Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

UCAT South Consultant

The closing date is 10 June 2025

Job summary

Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, a CQC Outstanding rate organisation, is looking for a Consultant Psychiatrist to join our fantastic Urgent Care Assessment Team for the South of the county, based in Northampton

We are offering a £40,000 welcome bonus to the successful candidate, paid over the course of your first two years in post.

For further information on the benefits package and joining the Trust, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Main duties of the job

24 hour - seven days a week service. UCAT will undertake mental health assessments following referrals from recognised sources (as per operational policy) and will respond to the needs of the home treatment caseload
Act as gatekeeper to acute inpatient care
Rapid response following referral to UCAT - intensive, flexible interventions provided to service user, family and carers
Address the social issues surrounding crisis right from the beginning
Assertive approach to engagement
Provide practical problem solving help
To administer and supervise medication
Time limited intervention that has sufficient flexibility to respond to differing service users needs
Learning from crisis
Ensure that service users care is linked up to further continuing care

About us

Our core strategy is to be an employer of choice, a great place to work and be known for a diverse and inclusive culture whose staff feel valued. We provide a range of NHS services including physical, mental health and specialty services provided in hospital settings and out in the community within schools, GP clinics and patients own homes.

Date posted

05 June 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£105,504 to £139,882 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

270-MED412

Job locations

Campbell House

Northampton

NN1 3EB

Job description

Job responsibilities

The primary objectives of the UCAT are to:

Offer an assessment service for residents of Northamptonshire who, immediately prior to the Teams involvement, have been assessed as requiring admission to hospital;

Provide intensive community-based treatment to clients in the acute phase of mental illness, thus diminishing the need for hospital admission;

Facilitate early discharge from hospital where hospital admission has already been necessary;

Secure appropriate follow-up care for the client once the alleviation of the acute phase of mental illness has occurred;

Be fully integrated into the Northamptonshire mental health systems and the community as a whole.

For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading or contact Medical Workforce. The full person specification can be accessed under the About You Section of the document.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The primary objectives of the UCAT are to:

Offer an assessment service for residents of Northamptonshire who, immediately prior to the Teams involvement, have been assessed as requiring admission to hospital;

Provide intensive community-based treatment to clients in the acute phase of mental illness, thus diminishing the need for hospital admission;

Facilitate early discharge from hospital where hospital admission has already been necessary;

Secure appropriate follow-up care for the client once the alleviation of the acute phase of mental illness has occurred;

Be fully integrated into the Northamptonshire mental health systems and the community as a whole.

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

oMRCPsych or equivalent
oFull GMC Registration
oOn Specialist Register/CCT in General Adult Psychiatry or eligible for inclusion within six months.
oApproval under Section12 of the Mental Health Act and able to act as Responsible Clinician.
oMinimum of six years postgraduate experience (including three years as SpR in approved training post) or equivalent
oPart of this period may be in a post of equivalent responsibility and training.

Desirable

oAdditional Postgraduate Qualifications / endorsement in Rehab Psychiatry
oPublication of original research
oManagement training

Behaviours and Values

Essential

oIn good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice
oDemonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement
oAbility to work independently as well as part of A MDT
oAble to form a good working relationship with the peer group
oWillingness to undertake training and CPD in areas appropriate to this post
oAbility to work under pressure
oWillingness to participate in in-house training

Skills and Abilities

Essential

oExcellent written and verbal communication skills Evidence of the ability to communicate with patients, colleagues and staff at all levels.
oAbility to present complex information to a variety of audiences including courts and tribunals
oAbility to motivate and develop junior Medical Staff and other MDT members
oTo balance individual requirements against those of the Directorate and Trust as a whole.
oAn understanding of the political and financial framework within which the Services operate
oAbility to work independently as well as part of A MDT.
oAn understanding of the use of security in the treatment of psychiatric patients.
oAn understanding of the dynamics of working with damaged and disturbed patients.
oAwareness of the national agenda for secure psychiatric care and criminal justice.

Person Specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

oMRCPsych or equivalent
oFull GMC Registration
oOn Specialist Register/CCT in General Adult Psychiatry or eligible for inclusion within six months.
oApproval under Section12 of the Mental Health Act and able to act as Responsible Clinician.
oMinimum of six years postgraduate experience (including three years as SpR in approved training post) or equivalent
oPart of this period may be in a post of equivalent responsibility and training.

Desirable

oAdditional Postgraduate Qualifications / endorsement in Rehab Psychiatry
oPublication of original research
oManagement training

Behaviours and Values

Essential

oIn good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice
oDemonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement
oAbility to work independently as well as part of A MDT
oAble to form a good working relationship with the peer group
oWillingness to undertake training and CPD in areas appropriate to this post
oAbility to work under pressure
oWillingness to participate in in-house training

Skills and Abilities

Essential

oExcellent written and verbal communication skills Evidence of the ability to communicate with patients, colleagues and staff at all levels.
oAbility to present complex information to a variety of audiences including courts and tribunals
oAbility to motivate and develop junior Medical Staff and other MDT members
oTo balance individual requirements against those of the Directorate and Trust as a whole.
oAn understanding of the political and financial framework within which the Services operate
oAbility to work independently as well as part of A MDT.
oAn understanding of the use of security in the treatment of psychiatric patients.
oAn understanding of the dynamics of working with damaged and disturbed patients.
oAwareness of the national agenda for secure psychiatric care and criminal justice.

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.