The closing date for this job has now passed.

Job reference: 181672
Salary: Consultant (£96,963 - £128,841)
Job closing date: 23/04/2024
Job Type: Medical and Dental
Location: St John's Hospital
Employment type: Permanent
Hours Per Week: 32 hours per week
Job posted date: 26/03/2024
Employer (NHS Board): NHS Lothian
Department: Liaison Psychiatry

Job Advert

Job Title:         Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist (8 Sessions)

Department:    Liaison Psychiatry, St John’s Hospital, Livingston, NHS Lothian

Base:               St John’s Hospital, Livingston


NHS Lothian is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best.

To this end, NHS Lothian welcomes applications from all sections of society.

Applicants must have full GMC Registration, a license to practise and eligible for inclusion in the GMC Specialist Register. Those trained in the UK should have evidence of higher specialist training leading to CCT or be within 6 months of confirmed entry from the date of interview. CESR (Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration) route doctors are only eligible to apply for a substantive consultant post once CESR is awarded. Non-UK applicants must demonstrate equivalent training.  

This post is within a department which delivers liaison psychiatry services across the acute hospital wards at St John’s Hospital and specialist services. The post provides a fantastic opportunity to work alongside other consultants in liaison psychiatry and nursing staff within a service which, whilst established, also has great potential for building and progressing on existing models. 

The team consists of:

  • 2.2 whole time equivalent (WTE) consultant psychiatrists
  • 1 WTE medical secretary, AFC Band 2
  • 2 WTE liaison nurse

Junior medical staffing typically consists of 0.5 WTE FY2 doctor, and 1 WTE FY1 doctor. There are also higher training posts available within the department.

The consultant psychiatrist is expected to carry a compact caseload of the most complex cases, conduct assessments and manage complex cases, and be available at short notice to provide consultation, supervision, and advice to other team members. The consultant psychiatrist is also expected to be actively involved in clinical governance activities, leadership roles, the strategic development of the liaison team and broader services, and to participate in providing educational opportunities as well as participating in their own professional development.

The team has close links with addictions liaison services. The service is also supported by the Acute Care and Support Team (ACAST), which manages all A&E liaison calls and is the locality crisis service. Acute hospital services and mental health services are co-located on the same site which provides excellent opportunities for liaising with both acute and mental health colleagues and building working relationships. As a member of the NHS Lothian service, you will be strongly supported and encouraged to develop additional interests as part of your professional activity. This could include wider medical education, research, leadership and quality improvement activity to the highest level available in Scotland.

Edinburgh and the Lothians offer a beautiful location to live with superb cultural, educational, housing and recreational facilities right in the heart of Scotland.

More detailed information can be found in the job description and person specification.

We would encourage informal visits to the service, for further information and to arrange a visit please contact:


Dr Louise Mowatt,     Clinical Director – 01506 523771

louise.mowat@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Dr Jude Halford,        Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist – 01506 523772

Jude.halford@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk

Dr Lexie Pittock,       Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist – 01506 523772           

Alexandra.pittock@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk



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