Job summary
Dunstable Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) has undergone a process of transformation/ redesign in order to focus on providing prompt assessment and intervention at the point of need. By separating out some of the functions of a traditional CMHT, the new structure will additionally allow more of a focus on recovery for those with enduring mental health problems and those accessing CPA, within a linked recovery service.
Community mental healthcare will increasingly be provided closer to home, within primary care networks.
Dunstable CMHT has the following structure:
Closing date:27th July 2025
Interview date (AAC panel): 13th August 2025
Front-end blended teams with triage function + Providing care for complex patients not on CPA (PCN Case load)
Managing recovery-focused care of individuals on CPA. (Recovery Case load)
ADHD Case Load
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will provide clinical leadership to a community mental health team serving adults with acute and severe mental illness. Key responsibilities include:
-
Leading the Dunstable team and weekly MDT meetings.
-
Conducting assessments, diagnoses, and treatment planning with a focus on recovery-oriented care.
-
Offering clinical guidance to GPs and collaborating with crisis, inpatient, and specialist teams to ensure continuity of care.
-
Fulfilling responsibilities under the Mental Health Act, including duties as an Approved Clinician and Section 12-approved psychiatrist.
-
Ensuring performance targets (KPIs) are met and working towards HTAS accreditation.
-
Supervising junior staff, delivering training, and leading quality improvement and audit activities.
-
Participating in the consultant duty rota and engaging in regular appraisal and job planning.
-
Candidates must be fully GMC registered with either a CCT or equivalent (Article 14), and have s12 approval.
About us
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a detailed description of main duties and responsibilities please refer to the attached job description and person specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a detailed description of main duties and responsibilities please refer to the attached job description and person specification.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Fully registered with the General Medical Council
- Eligible for inclusion in the GMC Specialist Register (or Specialist Registrar within 6 months of gaining CCT at time of interview).
- Membership or Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists or equivalent qualification (in accordance with Royal College of Psychiatrists guidelines)
- Eligible for Section 12 Approval (Mental Health Act)/ Approved Clinician or willing to apply for such approval once in post.
Desirable
- A higher degree such as MD or PhD
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Experience of clinical work in Adult Psychiatry at SpR, SASG or consultant level within the last 3 years
- Excellent working knowledge and experience of the application of the Mental Health Act
- Appreciation and understanding of ethnic minority issues and a commitment to developing culturally sensitive practices
- Understanding of social factors relevant to psychiatry
- Robust experience of working with severe and enduring mental illness and risk assessment, management
Desirable
- Experience of service development and introducing new services in mental health
- Experience of working at consultant level in a community environment
Organisational Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Leadership skills
- Ability to work as a part of multidisciplinary, multi-model team
- Ability to manage complex workloads and support others to do that
- Consultation skills to services, teams and individuals
- Commitment to working in multidisciplinary setting
- Commitment to working with service users on service development
Desirable
- Formal leadership and management training
- Experience of team /service leadership
- Experience of organisational development work
- Project management ability
Clinical Skills and Supervision
Essential
- Ability to work in multi-disciplinary team and provide leadership for the team
- Self-motivating and innovative
- Expertise in risk assessment
- Confident in therapeutic risk taking
- Commitment to clinical governance
Desirable
- Experience in supervising trainee doctors and SAS doctors
Teaching
Essential
- Experience in teaching junior staff
- Good teaching and communication skills
- Experience of teaching medical undergraduates and postgraduates
- Experience of teaching non-medical mental health professionals
Desirable
- Medical education qualification
Research and Audit
Essential
- Experience of research work, or be able to interpret research findings and apply them to clinical practice.
- Audit experience
Desirable
- Experience of grant-funded project work
- Publications in peer-reviewed journals in relevant academic fields
Other Requirements
Essential
Desirable
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Fully registered with the General Medical Council
- Eligible for inclusion in the GMC Specialist Register (or Specialist Registrar within 6 months of gaining CCT at time of interview).
- Membership or Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists or equivalent qualification (in accordance with Royal College of Psychiatrists guidelines)
- Eligible for Section 12 Approval (Mental Health Act)/ Approved Clinician or willing to apply for such approval once in post.
Desirable
- A higher degree such as MD or PhD
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Experience of clinical work in Adult Psychiatry at SpR, SASG or consultant level within the last 3 years
- Excellent working knowledge and experience of the application of the Mental Health Act
- Appreciation and understanding of ethnic minority issues and a commitment to developing culturally sensitive practices
- Understanding of social factors relevant to psychiatry
- Robust experience of working with severe and enduring mental illness and risk assessment, management
Desirable
- Experience of service development and introducing new services in mental health
- Experience of working at consultant level in a community environment
Organisational Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Leadership skills
- Ability to work as a part of multidisciplinary, multi-model team
- Ability to manage complex workloads and support others to do that
- Consultation skills to services, teams and individuals
- Commitment to working in multidisciplinary setting
- Commitment to working with service users on service development
Desirable
- Formal leadership and management training
- Experience of team /service leadership
- Experience of organisational development work
- Project management ability
Clinical Skills and Supervision
Essential
- Ability to work in multi-disciplinary team and provide leadership for the team
- Self-motivating and innovative
- Expertise in risk assessment
- Confident in therapeutic risk taking
- Commitment to clinical governance
Desirable
- Experience in supervising trainee doctors and SAS doctors
Teaching
Essential
- Experience in teaching junior staff
- Good teaching and communication skills
- Experience of teaching medical undergraduates and postgraduates
- Experience of teaching non-medical mental health professionals
Desirable
- Medical education qualification
Research and Audit
Essential
- Experience of research work, or be able to interpret research findings and apply them to clinical practice.
- Audit experience
Desirable
- Experience of grant-funded project work
- Publications in peer-reviewed journals in relevant academic fields
Other Requirements
Essential
Desirable
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.
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.
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).
