Consultant Psychiatrist Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

Job overview

We are seeking a committed, compassionate and forward‑thinking Consultant Psychiatrist to join our Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). This is an exciting opportunity to work within a dynamic, high‑acuity inpatient service delivering safe, patient‑centred, multidisciplinary care.

Our 10‑bedded, mixed‑sex PICU provides intensive treatment for individuals experiencing a acutely disturbed phase of serious mental disorder, often requiring detention under the Mental Health Act. The unit supports patients where heightened risk and loss of self‑control necessitate a secure, responsive and highly skilled clinical environment.

Care within the unit is patient‑centred and recovery‑focused, delivered through close multidisciplinary collaboration, with an emphasis on rapid assessment, timely intervention and proactive risk management.

The post attracts a minimum of 2.5 SPAs for full‑time working, with flexibility to look at enhancements support other activities in line with Trust priorities. We offer strong peer support, opportunities for clinical supervision, and welcome candidates interested in leadership, teaching, research or innovative service development.

A generous relocation package is available to support a smooth transition to the role and the area.

Main duties of the job

The unit maintains strong working relationships with key partners, including:

• Forensic Services
• Single Point of Access (SPA)
• MAPPA
• HMPs and Probation Services
• Police

Referrals are managed directly by the PICU team using national PICU admission criteria. We operate a dedicated Prison Pathway and assess all referrals received via SPA. Collaborative working with inpatient treatment units supports seamless, efficient patient journeys across the service.

As Consultant Psychiatrist, you will:

• Provide clinical leadership within a skilled, experienced MDT.
• Deliver expert assessment, formulation, and treatment planning.
• Contribute to dynamic risk management and the oversight of safe, therapeutic care.
• Support service development in line with national standards.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external partners to ensure high-quality, patient‑centred pathways.
• Participate in the specialist Consultant on-call rota for General Adult Psychiatry.

This is an opportunity to influence a progressive, specialist service where your leadership will directly shape high-quality care for some of the most vulnerable service users.

We think differently about our psychiatry roles and will work with you to develop an opportunity that works for you.  We will support you to balance high quality patient care with pursuing your own special interests within psychiatry, as well as offering opportunities for leadership and management and leadership roles.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

As a consultant working for the PICU team, you will have responsibility for the provision of safe and effective care and treatment. You will share the vision of integrated and multi-disciplinary working and actively engage in the development of the service through research and support.

Applicants should have full registration with the GMC, possess MRCPsych UK or have an equivalent post-graduate qualification. They should be on the Specialist Register for General Adult Psychiatry, or be within 6 months of achieving CCT in General Adult Psychiatry.

The post holder would be expected to be approved as a Responsible Clinician or be willing to undertake training to obtain Section 12(2) MHA and will be expected to renew this approval according to agreed procedures.

The ability to commute within the Trusts geographical area with access to the appropriate means of transport is essential.

Please read our attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information on our exciting role available.