Consultant in Adult Forensic Psychiatry; HMP Woodhill

Consultant in Adult Forensic Psychiatry (HMP Woodhill)

The closing date is 11 December 2025

Go back Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

The Trust is seeking a Consultant Psychiatrist to join HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes. The service is expanding within HMP Woodhill and a new contract has been mobilised.

The Mental Health Team in HMP Woodhill provides an integrated Mental Health Service, offering both a primary mental health team (PMH) and a secondary mental health in-reach team (MHIRT).

The post-holder will have consultant and RC responsibility for service users, supported by a multidisciplinary team and managed by the Clinical Director.

Referrals to the psychiatrist are made at the MDT team meeting following an initial mental health assessment. Prisoners with complex needs and high risk may be jointly managed by both CPN and psychiatrist. The psychiatrist is available to carry out psychiatric assessments, provide evidence-based interventions, medication reviews and offer advice and guidance on particular cases.

The postholder would be expected to up to three outpatient clinics a week, typically seeing three–four patients in each clinic. There would be one ward round each week.

The team assess patients in healthcare, on ordinary location, the CSC and separation & care unit. A key area of the work will be the assessment and treatment of patients on the inpatient unit (up to 12 patients). The inpatient unit houses a mix of both physical health and mental health patients, with up to half being mental health patients including those requiring transfer to a psychiatric hospital.

The post-holder is not expected to carry a caseload. Caseloads will be carried by the CPNs and the post-holder will be expected to conduct psychiatric/medication reviews.

We currently provide a range of services (including mental health, substance misuse, sexual health and primary care) to the following prisons: HMPs Bronzefield, High Down, Downview, Send, Coldingley, Feltham and Aylesbury. We also provide community forensic services in North West London, liaison and diversion services to police stations and Magistrates' Courts (Uxbridge, Hillington, Willesden and Westminster), to the Central Criminal and Harrow Crown Court, as well as low secure specialist forensic services at Park Royal.

The Mental Health Team in HMP Woodhill works closely with prison staff and other health and non‑health contracted services to provide a person‑centred, continuous service that promotes positive health and social care outcomes, sustainable resettlement and reduction in re‑offending. HMP Woodhill is a Category B prison with a Category A function that was built in 1992. Within the perimeter it has a Close Supervision Centre, which accommodates a number of the highest risk men within the prison estate.

It also has a Separation Centre, which accommodates inmates felt to be at risk of radicalising others and a Protected Witness Unit. It does not have a remand function.

The prison accommodates approximately 500 adult male prisoners and a small number of Category A young offenders. CNWL provides primary care, mental health and addiction services and is an integral part of the wider prison team contributing to the rehabilitative culture within the establishment.

The post-holder will accept that the description of clinical duties is not exhaustive. The detail of clinical duties will be reviewed in the light of the post-holder's experience and the needs of the service.

Clinical responsibilities:

• Assessment (including the assessment of risk), treatment, care planning and multi‑agency liaison for people with mental health problems in the prisons.
• CPA management of care, undertake Mental Capacity Assessments, contribute to planned emergency interventions.
• Liaison with prisons, courts, statutory and non‑statutory agencies, concerning all aspects of the mental health care management of men with mental health problems in the prisons.
• Work closely with the Manager, Psychologists and other lead professionals to provide clinical leadership and ensure safe, supportive care.
• Liaise closely with other…