Consultant Psychiatrist, South Somerset CMHT Yeovil with certificate of sponsorship to the UK
Visa Note
Although this position offers a certificate of sponsorship for eligible candidates, we strongly recommend verifying your specific visa eligibility requirements directly with the employer before applying. The UK visa process can be complex and varies based on your country of origin, qualifications, and professional experience.
Job Summary
We are seeking a full-time, permanent Consultant Psychiatrist to work as part of a team of three community consultants covering the South Somerset area (Yeovil East, Yeovil West and Chard). This position provides senior psychiatric input to the Yeovil West part of the community mental health team, which is aligned to 5 of the 20 GP surgeries in the Yeovil area.
Company Information
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is committed to supporting its employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance professional and personal life. The trust offers flexible working options, an NHS pension scheme, generous annual leave allowance, and a strong focus on career development. Additionally, employees gain access to the Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities.
Location and Working Environment
The position is based at Summerlands on the Summerland’s Hospital site in Yeovil, Somerset (address: 56 Preston Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA20 2BN). The working pattern is 9-5, Monday to Friday. The Yeovil West CMHT has a GP population catchment area of 45,162, which is within Royal College recommendations.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range is £109,725 to £145,478 per year. Additionally, there is an after-hours senior doctor rota of 1:11 which candidates can request to join but is optional. Those who join the out-of-hours rota receive 1.125 PA and 3% availability payment. The trust offers relocation assistance in line with eligibility criteria.
Role and Responsibilities
As a Consultant Psychiatrist, you will provide senior psychiatric input to the community mental health team. The consultants work to a functional model following a community/inpatient split. Routine and urgent referrals from GPs and other sources are managed through a single point of access. The average number of new referrals to the South Somerset Team (East and West) is 3623 per year.
Key Responsibilities
The consultant caseload will include patients with SMI (Severe Mental Illness), complex cases with medical comorbidities, diagnostic assessments, joint worked cases, cases with specific medication supervision requirements, and ADHD with significant comorbidity. You will take a proportion of referrals as clinically indicated, either for joint assessment with a team member or usually as individual outpatient assessments.
Additional Duties
There is an option to join the senior out-of-hours on-call rota (1 in 11) which operates 5pm to 9am on weekdays, and from 9am Saturday to 9am Monday. This rota provides senior medical cover including Responsible Clinician duties to all in-patient wards in the Trust, covering general adult, old age, rehabilitation and learning disability specialties.
Person Specification
Essential Qualifications
- MBBS or equivalent medical qualification
- Mental Health Act Approved Clinician / Section 12 approval
- Entry on GMC Specialist Register; eligible for entry on Register or within 6 months of receipt of Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) at time of interview or CESR
- Evidence of competencies to be able to fulfil the role of a consultant in community psychiatry
- MRC Psych passed
- Accredited for the training of junior doctors
Essential Experience
- 3 years supervised training in an appropriate ST4-6 equivalent training programme
- Previous experience of working at consultant level
- Experience of front-line psychiatry in adult mental health services and ideally in community
- Experience in the assessment and management of ADHD
Additional Essential Criteria
- Competent to work without direct supervision where appropriate
- Clear, logical thinking showing an analytical/scientific approach
- Ability to lead and develop the service
- Willingness and ability to fulfil the key elements of the job description
- Ability to develop effective working relationships on an individual, multi-professional and team basis with all levels
- Understanding of clinical governance and the individual responsibilities it implies
- Knowledge of the NHS plan/modernisation agenda and the implications for service
- Knowledge of principles of research
Service Integration
The CMHT psychiatrists provide medical input to relevant patients in the Assertive Outreach Team (AOT). The core CMHT works closely with the wider community mental health service, which consists of therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, mental health nurses, psychiatrists, and several team managers. The team collaborates especially in complex cases and where there is higher risk.
Specialized Services
The trust has developed several specialized services within the CMHS that may require medical input. These include the Assertive Outreach service for patients with complex needs and difficulty maintaining engagement, and Connect 18, which works with young people transitioning from CAMHS to adulthood over an 18-month period. The trust has also expanded with a new service called Open Mental Health, which works closely with primary care, the wider community, and the voluntary sector.
Professional Development
The trust provides access to specialist psychological interventions including CBT, Cognitive Analytic therapy, Family therapy, Art Therapy, Dialectic behavioural therapy, EMDR, county wide CAT group and mentalisation based therapy. There are also wellbeing, depot and clozapine clinics that follow a newly created standard operational policy, facilitating appropriate physical health monitoring, risk factor modification, and medication supervision.
Team Structure
All teams are based at Magnolia House on the Summerland’s Hospital site in Yeovil. Other teams operating in the area include the South Somerset Home Treatment Team and the Early Psychosis (STEP) team, each with their own dedicated psychiatrist. There is no inpatient responsibility attached to this post, as inpatient beds for Yeovil are located on Rowan Ward 1, which is also based on the Summerland’s Hospital site.
Community and Environment
Somerset offers a perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines. Vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter are just a short drive away, with London only two hours by train. The region has excellent educational facilities and affordable housing compared to other parts of the UK, making it an ideal place to build both a career and a future.
Equal Opportunities
The trust is proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce and encourages applications from all backgrounds. All section 12 approved staff can contribute to the management of the Place of safety based on Rowan ward through contribution to section 136 assessments, with remuneration for MHAA work.
Disclosure and Barring Service
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, and 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 Professional Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For overseas applicants, additional verification may be required. The trust is committed to supporting international healthcare professionals through the visa application process.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, please follow these steps:
- Visit the NHS Jobs website and search for reference number 184-OL-MED-FAM-3343
- Prepare your CV and supporting documents that demonstrate how you meet the person specification
- Complete the application form, ensuring you address all essential criteria
- Include proof of your medical qualifications and GMC registration
- For international applicants, prepare documentation verifying your eligibility for a UK work visa
- Submit your application before the closing date of 31 May 2026
- For questions about the application process, contact Michael Campbell (Hiring Manager) at michael.campbell@somersetFT.nhs.uk
Further Information
For more information about Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, please visit their website at https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/. The privacy notice can be found at https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/about-us/about-us/how-we-manage-your-information/privacy-and-fair-collection-policy/.
Supporting Documents
Additional information about the Yeovil West CMHT is available in the supporting document: Yeovil West CMHT – Sept 2025.pdf (PDF, 627 KB). This document provides detailed information about the team structure, services, and operational procedures.