Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

Locum NHS Psychiatrist

The closing date is 29 October 2025

Job summary

This is a 6-month fixed term locum opportunity to join the Tavistock First Step Plus Service for 2 PA's taking place on Thursdays.

First Step Plusis a Tavistock specialist mental health service commissioned by the NCL ICB to support children in Haringey's care who experience or are at risk of placement instability. The service is in the Child and Family Unit and operates through a multidisciplinary team comprising Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Clinical Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Systemic Family Therapy specialists.

The service supports children and young people in Haringey's care aged 0-17 years who are experiencing or at risk of placement instability and lack access to local mental health services. Children experiencing placement instability face high mental health needs due to pre-care trauma and ongoing placement disruption yet struggle to access consistent local mental health services due to frequent moves and disrupted therapeutic relationships. First Step Plus addresses this by providing direct specialist support within the NCL boroughs and within a 20-mile radius of Haringey, including direct assessments, evidence-based interventions and treatment. For placements beyond this radius, consultation support is offered to social workers, foster carers and children's networks, ensuring continuity of care for all children in Haringey's care.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will conduct high-quality, comprehensive psychiatric assessments, psychiatric risk reviews and medical reviews, and deliver evidence-based treatments and interventions. The role encompasses providing consultation and network support while supporting multidisciplinary team functioning and referral assessment processes. The position requires maintaining schedule flexibility to accommodate urgent or high-risk cases and facilitate network consultations when concerns arise.

The role is primarily based in our clinic at Bounds Green Health Centre but incorporates flexibility for community-based work. The post holder will conduct home visits and school-based assessments when clinically indicated and attend professional meetings in social work offices in Wood Green as required. The position involves collaborative working alongside the clinical service manager and the broader multidisciplinary team.

As the service is currently in transition and re-modelling, the post holder will work alongside the First Step Plus clinical service manager and participate in service development activities as required, assisting in building pathways and relationships with other services, particularly supporting transition planning into adult services and finding pathways into local CYPMH services.

About us

Following successful service recommissioning after nine years of service delivery, this locum position offers an opportunity to provide specialist psychiatric assessment and care to vulnerable children experiencing placement instability.

The Tavistock & Portman which has a worldwide reputation for therapeutic approaches in Mental Health and is a leading provider of post-graduate training and academic courses for Mental Health and Social Care professions. The post will be embedded within theChildren Young Adult and Families Directorate (CYAF) which is a thriving and growing Directorate that encompasses services for children and young people (0-25) their families, and carers.

Details

Date posted

21 October 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£109,725 to £145,478 a year per annum, plus London Weighting pro rata

Contract

Locum

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

260-TP-1000

Job locations

Bounds Green Health Centre

Gordon Road

London

N11 2PA


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.

If the above sounds like you, please apply and / or contact us for any questions you might have about the post.

We are looking forward to hearing from you.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.

If the above sounds like you, please apply and / or contact us for any questions you might have about the post.

We are looking forward to hearing from you.

Person Specification

Essential

Essential

  • Excellent knowledge in child and adolescent psychiatry or psychiatrist in medical psychotherapy.
  • Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wide medical knowledge.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
  • Able to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty
  • Experience in the psychiatric assessment and treatment of children and young people with Neurodevelopmental conditions including ADHD and ASC.
  • Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others.
  • Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA
  • Able to deliver postgraduate teaching and training
  • Ability to work in and provide clinical leadership Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement. Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken Participated in continuous professional development Participated in research or service evaluation. Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation. Able to use and appraise clinical evidence. Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications. Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programs Has led clinical audits leading to service change or improved outcomes to patients

Desirable

  • MRCPsych Eligible for inclusion on the Specialist Register or within 6 months of getting CCT Wide range of specialist and sub- specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service.
  • Wide experience and skill of therapeutic work with children and young people and their families.
  • Evidence of working flexibly with team members and with young people providing appointments in a range of community settings.
  • Section 12 approved or eligible to apply
  • Able to plan and deliver postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post
Person Specification

Essential

Essential

  • Excellent knowledge in child and adolescent psychiatry or psychiatrist in medical psychotherapy.
  • Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wide medical knowledge.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
  • Able to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty
  • Experience in the psychiatric assessment and treatment of children and young people with Neurodevelopmental conditions including ADHD and ASC.
  • Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others.
  • Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA
  • Able to deliver postgraduate teaching and training
  • Ability to work in and provide clinical leadership Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement. Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken Participated in continuous professional development Participated in research or service evaluation. Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation. Able to use and appraise clinical evidence. Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications. Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programs Has led clinical audits leading to service change or improved outcomes to patients

Desirable

  • MRCPsych Eligible for inclusion on the Specialist Register or within 6 months of getting CCT Wide range of specialist and sub- specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service.
  • Wide experience and skill of therapeutic work with children and young people and their families.
  • Evidence of working flexibly with team members and with young people providing appointments in a range of community settings.
  • Section 12 approved or eligible to apply
  • Able to plan and deliver postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bounds Green Health Centre

Gordon Road

London

N11 2PA


Employer's website

https://tavistockandportman.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bounds Green Health Centre

Gordon Road

London

N11 2PA


Employer's website

https://tavistockandportman.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Service Manager First Step Plus

Martina Weilandt

mweilandt@tavi-port.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

21 October 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£109,725 to £145,478 a year per annum, plus London Weighting pro rata

Contract

Locum

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

260-TP-1000

Job locations

Bounds Green Health Centre

Gordon Road

London

N11 2PA


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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