SAS doctors

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.

The successful candidate will work alongside Consultant Psychiatrists who hold Responsible Clinician roles for up to 16 low secure female patients in the Chesterton Low Secure Unit and up to 8 patients in the Tennyson Step Down Service. The post holder will be a full‑time Specialty Doctor based at Hollins Park site (Winwick, Warrington), responsible for the day‑to‑day clinical management of the ward and participation in multidisciplinary team activities.

• Provide medical input to ward rounds and the Care Programme Approach (CPA) process.
• Support admission and discharge planning.
• Oversee the day‑to‑day clinical management of patients on the ward.
• Attend and contribute to multidisciplinary meetings, risk assessments and liaison with external agencies.
• Prepare and present clinical reports for CPA meetings and ward rounds.
• Participate in referral assessments to the service.
• Provide written and oral evidence for Manager's Hearings, Mental Health Tribunals and potentially for court proceedings.
• Discharge planning and liaison with receiving services.
• Attend pre‑tribunal, renewal of detention, pre‑manager's hearings and other pre‑discharge meetings as required.

• Support the management of the inpatient caseload (approx. 16 patients in low secure unit).
• Attend the LSU admissions panel to discuss assessments.
• Assist in the coordination of on‑going care and discharge planning for the female forensic pathway.
• Engage with external agencies and community services to facilitate smooth transitions.

• Qualified doctor with a recognised UK medical register.
• Specialty doctor placement or similar experience in psychiatric or secure mental health settings.
• Working knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983 (2007), the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS).
• Preferred, but not essential, Section 12(2) approval under the Mental Health Act 1983.
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience in low secure or medium secure psychiatric settings is an advantage.

• Regular clinical governance meetings and participation in the Division Governance Committee.
• Opportunities for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) through in‑house teaching, journal clubs, research and audit activities.
• Support for specialist registration via CESR, including portfolio development and appraisal.
• SAS doctors can pursue leadership roles and medical appraisal.

• Full‑time, salaried position with dedicated office base at the Chesterton Unit.
• Optional on‑call shift system (approximately 1 in 12).
• Enhanced hourly rates and time off in line with the Working Time Directive.
• Access to a robust support structure including multidisciplinary teams, specialist services and the Trust's Research, Audit and Clinical Effectiveness Team.

Please ensure all correspondence is via the appointed email channel (apps.trac.jobs). Only applicants who clearly meet the person specification will be shortlisted for interview. You may indicate a Disability Confident Guarantee to obtain a guaranteed interview scheme. For reasonable adjustments, contact the NHS Equal Opportunities team.