Locum Consultant Psychiatrist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Description: Locum Consultant Psychiatrist (Student Mental Health Service Primary Care)

Location: Canterbury Contract Type: Locum (temporary, flexible sessions) Service Setting: Primary Care / University Student Mental Health Service Reports to: Clinical Lead / GP Partners

About the Service

Our Student Mental Health Service is a primary care-based team supporting the mental health and wellbeing of undergraduate and postgraduate university students across Kent and Medway. We work closely with the three main Universities; the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University and the University of the Creative Arts as well as link in with the local associated medical schools. We work collaboratively with GPs, counsellors, wellbeing practitioners, and secondary mental health services to ensure timely, holistic, and student-centred care.

Role Summary

We are seeking a skilled and adaptable Locum Consultant Psychiatrist to provide high-quality psychiatric assessment, diagnosis, risk assessment and treatment planning for students presenting with a range of mental health needs. The postholder will contribute clinical expertise and supervision within a multidisciplinary team and help ensure smooth care pathways between primary care, university support services, and specialist mental health providers.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive psychiatric assessments of students referred by GPs, wellbeing teams, or other professionals.
• Provide clear diagnostic formulations, risk assessments, and management plans tailored to the student population.
• Offer evidence-based prescribing and medication management when clinically indicated.
• Liaise with GPs, university counselling services, wellbeing practitioners, and secondary care to ensure continuity of care.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary case discussions and offer psychiatric input to care planning.
• Provide brief interventions or time-limited reviews where appropriate.
• Support safe discharge planning and onward referral to secondary or specialist mental health services as required.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential clinical records in line with service protocols and regulatory standards.
• Work flexibly, recognising the unique developmental, social, and academic pressures faced by the student population.
• Support the work of the non-medical prescriber nurse and provide clinical supervision and guidance.

Person Specification

Experience

Desirable

• Previous experience in primary care or liaison psychiatry.
• Understanding of student mental health and wellbeing needs in a university context.
• Experience in managing transitions between primary, secondary, and tertiary services.

Qualifications

Essential

• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise in Psychiatry.
• Approved medical degree and specialist training in psychiatry.
• Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) or equivalent.
• On the GMC Specialist Register or within 6 months.
• Experience in general adult psychiatry, ideally with young adults or student populations.
• Strong clinical assessment, diagnostic, and risk management skills.
• Excellent communication and liaison skills across multidisciplinary and multi-agency settings.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a team.
• Commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centred support.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

University Medical Centre

Address

Giles Lane

Canterbury

Kent

CT2 7PB

Employer's website

https://www.umckent.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)