Specialty Doctor in Inpatient Forensic Psychiatry

Overview

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) is looking to appoint an enthusiastic Specialty Doctor who will provide consistent, high quality medical input to the Inpatient Forensic Psychiatry team based at Brockfield House, Wickford. The closing date for applications is 20 February 2026.

This well-established post will cover the medium secure male service supporting male patients who require medium secure inpatient care. The post holder will provide cover for Forest Ward, a male secure ward. The service covers areas of Essex, Bedford and Luton.

Main duties of the job

• The ward tends to have a turnover of around 5 new patients in any one year. The ward is a 15 bed unit. The vast majority of patients are detained under Part 3 sections of the Mental Health Act.
• The ward accommodates inpatients with enduring and severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia or bipolar affective disorder, which in some cases is resistant to treatment. There is a strong emphasis on treatment in line with the recovery model.
• The post holder will be expected to work independently and accountably as part of a multidisciplinary team offering Mental Health services. Working collaboratively with key partner organisations, service users, carers, clinicians and other practitioners within the team to deliver services; providing a 7 day a week, 24 hours a day service for 365 days a year.

You should be eligible for full registration with the GMC at time of appointment and hold Section 12 (2) approval under the Mental Health Act 1983. You will also need to provide evidence of achievement of ST1/CT1 competences in psychiatry at time of application and likelihood of achieving CT2 competences in psychiatry by the start date of the post.

About us

EPUT is looking for motivated staff who share our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer a range of benefits and development including:

• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer

Join our Staff bank

What is Staff Bank?

Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able to offer safe and effective care at all times.

All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank; however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.

If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.

Job responsibilities

• To provide medical input for inpatients on Forest Ward. The number of service users that the post holder will be primarily responsible for will be negotiated with the Consultant / Medical Director through the job planning process.
• It is expected that the Specialty Doctor will provide the necessary medical input to support the Consultant on the ward.
• To participate in the weekly multidisciplinary meetings.
• To attend CPA reviews and formulation meetings involving service users under their care.
• Participate in MDT Risk Assessments and decisions about treatment.
• Provide general medical care, undertaking appropriate physical examinations and organising relevant investigations as deemed necessary.
• Use appropriate therapeutic skills in the treatment of patients.
• To work within the framework of the Care Programme Approach.
• To ensure all written records are maintained as appropriate.
• To communicate effectively with the Consultant to ensure adequate supervision of clinical decision making.
• To attend education meetings on Tuesday mornings as part of their continuing professional development.

Person Specification Qualifications

• MBBS or equivalent medical qualification
• Eligible for full registration with the GMC at time of appointment. Section 12 (2) approval under the Mental Health Act 1983.
• Knowledge and experience of conducting cognitive assessments.

Skills/Experience

• Evidence of achievement of Foundation competencies by time of appointment in line with GMC standards in Good Medical Practice

Clinical skills

• Experience of working with adults in a community/inpatient forensic setting within mental health services.
• Relevant specialty clinical knowledge: capacity to apply sound clinical knowledge relevant to the job and specialty.
• Clinical judgement: experience in making clinical decisions and managing risk. Understanding the HCR-20 risk assessments. Knows when to seek help, able to prioritise clinical need.
• Practical skills: shows aptitude for practical skills, required in the job.
• Proven ability to work effectively in different clinical settings required in the job.
• Knowledge and experience of conducting cognitive assessments is desirable.
• Clinical governance: Capacity to be alert to dangers or problems. Demonstrates awareness of good decision making. Aware of own limitations. Track record of engaging in clinical governance: reporting errors, learning from errors.
• Effective communication skills: demonstrates clarity in written/spoken communication and capacity to adapt language as appropriate to the situation.
• Empathy and sensitivity: capacity to listen and take in others' perspectives.
• Works in partnership with service users: always considers services users.

Transport

• Holds and will use valid UK driving licence OR provides evidence of proposed alternative.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

£61,542 to £99,216 a year pro rata per annum