Specialty Doctor - Borders Addiction Service

OUR VALUES IN ACTION

• Care and Compassion • Quality and Teamwork • Dignity and Respect • Openness, honesty and responsibility

Specialty Doctor in Addiction Psychiatry (0.8 WTE, Permanent)

Borders Addiction Service – Galashiels & Scottish BordersSalary: £61,690 – £96,129 per annum (pro rata)Hours: 0.8 WTE (8 PAs)Base: Galavale, Galashiels (with travel across the Borders)

Why this role?

Join a dynamic, welcoming, and well‑functioning addiction service delivering high‑quality, compassionate care. Work in a beautiful rural region with excellent access to Edinburgh, and enjoy supportive consultant supervision, strong multidisciplinary working, and opportunities for professional development — including support toward MRCPsych and AMP status.

What you’ll do

• Provide holistic psychiatric assessments, including risk assessments, and develop treatment plans as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Support delivery of opiate substitution therapy (OST), including assessment, prescribing and monitoring.
• Oversee inpatient admissions (alcohol detoxification and drug stabilisation) at Huntlyburn House.
• Act as primary psychiatrist for an agreed number of community patients.
• Contribute to MDT meetings, case note reviews, physical health monitoring and caseload supervision.
• Participate in Mental Health Act work (with AMP recognition) and produce psychiatric reports as required.
• Engage in clinical governance, audit, SAE reviews, Drug Death Review Group and service development aligned to MAT standards.
• Take part in teaching, training, CPD, research and supervision within the wider Mental Health service.

What we’re looking for

• Primary medical degree (MBBS or equivalent) and full GMC registration with licence to practise.
• Minimum four years’ postgraduate training, including at least two years in psychiatry (or equivalent experience).
• Commitment to working with adults experiencing addiction and severe mental illness.
• Strong communication, teamwork and reflective practice skills.
• Understanding of clinical governance principles and evidence‑based practice.
• Alignment with NHS values: care, compassion, quality, teamwork, dignity, respect, openness and honesty.

Desirable:

• Experience in adult or addiction psychiatry (community and inpatient).
• Experience in OST assessment/prescribing.
• MRCPsych or working toward it; AMP status (or intention to pursue).

What we offer

• Permanent Specialty Doctor post within a supportive, highly experienced team.
• Dedicated consultant supervision and a strong peer support network.
• SPA time for development, teaching, research and governance.
• Support toward MRCPsych exams and AMP training.
• Opportunities to develop special interests aligned with service needs.
• Access to NHS pension, annual leave entitlement, and relocation assistance (where applicable).
• Work–life balance in a scenic rural area with excellent outdoor activities and rail links to Edinburgh.

Interested?

For an informal chat or to arrange a visit, contact:

Dr Rosemary Gordon – Clinical Lead, Addictions Service01896 664436Rosemary.gordon@nhs.scot

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.

As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here.

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found here.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form

***PLEASE NOTE: We cannot accept late applications so please ensure your application is submitted early***

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.