Forensic Consultant Psychiatrist in London

Are you an experienced psychiatrist ready to lead forensic mental health services? If so, join St Mary’s Hospital as a Forensic Consultant Psychiatrist to provide strategic leadership, expert clinical oversight and recovery-focused care for people within the criminal justice system. Acting as Responsible Clinician under the Mental Health Act, you will ensure the highest standards of psychiatric care across medium and low secure services.

In this role, you will lead the clinical management of a defined caseload, overseeing psychiatric assessments, formulations, and treatment planning. You will provide specialist advice to courts, probation, prison services and MAPPA, and prepare reports for Mental Health Review Tribunals, hospital managers’ hearings, and the Ministry of Justice. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams—including forensic social workers, psychologists, and occupational therapists—you will ensure coordinated care and effective implementation of the Care Programme Approach.

Beyond clinical leadership, you will play a key role in service development, shaping strategy, and contributing to pathway reconfiguration to meet evolving needs. You will actively participate in clinical governance, audits, and risk management processes, supporting quality improvement and compliance with CQC/HIW standards. Your responsibilities will also include teaching and supervision of trainee psychiatrists and junior medical staff, as well as leading research and quality‑improvement projects to inform best practice.

As a Forensic Consultant Psychiatrist, you will:

• Have a role within senior management within the respective hospital of clinical work.
• Manage and performance manage doctors as necessary.
• Have responsibility for safe and adequate medical cover.
• Facilitate and support the Clinical Quality Assurance programme, ensuring consistency within the units.
• Take a lead role in developing Clinical Governance in conjunction with the Clinical Governance team.
• Ensure high quality, appropriate information and paperwork is received by stakeholders.
• Ensure professional policy and practice and their application is of a good standard across the service.
• Ensure professional compliance with the relevant professional bodies.
• Participate in channels of communication throughout the hospital through which clinicians contribute information.
• Participate in continued professional development as laid out by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
• Provide clinical assistance and support where required to the development of strategies for clinical audit or Quality Improvement and medical education within the hospitals/ region.
• Promote awareness and understanding of quality improvement and share learning and successes from quality improvement work.
• Ensure positive relationships are maintained with all our stakeholders.
• Ensure the hospitals and medical team are represented at local, national and Elysium healthcare Professional Development forums.
• Ensure adequate and safe delivery of medical input across site.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• MBChB/MBBS (or equivalent); Full GMC registration; CCT or CESR in General Adult or Forensic Psychiatry; MRCPsych; Approved Clinician (s.12 MHA)
• Higher research degree (MD/PhD) or MSc.
• ≥5 years’ postgraduate psychiatric experience, including ≥2 years in forensic settings
• Prior Responsible Clinician role; experience in secure inpatient and community forensic services
• Strong risk assessment, formulation and management skills; knowledge of MHA/MCA; report‑writing for tribunals and courts
• Interest in Clinical Neuropsychiatry with clinical and academic experience.
• Proven ability to lead MDTs; service planning; participation in audit and governance processes
• Prior management role at consultant level in a forensic service
• Experience teaching trainees and healthcare professionals; involvement in audit and QI projects
• Peer‑reviewed publications; experience securing research funding
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills; commitment to equality, diversity & inclusion; resilience and adaptability.

What You’ll Get At Elysium Healthcare, we believe in taking care of the people who care for others, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and future:

• Competitive annual salary
• £5000 car allowance
• £10,000 signing on fee
• 30 days annual leave plus