Job summary
- Main area
- Psychiatry
- Grade
- Consultant
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 10 sessions per week (Spilt between Eating Disorders and Medical Psychotherapy)
- Job ref
- 327-26-257
- Employer
- Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Brownhill Centre & Leckhamption Lodge (Cheltenham)
- Town
- Cheltenham
- Salary
- £109,725 - £145,478 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 23/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Consultant Psychiatrist Eating Disorders 4Pas & Med Psychotherapy 6Pas
Consultant
We love what we do and we think you will, too!
At Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC), we provide joined-up mental health, physical health and learning disability services to people of all ages across Gloucestershire. We run community hospitals and provide care and support in people’s own homes and in a range of other locations across the county.
We are on a mission to enable people to live the best life they can and we have a vision to work together to provide outstanding care. We put people at the heart of our services, focusing on personalised care by asking ‘what matters to you’.
We’re passionate about making sure that everyone can contribute to achieving our mission and we are continually working to support healthy and happy high-quality teams in all areas of the Trust.
Our application process aims to understand each candidates knowledge, skills and experience. We have found that candidates that use AI to generate their answers can lack specificity and fail to address key criteria outlined in the job description.
It is really important to personalise your application to convey your individual skills, knowledge, and experiences effectively and for us to understand why you are applying for this role with GHC. We discourage over reliance on AI-generated applications as it will lessen your chances of success in securing an interview with us .
Job overview
We are seeking to appoint a Consultant Psychiatrist to a newly established full-time post that combines specialist clinical work within the Eating Disorder Community Service and Medical Psychotherapy provision across Gloucestershire.
The post holder will contribute 4 programmed activities (PAs) per week to the Eating Disorder Community Service and 6 programmed activities (PAs) per week as a Consultant Medical Psychotherapist, delivering specialist clinical care across the county.
This role has been created in response to increased local investment in medical psychotherapy services and rising demand within the Eating Disorder Service.
This role is offered on a permanent basis. The hours are full-time, 10 sessions per week.
The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are underlined in the Job Description/Person Specification.
Main duties of the job
Integral to the responsibilities of the post are the following:
• To ensure the provision of a first-class clinical service.
• To provide effective leadership to all staff engaged in the specialty.
• To sustain and develop teaching and research wherever appropriate.
• To undertake all work in accordance with the Trust’s procedures and operating policies.
• To conduct clinical practice in accordance with contractual requirements and within the parameters of the Trust’s and Division’s service plans.
• To maintain the confidence of business plans and development strategies formulated for the specialty.
• To work effectively with all members of the multidisciplinary team and promote team working.
The postholder will be working alongside the existing Consultant in Medical Psychotherapy, will ensure provisions of General adult psychiatry services within the Eating Disorder team, will deputize for absent colleagues, work flexibly to ensure service delivery and patient care and achieve value for money through the most effective use of resources.
The post holder will join the on call rota that spans across specialties, within Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust. This will mean participating in a 1:20, 9am to 9pm/9pm to 9am rota. Section 12 cover is provided with on-call duties under an arrangement with the local authority for which a 0.25 PA retainer is payable, plus fees.
Working for our organisation
We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people’s homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.
Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:
72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust’s priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.
This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder will work closely alongside the existing Consultant Medical Psychotherapist and will be an integral member of multidisciplinary teams, contributing to high-quality, patient‑centred care. There will be opportunities to support service development and innovation within both clinical areas.
Teaching, supervision and training form an important component of this role. The post holder will be expected to contribute to the supervision and development of medical trainees and other learners, supporting a positive learning environment and promoting high standards of clinical practice.
This appointment offers a unique and rewarding opportunity for a consultant with expertise or a strong interest in eating disorders and medical psychotherapy to develop a varied clinical portfolio within a supportive and forward‑thinking service.
We encourage a healthy work-life balance and we have regular away days.
Our medical directorate also supports Consultants through positive relationships with the LNC and Medical Staffing Committee.
At Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust, we are supportive of the people we care for in the community and aim to provide a fully responsive service to everyone who needs it. This is the same approach we take for our employees. We look to value the skills and experiences of those we work with, whether they are service users, carers, families or those looking to work with us.
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust is part of the NHS. We treat NHS patients according to NHS principles and standards. The difference is the Trust is accountable to local people, rather than to Government, and so we are able to work closely with our community to develop services in the way that best suits the needs of local people.
Medical Psychotherapy
Work alongside the existing Consultant in Medical Psychotherapy, delivering clinical care in line with Complex Psychological Interventions (CPI) pathways, policies and protocols.
Provide specialist assessment and psychotherapeutic treatment for patients with complex mental health needs, applying a holistic approach informed by general psychiatric training and a recognised psychotherapeutic modality.
Offer specialist expertise in psychological formulation, consultation and treatment planning for individuals with complex presentations, working closely with community mental health teams and CPI clinicians.
Deliver consultation, second opinions, specialist supervision and face‑to‑face psychotherapy at the request of Consultant Psychiatrists and CPI clinicians.
Contribute to service development initiatives for people with complex mental health problems, including personality disorders, dual diagnosis and medically unexplained symptoms, working with clinicians, managers and commissioners.
Provide clinical leadership within the Medical Psychotherapy service, including assessment, treatment and supervision of psychodynamic psychotherapy delivered by trainees.
Contribute to education and training, supporting psychotherapy training for core and higher psychiatric trainees and other mental health professionals, in line with curriculum requirements.
Eating Disorder Service
Provide psychiatric assessment, diagnosis and formulation for patients with eating disorders and complex co‑morbid mental health presentations.
Advise the multidisciplinary team on treatment planning, medication management and onward referral for complex cases.
Initiate, monitor and review psychotropic medication, including physical health monitoring where required.
Offer regular consultation and supervision to team members regarding complex clinical presentations and dynamics.
Provide advice on the use of the Mental Health Act in non‑urgent situations and fulfil Responsible Clinician and Section 12 duties as required.
Liaise with GPs and work collaboratively with other Trust services, including Crisis and Home Treatment, inpatient wards, liaison psychiatry, forensic and intermediate care teams.
Maintain professional competencies and CPD related to the management of eating disorders within the context of complex mental illness.
Participate in service governance and, alongside other medical staff, provide cross‑cover for medical monitoring (e.g. blood tests and ECGs) for community patients.
The Trust is required to work in line with the Government’s UK Visa and Immigration Rules and Regulations. For more information about sponsorship for certain roles, please visit - https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Full registration with the GMC at time of appointment
- Basic medical qualification (MBBS or equivalent)
- AC Status for the purpose of MHA equivalent
- Certificate of completion of specialist training (CCST) or Certificate equivalent to specialist registration(CESR) – General Adult Psychiatry and/or Medical Psychotherapy
- Evidence of skills in assessment, formulation and management of psychiatric disorders.
Desirable criteria
- Full or part membership of Royal College of Psychiatrists or equivalent.
- Personal membership of a “medical defense” union
- Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience as a senior medical practitioner at specialist level.
- Management/leadership experience within clinical service.
- Experience of working in and managing a team
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr Claudia Calciu
- Job title
- Interim Clinical Director
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01452 894564
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