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Job summary

Main area
Psychiatry
Grade
NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 4 sessions per week
Job ref
354-AB-21109
Employer
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Community Mental Health Centre
Town
Brighton
Salary
£113,565 - £150,569 NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
13/07/2026 23:59
Interview date
06/08/2026

Employer heading

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust logo

Consultant Psychiatrist, Community Rehabilitation Service

NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant

Come and join us

We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day.

At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.

We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role.

We recognise that tools like AI are becoming part of everyday life and you may choose to use them when preparing your application. We welcome this, as long as what you submit reflects your own experience, skills and voice. AI can be helpful for structuring or refining your answers, but it should not replace your own examples or create content that isn’t based on your real experience.

Our recruitment process is designed to get to know you, and we’ll explore your examples further at interview, so it’s important your application genuinely represents what you bring. You can read more about using AI in applications and interviews on our recruitment process page.

We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.

Job overview

The Trust is seeking a Consultant Psychiatrist to join the Community Rehabilitation Service (CRS) in Brighton. This vacancy has arisen due to an existing Consultant leaving the post.

This post is one example of the long-standing commitment of the Trust to developing and sustaining better provision and capacity for those individuals suffering from the most severe and enduring mental health problems and their families and carers using the service in challenging times.

Main duties of the job

The CRS service provides specialist assessment, treatment, interventions and support, to enable recovery for people whose complex needs cannot be met by general adult mental health services. This includes those requiring an assertive approach to care.

The team work with primarily those with a diagnosis of a severe and enduring psychotic illness who have a history of either treatment resistance or treatment failure due to repeated non-engagement with other community services.  Typically, there will be other markers of complexity such as Drug and Alcohol problems, forensic issues and difficulties in sustaining tenancies. Patients may have a history of high inpatient bed use and repeated admissions under the MHA.

There are 4 sessions available. As it is a less than full time post, the SPFT job planning policy will be followed in regards to direct clinical care and SPA.

Working for our organisation

The Trust provides mental health and learning disability care for all ages across Sussex and for children and young people in Hampshire.

Living & Working in Brighton:

Be spoilt for choice with Brighton's iconic seafront, vibrant lanes and array of shops and attractions

Travel easily between coast and countryside, with a blend of picturesque villages and seaside towns on your doorstep

Embrace the outstanding natural beauty spots including the renowned Devils Dyke and South Downs National Park

We’d love you to join our Trust, rated ‘good’ overall and ‘outstanding’ for caring by the CQC. Our staff agree, recent staff survey results told us that 82% recognise that care for patients is our top priority.

Key staff survey results include:

70% highlighting flexible working opportunities as a key point for satisfaction at work

79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work in their team

77% identifying the opportunities to show initiative in their roles

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description document for full details on the role and responsibilities. For informal enquiries about the role please contact Dr Alison Chalu, Lead Psychiatrist for the Community - [email protected]

Person specification

Eligibility/Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • MB BS or equivalent medical qualification
  • Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment.
  • Included on the GMC Specialist Register OR within six months.
  • In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice
  • Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment

Transport

Essential criteria
  • Holds and will use valid UK driving licence OR provides evidence of proposed alternative.

Clinical Skills, Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria
  • Excellent knowledge in specialty
  • Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wide medical knowledge
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
Desirable criteria
  • Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service

Academic Skills & Lifelong Learning

Essential criteria
  • Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training
  • Ability to work in and lead team
  • Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement.
  • Participated in continuous professional development
  • Participated in research or service evaluation.
  • Able to use and appraise clinical evidence.
  • Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programmes
  • Ability to work in a participatory way so that shared decision making and conversations around formulation/diagnosis and ongoing care are a collaborative endeavour with the people who access our service.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyDisability confident leaderDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardStep into healthPride In Veterans

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr. Alison Chalu
Job title
Lead Psychiatrist for the Community
Email address
[email protected]
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