Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Locum Consultant Psychiatrist - Depression & Bipolar (Research Centre)

The closing date is 10 March 2026

Job summary

We are seeking a Locum Consultant Psychiatrist to join the Depression and Bipolar Research Centre, a new post created through funding from the Mental Health Translational Research Collaborative, which is establishing a national network of research clinics.

The post holder will play a central role in setting up the centre, providing clinical expertise, and shaping its medical leadership.

Once operational, they will support high quality clinical and research delivery.

The role sits within the AWP Research and Development Department, with reporting lines through the Medical Directorate.

The successful candidate will have experience in clinical trials involving depression or other mood disorders and will lead the development and operation of a research-focused centre for patients with difficult to treat depression and bipolar disorder.

This includes involvement in the setup and delivery of industry sponsored and university led trials as part of the Mental Health Mission network.

The Locum Consultant will champion mood disorder research across AWP, strengthening research culture and medical engagement.

They will contribute to strategies that expand research opportunities for service users and increase medical staff involvement, particularly within mood disorder pathways.

This innovative post, developed with Medical and Clinical Directors, aims to build medical leadership in research and support AWP's ability to deliver NIHR aligned studies.

Main duties of the job

The Consultant will deliver assessments to service users at a level of intensity according to need including those service users who require an assertive approach who are difficult to engage.

This will include on-going assessment, diagnoses (including review and clarification) and recommended treatment of mental and physical health needs.

  • To provide advice to members of the Multi-Disciplinary Teams in the Depression and Bipolar Research Centre Team.
  • Regular attendance at the Depression and Bipolar Research Centre Team MDT meetings.
  • Assessment of outpatients in clinics.
  • To visit patients in their own place of residence if clinically indicated.
  • To liaise with other parts of the service and GPs and non NHS organisations wherever applicable.
  • To liaise with the other AWP services as appropriate to facilitate the smooth handover of clients between services (as required)
  • To provide medical and AC responsibility for patients from designated GP practices.
  • To actively participate in team and personal caseload management and supervision.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practices, NICE guidelines, and national frameworks.
  • Offer specialist advice and guidance to AWP and ICB stakeholders.
  • Support education and training efforts, including advice for capacity-building for multi-disciplinary trainees.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care. We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

Please note that Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust is not currently a sponsor under the GMC Sponsorship Scheme.

As a result, we regret to inform you that we are unable to consider applications from individuals who require GMC sponsorship

Details

Date posted

25 February 2026

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£109,725 to £145,478 a year per annum, pro-rata

Contract

Locum

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

342-LORVN126-RD-HA

Job locations

Gloucester House

Southmead Hospital, Southmead Road, Westbury-on-Trym

Bristol

BS10 5NB


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the accompanying job description for full details on the roles and responsibilities of this post.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the accompanying job description for full details on the roles and responsibilities of this post.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • MB BS or equivalent medical qualification

Desirable

  • Relevant Higher Degree e.g MD,PHD,Msc or other additional clinical qualifications
  • MRCPsych OR MRCPsych equivalent approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Eligibility

Essential

  • 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 of gaining CCT
  • Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment
  • Approved under S12 OR able to achieve with 3 months of appointment

Desirable

  • CCT in General Adult Psychiatry

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of assessing and treating patients in a community setting.
  • Knowledge and evidence of participation in CPD
  • Evidence of effective multidisciplinary team involvement

Personal Skills

Essential

  • To possess leadership skills and be able to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.
  • Ability to manage own time, workload and prioritise clinical work
  • Ability to appraise own performance as a Consultant.
  • Able to demonstrate excellent communication skills, in order to effectively work with patients, carers and staff.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills

Desirable

  • Evidence of specific achievements that demonstrate leadership skills

Clinical Skills

Essential

  • Ability to assess and treat psychiatric problems in Adults of working age and to deal with crisis situations.

Knowledge

Essential

  • Understanding of the management skills required to function successfully as a Consultant.
  • Awareness of current issues in mental health service provision, policy and legislation.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of alternatives to inpatient admission care approaches

Teaching

Essential

  • Commitment to and experience of undergraduate and postgraduate learning and teaching.

Desirable

  • Experience as an Educational Supervisor for trainees

Research and Audit

Essential

  • Experience or involvement in a research project and publication.
  • Experience of carrying out an audit project.

Management

Essential

  • Evidence of management/leadership skills training.

Desirable

  • Previous management experience including that of other junior medical staff
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • MB BS or equivalent medical qualification

Desirable

  • Relevant Higher Degree e.g MD,PHD,Msc or other additional clinical qualifications
  • MRCPsych OR MRCPsych equivalent approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Eligibility

Essential

  • 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 of gaining CCT
  • Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment
  • Approved under S12 OR able to achieve with 3 months of appointment

Desirable

  • CCT in General Adult Psychiatry

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of assessing and treating patients in a community setting.
  • Knowledge and evidence of participation in CPD
  • Evidence of effective multidisciplinary team involvement

Personal Skills

Essential

  • To possess leadership skills and be able to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team.
  • Ability to manage own time, workload and prioritise clinical work
  • Ability to appraise own performance as a Consultant.
  • Able to demonstrate excellent communication skills, in order to effectively work with patients, carers and staff.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills

Desirable

  • Evidence of specific achievements that demonstrate leadership skills

Clinical Skills

Essential

  • Ability to assess and treat psychiatric problems in Adults of working age and to deal with crisis situations.

Knowledge

Essential

  • Understanding of the management skills required to function successfully as a Consultant.
  • Awareness of current issues in mental health service provision, policy and legislation.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of alternatives to inpatient admission care approaches

Teaching

Essential

  • Commitment to and experience of undergraduate and postgraduate learning and teaching.

Desirable

  • Experience as an Educational Supervisor for trainees

Research and Audit

Essential

  • Experience or involvement in a research project and publication.
  • Experience of carrying out an audit project.

Management

Essential

  • Evidence of management/leadership skills training.

Desirable

  • Previous management experience including that of other junior medical staff

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

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Gloucester House

Southmead Hospital, Southmead Road, Westbury-on-Trym

Bristol

BS10 5NB


Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Gloucester House

Southmead Hospital, Southmead Road, Westbury-on-Trym

Bristol

BS10 5NB


Employer's website

http://www.awp.nhs.uk/about-us/working-for-us/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Associate Director of Research and Development

Hannah Antoniades

hannah.antoniades@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

25 February 2026

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£109,725 to £145,478 a year per annum, pro-rata

Contract

Locum

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

342-LORVN126-RD-HA

Job locations

Gloucester House

Southmead Hospital, Southmead Road, Westbury-on-Trym

Bristol

BS10 5NB


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)