NHS Dumfries & Galloway provides mental health services to a total population of 150,000 in a beautiful rural area of South West Scotland. We are seeking to recruit a Specialty Doctor in General Psychiatry & Medical Education.

The service includes in-patient beds at Midpark Hospital, Dumfries, which is a state of the art, purpose-built hospital opened in 2012, and community services across the region provided by five generic locality community mental health teams and specialist teams for addictions and intellectual disability psychiatry. There are additional services for primary care mental health, general hospital liaison, perinatal mental health, eating disorders and forensic psychiatry. There is strong multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working across the service. The post-holder will be based at Midpark, but the clinical work will include some sessions in the community, and the option of some remote working. An indicative job plan is included in the job pack but will be finalised by negotiation with the successful candidate.

Midpark Hospital is the centre for local audit, research and teaching activities. Strong academic links exist between the Hospital and universities in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. NHS Education for Scotland and the Scotland Postgraduate Deanery oversee core and higher specialist training in psychiatry, with psychiatric and GP trainees and Foundation doctors placed within the service. Medical students are attached from Dundee, Edinburgh and the Scottish Graduate Entry (ScotGEM) medical programmes.

Dumfries & Galloway is an area of outstanding natural beauty with considerable local amenities. Although a pleasant rural area, Edinburgh and Glasgow are each only 75 miles from Dumfries town. The climate is generally the mildest and most pleasant in Scotland.

The applicant should have full GMC registration and a licence to practise, and at least three years’ experience in core training in psychiatry, or equivalent. MRCPsych and training as an Approved Medical Practitioner (under the Mental Health (Care & Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003) would be desirable. The ability to travel independently of public transport is also essential.

The Mental Health Services Directorate supports home working where practicable for both the organisation and the staff member, and this is intended to continue as we recover from the pandemic.