GMC Registered Psychiatrist – Independent Expert Witness in Newcastle upon Tyne

We are looking for Child and Adult Psychiatrists to join our ethical and trauma-informed Expert Witness service. The family court process can be incredibly stressful and at times re-traumatising for families. We want to do things differently. Our trauma-informed approach to assessments centres a focus on adversity, social determinants of mental health, and cultural competence.

This is a flexible, self-employed role – you can complete as many or as few assessments as you choose, to suit you! We pride ourselves on the support and development we offer to our Experts – free monthly peer supervision, ongoing CPD opportunities, mentoring for those who are new to court work, as well as quality assurance and proof-reading support.

Your primary task will be completing complex psychiatric assessments of children and adults and writing reports for pre-proceedings or family court. This is an affiliate, self-employed role. You can pick and choose how much work you take on at any time with no pressure or minimum commitment. Assessments can be virtual or face-to-face.

Our dedicated referrals co-ordinator will get to know your experience and availability and send you referrals that we think might suit – you let us know whether you're interested and available. £80 to £85 per hour (paid within 30 days). Up to 15 hours for an adult assessment (£1,275) or 25 hours for a child or adolescent (£2,125). Travel time and expenses are paid in addition.

When you're ready to submit your report, we have a robust quality assurance process to support you and ensure the highest quality and consistency which includes support from a clinician as well as proof-reading and formatting support from our admin team. We pay you within 30 days of filing your report, so you don't have to worry about chasing payments from referrers!

Added extras: For experienced clinicians who are new to Expert Witness work, we can pair you up with a mentor to support you through your first couple of assessments. We offer a free monthly peer supervision session for all our affiliates, so you have access to ongoing support no matter your experience level. We also have lots of opportunities for you to maintain variety in your workload through activities like direct therapy, group work, delivering teaching or training, participating in CPD, research activity, or publishing articles. We will also offer you free Safeguarding Training for children and adults (if required). And free access to our secure clinical management software for managing appointments, keeping records and storing files.

Role requirements:

• GMC registered Psychiatrist (child or adult).
• Essential: Experience of delivering psychiatric assessments for children, adults and/or families, including the use of specialist assessment tools.
• Essential: Experience compiling professional reports and making clinical recommendations.
• Desirable: Previous Expert Witness or court experience.

For more information about this role, please email – hello@mcts.org.uk

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that some people, including women and people of colour, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At MCTS we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every specification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway - you may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

About MCTS:

We are specialists in trauma, therapeutic care, and organisational culture. First and foremost, MCTS is a social enterprise – we believe in reinvesting to improve services for children, young people, and families who have experienced trauma and adversity, in an innovative and socially conscious way. Within the United Kingdom there is a devastating lack of effective, specialist services to meet the needs of children, young people and families impacted by trauma, abuse, and neglect. Our mission at MCTS is to share our expertise and experience in the field to develop and deliver specialist psychological services that are ethical and trauma-informed. Our services currently include Expert Witness Services, integrated Therapeutic Care packages for independent care providers, consultation and training.

Applications will be reviewed as they come in, so apply today to be considered.

Safeguarding and Equal Opportunities:

MCTS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants must be willing to undergo appropriate child protection screening, including employment references and DBS check. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age. Please note: Job applicants must have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom.