South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Consultant Psychiatrist - Virginia Woolf Ward

The closing date is 09 November 2025

Job summary

South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) has a rare and exciting opportunity and is looking to recruit one substantive Consultant Psychiatrist to cover an acute female inpatient ward (Virginia Woolf) based at the Ladywell Unit in Lewisham. The ward is well established

The post holder will be based at the Ladywell Unit in Lewisham. Virginia Woolf ward is a 16-bed female acute in-patient unit. The ward provides psychiatric care for women, aged 18-65, with acute mental health problems who live in the London Borough of Lewisham. There are two male wards, one male PICU and various community mental health services linked to the Unit including the Lewisham Liaison service and Lewisham home treatment team, thereby enabling close working between teams.

For further details please refer to attached advertisement.

Main duties of the job

The main duties of the post holder are to provide psychiatry consultant leadership, to act as Approved Clinician for the ward's case load, and to work with the ward manager to deliver high quality care for patients under the care of the unit.

You will participate in the ward's daily MDT hand over meetings and chair twice weekly ward rounds. You will also be expected to attend the directorate's bed management meetings and any other forums/meetings aimed at improving length of stay and quality of care within our acute in patient services.

Many of the ward patients would have been detained under the Mental health act and a fundamental part of the role is to ensure that you complete all the statutory paperwork and responsibilities that go hand in hand with being the Responsible clinician.

For further details please refer to attached JD.

About us

We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family. We want you to feel like you are part of a close-knit team at SLaM. It's important to us that you feel valued and appreciated and that is why we have a comprehensive benefits package on offer.

Some of our benefits are highlighted here:

Generous pay, pensions and leave, we offer a comprehensive pay, pensions and leave package, which is dependent on the role and length of service.

Work life balance, flexible working and supporting a range of flexible options, such as: part-time working and job sharing.

Career development, there are plenty of opportunities to progress your career and we support your development through a number of programmes such as leadership, mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes

Car lease, our staff benefit from competitive deals to lease cars

Accommodation, eligible staff benefit from keyworker housing which is available on selected sites

NHS discounts, with discounts up to 10% from a variety of well-known retail brands through Health Service Discounts website.

Details

Date posted

24 October 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

Depending on experience £109,725 - £145,478 per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-LEW-7534214-JA

Job locations

Ladywell Unit

1st Floor Ladywell Unit, University Hospital Lewisham, Lewisham High Street

Lewisham SE13 6LW

SE13 6LW


Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide enthusiastic, and flexible, joint clinical leadership and consultant input into the team, alongside the ward manager

To take consultant responsibility for your ward, acting as Approved Clinician and assessing or supervising assessment and management of patients and devising or helping to devise appropriate treatment plans and medication regimes, providing prompt medical response, and advising and work closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team.

For further details, please refer to attached JD.

To provide consultant input into the ward, using your expertise to provide advice, liaising closely with others and providing assessment of complex presentations and creating appropriate management plans

To offer expert risk assessment and management skills in complex care of people with severe mental illness or those admitted in crisis.

To ensure excellence in the delivery of evidence-based treatments

To act as a source of support, advice and information to current or prospective patients and their carers, referrers, team members and other professionals

For further details please refer to attached JD

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide enthusiastic, and flexible, joint clinical leadership and consultant input into the team, alongside the ward manager

To take consultant responsibility for your ward, acting as Approved Clinician and assessing or supervising assessment and management of patients and devising or helping to devise appropriate treatment plans and medication regimes, providing prompt medical response, and advising and work closely with other members of the multidisciplinary team.

For further details, please refer to attached JD.

To provide consultant input into the ward, using your expertise to provide advice, liaising closely with others and providing assessment of complex presentations and creating appropriate management plans

To offer expert risk assessment and management skills in complex care of people with severe mental illness or those admitted in crisis.

To ensure excellence in the delivery of evidence-based treatments

To act as a source of support, advice and information to current or prospective patients and their carers, referrers, team members and other professionals

For further details please refer to attached JD

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • MBBS or equivalent medical qualification

Desirable

  • Qualification or hi!!!!gher degree in medical education, clinical research or management
  • Membership or Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists or equivalent qualification (in accordance with Royal College of Psychiatrists guidelines)
  • Experience in other relevant specialties such as in patient, liaison psychiatry, home treatment or addictions

Eligibility

Essential

  • Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment
  • Included on the GMC Specialist Register for General Adult Psychiatry OR within six months
  • Approved clinician status and under S12 OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment

Desirable

  • In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice

Clinical Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Excellent knowledge in specialty
  • 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 Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others. Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA

Desirable

  • Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service

Academic Skills & Lifelong Learning

Essential

  • 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

Desirable

  • Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post
  • Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation.
  • Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications.
  • Has led quality improvement projects leading to service change or improved outcomes to patients
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • MBBS or equivalent medical qualification

Desirable

  • Qualification or hi!!!!gher degree in medical education, clinical research or management
  • Membership or Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists or equivalent qualification (in accordance with Royal College of Psychiatrists guidelines)
  • Experience in other relevant specialties such as in patient, liaison psychiatry, home treatment or addictions

Eligibility

Essential

  • Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment
  • Included on the GMC Specialist Register for General Adult Psychiatry OR within six months
  • Approved clinician status and under S12 OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment

Desirable

  • In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice

Clinical Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Excellent knowledge in specialty
  • 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 Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others. Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA

Desirable

  • Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service

Academic Skills & Lifelong Learning

Essential

  • 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

Desirable

  • Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post
  • Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation.
  • Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications.
  • Has led quality improvement projects leading to service change or improved outcomes to patients

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

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ladywell Unit

1st Floor Ladywell Unit, University Hospital Lewisham, Lewisham High Street

Lewisham SE13 6LW

SE13 6LW


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ladywell Unit

1st Floor Ladywell Unit, University Hospital Lewisham, Lewisham High Street

Lewisham SE13 6LW

SE13 6LW


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Associated Medical Director - Lewisham Directorate

Dr. Hugh Williams

hugh.williams@slam.nhs.uk

02032286393

Details

Date posted

24 October 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

Depending on experience £109,725 - £145,478 per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-LEW-7534214-JA

Job locations

Ladywell Unit

1st Floor Ladywell Unit, University Hospital Lewisham, Lewisham High Street

Lewisham SE13 6LW

SE13 6LW


Supporting documents

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