex patients, medication and diagnostic assessment, lead CPA reviews and multi-agency meetings and pre-birth planning appointments, provide urgent reviews and lead discharge planning for complex patients. You will provide clinical leadership and consultation beyond the SMABS team, to support colleagues across different teams and disciplines where the complexities and challenges of perinatal mental health present. There is a SMABS duty worker each day who triages referrals and provides advice to professionals across a range of disciplines in maternity, primary care and secondary care including Single Point of Access, Intensive Home Treatment and First Response.

The team covers a wide geographical area. At present, with the current constraints on medical resource the ability to work flexibly across the district will be required. Efforts to make this practical, include working a mix of face to face and remote working using Teams. The post holder will be expected to contribute to the future development of the service and will be encouraged to develop a clinical network within the ICB footprint. The team has a senior leadership team consisting of the consultant/s, clinical lead and parent-infant therapist and team manager who meet on a weekly basis.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

If you are a General Adult Consultant Psychiatrist wishing to transition to this Specialist Perinatal Consultant Psychiatrist post, should you be successful at interview, you will be supported to attend relevant courses, supervision and mentoring.

Applicants should have a higher qualification in psychiatry (Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists or equivalent) and be included on or be eligible for inclusion on the GMC’s Specialist Register. Specialty Registrars who are within 6 months of attainment of CCST at the time of interview are eligible to apply. The appointee will need to be both AC and S12 approved at the time of the interview, or be fully eligible for approval.

Please read the attached Job description and person specification for more details about this role.

Right to Work in the UK

Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa. Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status. Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trust’s eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.  As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.