**Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry
COMMUNITY and INPATIENT
Reference **
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.
We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.
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. Portfolio Pathway (formerly known as CESR - Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration) route doctors are only eligible to apply for a substantive consultant post once it has been awarded. Non-UK applicants must demonstrate equivalent training.
Applications are welcome for the above Permanent, part time (24 hours per week) post based in at various locations.
The Edinburgh Old Age Psychiatry Service covers a population of approximately 75,000 older people. The service is divided into 4 sectors and these match the locality boundaries of all other health and social care services, including Adult Psychiatry and Substance misuse. The four community mental health teams in each quadrant of Edinburgh have a full complement of community psychiatric nursing, occupational therapy, psychology and administrative staff. These localities are linked to inpatient services at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. The Rapid Response Team, a home treatment service for older adults supports the whole pathway. The Rapid Response Team has won numerous awards since inception and demonstrates NHS Lothian's commitment to innovate new services for older people's mental health.
The successful applicant will join a well established department of psychiatry of old age that is currently full recruited. All other post holders are in substantive positions. Mentoring is available for newly appointed consultants at the start of their consultant careers. The consultant group meets weekly and provides both informal and formal support to colleagues.
The service has a strong track record in supporting consultants to develop and expand their roles/careers. Dedicated time for teaching, quality improvement, academic work, medical leadership or clinical work in subjects of particular interest are part of all existing consultant's job plans. For example one of the National Training Directors in Psychiatry of Old age works in the department. As part of our commitment to flexible working we would also be happy to discuss options for less than full time working for any prospective candidate. Successful consultant careers often include periods of developing new interests and skills both in and out of work, and mental health services in Lothian have a strong track record in supporting people to do this.
The post-holders will participate in a specialist Old Age Psychiatry on-call service for Edinburgh, East and Midlothian, with a frequency of approximately 1 in 12. This rota is supported by a higher trainee on call, in addition to junior trainees and only provides consultant level input to older adults. There are separate specialist consultant rotas for adult, CAMHS and forensics throughout the OOHs period.
More detailed departmental and specialty information can be found in the job description available via email address / link below.
For An Informal Discussion Please Contact
Dr Andrew Watson, Associate Medical Director
, Royal Edinburgh and Associated services
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We cannot accept CV's as a form of application and only a completed online application form will be accepted. Personal information will not be sent with the application for short listing. The application form will be identified by the candidate number only to ensure that all applicants are treated equally.
Closing Date: 14/10/2025
***PLEASE NOTE: We cannot accept late applications so please ensure your application is submitted early***
Interview Date: 21/10/2025