Medical Director

Job responsibilities

Job Title: Medical Director & Consultant Psychiatrist (PICU/Older age Acute)

JOB PURPOSE

The Medical Director will provide visible, values-driven clinical leadership across the hospital, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality patient care. As a Consultant Psychiatrist and senior Responsible Clinician, the post-holder will lead on clinical governance, patient safety, and continuous quality improvement, ensuring full compliance with CQC standards, the Mental Health Act, and all relevant regulatory frameworks.

Working as part of the senior hospital leadership team, the Medical Director will foster a culture of professionalism, openness, and compassion, empowering multidisciplinary teams to deliver person-centred care and achieve excellent clinical outcomes. The role will provide strategic clinical leadership to support service development, workforce capability, and the overall performance and sustainability of the hospital.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Leadership and Patient Care

• Provide senior clinical leadership as a Consultant Psychiatrist and Responsible Clinician, holding overall responsibility for a defined caseload of patients.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality, evidence-based, person-centred care for individuals with complex mental health needs.
• Provide expert psychiatric advice to clinical teams across the service to support safe and effective care delivery.

• Ensure patient care is delivered in line with best practice, NICE guidance, and relevant clinical standards.

Clinical Governance, Quality and Safety

• Lead on clinical governance, ensuring robust systems are in place to monitor and improve patient safety, clinical outcomes, and quality of care.
• Work with the Clinical Director, Hospital Director and Head of Therapies to develop and embed effective governance frameworks, including audit, quality improvement (QI), and risk management processes.
• Take a lead role in Clinical Governance and Clinical Improvement forums, driving continuous improvement.
• Lead and participate in audit, service evaluation, and research activities to support ongoing service development and innovation.
• Contribute to the investigation and management of clinical incidents, complaints, and serious untoward events involving medical staff.

Medical Workforce Leadership

• Provide professional leadership, supervision, and mentorship to Consultant Psychiatrists and junior medical staff.
• Act as Responsible Officer, ensuring effective systems for appraisal, revalidation, and professional development are in place.
• Oversee the performance and conduct of medical staff, identifying and addressing concerns in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Lead the recruitment, appointment, and retention of medical staff, including Consultants, Specialty Doctors, and SHOs.
• Ensure appropriate medical staffing and consultant cover across the hospital, including participation in the on-call rota.

Strategic and Operational Leadership

• Contribute to the strategic development of the hospital, ensuring clinical quality and patient safety remain central to all decision-making.
• Provide expert medical input to the Senior Management Team and Board on service development, workforce planning, and clinical risk.
• Support the development of new services and pathways, ensuring they are safe, effective, and aligned with commissioner expectations.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and accountability across the organisation.

Education, Training and Culture

• Lead the hospitals CPD programme and promote a strong culture of learning, reflection, and professional development.
• Ensure junior doctors receive appropriate supervision, training opportunities, and workload management.
• Promote a positive, open, and collaborative culture aligned with organisational values.
• Participate in educational and health promotion activities, including engagement with primary care and external partners.

External Engagement and Representation

• Represent the organisation at local, regional, and national levels, building strong relationships with commissioners, regulators, and partner agencies.
• Maintain effective liaison with GPs, community mental health teams, and other stakeholders to support integrated care pathways.

Patient-Centred Care and Co-production

• Champion patient involvement and co-production, ensuring care planning reflects patient preferences and holistic needs.
• Support patients to access information and make informed decisions about their care.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Comply with all Company policies, procedures, standing orders, and financial instructions, ensuring adherence to professional, regulatory, and statutory requirements.
• Maintain full compliance with employment, Health and Safety, and clinical governance policies, promoting safe systems of work across the hospital.
• Ensure appropriate clinical availability and oversight for patients under their care, including arrangements for junior medical staff to access senior support when required.
• Contribute to the accurate collection, analysis, and reporting of clinical data to support service evaluation, performance monitoring, and regulatory reporting.
• Undertake senior clinical duties including:
• Assessment of referrals and determination of suitability for admission
• Oversight of care planning and Care Programme Approach (CPA) reviews (where applicable)
• Preparation and quality assurance of clinical reports, including Mental Health Act tribunal and Hospital Managers reports, and attendance at hearings
• Lead the implementation and oversight of effective risk assessment and risk management systems across the service.
• Ensure the consistent implementation of clinical policies, protocols, and evidence-based practice.
• Actively contribute to, and where appropriate chair, key clinical and operational forums, including:
• Medical Staff Meetings
• Clinical Improvement / Governance Meetings
• Senior Management Team (SMT) handovers
• Support the development of a responsive and effective admissions pathway, working closely with operational and clinical colleagues.

SUPPORT AVAILABLE

• The post holder will work within a well-established multidisciplinary team, including nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, and other allied health professionals.
• Dedicated administrative and secretarial support will be provided.
• Appropriate IT systems and infrastructure will be available to support clinical and operational responsibilities.

Qualifications

Essential

• - GMC registration with a licence to practise
• - Inclusion on the GMC Specialist Register (CCT or CESR) in Psychiatry
• - Approved Clinician status
• - Section 12(2) approval under the Mental Health Act
• - Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) with evidence of ongoing CPD and revalidation
• - Substantial experience working as a Consultant Psychiatrist within inpatient services
• - Demonstrable experience of clinical leadership and decision-making at a senior level
• - Experience of working within multidisciplinary teams
• - Experience of clinical governance, audit, and quality improvement
• - Experience of working within the framework of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
• - In-depth knowledge of evidence-based psychiatric practice
• - Expert knowledge of the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, and associated Codes of Practice
• - Strong understanding of clinical governance, patient safety, and risk management
• - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing for tribunals and hearings
• - Ability to lead, influence, and support multidisciplinary teams
• - Ability to analyse complex clinical information and make sound, timely decisions
• - Effective organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands
• - Commitment to trauma-informed and person-centred approaches
• - Commitment to patient involvement, co-production, and collaborative care
• - Evidence of participation in audit and quality improvement activities
• - Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills
• - Credible and visible clinical leader, able to inspire confidence and trust
• - Professional integrity and high standards of probity
• - Resilient, adaptable, and able to work effectively under pressure
• - Decisive with sound clinical judgement
• - Committed to continuous improvement and innovation
• - Collaborative, approachable, and supportive leadership style aligned with organisational values

Desirable

• - Higher degree or relevant postgraduate qualification (e.g. MSc, MD, PhD)
• - Leadership or management qualification
• - Experience within specialist services (e.g. Older Adult, PICU, Acute)
• - Experience contributing to service development or hospital mobilisation
• - Experience working within independent healthcare setting
• - Experience in teaching, training, or supervision
• - Experience in research and/or publication
• - Competence in use of clinical IT systems and data for service improvement

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.

UK Registration

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