Consultant Psychiatrist – MHSOP(UK Visa Sponsorship)
Job Description
Overview of the Role
Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a dedicated Consultant Psychiatrist to join its Older Adult Mental Health Services (MHSOP) in County Durham.
This position offers the opportunity to lead and deliver specialist mental health care for people aged 65 and above, supporting individuals experiencing both functional and organic mental health conditions. The service also supports younger adults when clinically appropriate.
Working as part of a highly collaborative multidisciplinary team, the successful candidate will contribute to clinical leadership, patient assessment, and treatment planning while supporting continuous improvement in service delivery.
The role also offers UK visa sponsorship, making it an attractive opportunity for international applicants who meet the eligibility requirements.
Information about healthcare worker visas is availableÂ
About the Service
The Durham and Tees Valley Mental Health Services for Older People (MHSOP) supports a population of more than 250,000 residents aged over 65.
The service includes:
- 9 community mental health teams
- 3 inpatient wards for functional mental illness
- 3 inpatient wards specialising in organic mental health assessment and treatment
- Crisis and intensive community support teams
- Care home liaison services
- Liaison psychiatry support for acute hospitals
Community teams provide regular weekday services and limited weekend coverage, while crisis teams ensure support during evenings and weekends.
Key Responsibilities
The Consultant Psychiatrist will provide leadership and clinical expertise within the Derwentside and Chester-le-Street Community Mental Health Team.
Clinical Leadership
- Provide consultant-level leadership within the community mental health team.
- Work collaboratively with consultants and multidisciplinary teams across County Durham services.
- Support service development in line with organisational objectives.
Patient Care
- Assess and treat older adults experiencing complex mental health conditions.
- Manage patients through a bio-psycho-social approach to treatment.
- Lead care planning and clinical decision-making for complex cases.
Legal and Governance Responsibilities
- Conduct Mental Health Act assessments for patients within the service.
- Serve as a DOLS Mental Health Assessor for patients on the consultant’s caseload.
- Maintain awareness of legislation affecting the care of older adults.
- Guidance on mental health legislation in the UK
Teaching and Professional Development
- Contribute to undergraduate and postgraduate medical training.
- Participate in clinical audit, service evaluation, and research initiatives.
- Maintain continuing professional development in line with professional standards.
- Information on professional medical regulation is available
About the Organisation
Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest specialist mental health and learning disability trusts in England.
Key organisational highlights include:
- Annual operating budget of approximately £320 million
- Workforce of more than 6,700 employees
- Services delivered across around 100 healthcare locations
- Support for over 2 million residents across Northern England
The Trust is recognised as one of the Health Service Journal’s Best 100 Places to Work and prioritises staff wellbeing, professional development, and leadership opportunities.
The organisation has also introduced the TEWV Medical Workforce Charter, aimed at improving recruitment, retention, and professional development for medical staff.
Essential Qualifications
Applicants must demonstrate the following:
- MBBS (or equivalent recognised medical degree)
MRCPsych qualification
- Full registration with the **General Medical Council with a licence to practise
- Inclusion on the GMC Specialist Register for Old Age Psychiatry, or eligibility within six months
- Approved Clinician status (or ability to obtain within three months)
- Section 12 approval under the Mental Health Act (or ability to obtain within three months)
- Information about medical licensing in the UK is available
Essential Experience
Applicants should have:
- Extensive clinical experience in older adult psychiatry
- Experience working within multidisciplinary mental health teams
- Ability to manage complex mental health cases
- Experience contributing to service improvement and clinical governance
Desirable experience includes:
- Liaison psychiatry experience
- Academic research or clinical teaching involvement
- Experience leading quality improvement initiatives
Skills and Competencies
Successful candidates should demonstrate:
- Strong clinical reasoning and diagnostic skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication abilities
- Leadership and team management capabilities
- Ability to influence service improvement and change
- Strategic awareness of healthcare systems and NHS structures
- Information about NHS structures and servicesÂ
Background Checks and Compliance
This role requires a criminal background check through the Disclosure and Barring Service due to the sensitive nature of the work.
More information about DBS checksÂ
Applicants who have lived overseas may also need to provide criminal record certificates from previous countries of residence
Professional Registration
All applicants must hold current UK professional registration before appointment.
Information about working in healthcare roles in the NHS is availableÂ
Why Join This Service?
This role provides an opportunity to:
- Work in one of the largest mental health trusts in England
- Deliver specialist care to older adults in the community
- Contribute to service transformation and development
- Access excellent professional development opportunities
- Benefit from flexible working arrangements and supportive leadership
