Job Description

We are excited to invite applications for a Consultant Psychiatrist to join Juniper Ward, an acute adult inpatient unit at Bowmere Hospital, Chester.



Juniper Ward provides care for adults aged 18 and over experiencing acute mental health crises, including psychosis, affective disorders and personality disorders. Patients may be admitted informally or detained under the Mental Health Act.



This is an exceptional opportunity to join during an exciting phase of redevelopment, as Bowmere Hospital undergoes major remodelling to enhance safety, therapeutic design, and the overall wellbeing of both patients and staff.

CWP offers:

A supportive, peer-connected consultant network



Protected SPA time for CPD, teaching, QI and research



Mentoring and leadership development opportunities



Flexible working options and strong wellbeing support culture



Our values of compassion, collaboration, and clinical excellence guide everything we do. Consultants joining us are encouraged to lead, innovate, and contribute to service improvement while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.



Planned shortlisting will commence on 14th January and proposed interview date is 22nd January



CWP is a progressive and inclusive Trust providing high-quality mental health and community services across Cheshire and the Northwest.



We are proud to be remodelling our inpatient facilities at Bowmere Hospital -- building safer, more therapeutic, and sustainable environments for patients and staff. Our consultants play a central role in shaping this transformation.



Provide comprehensive psychiatric care and act as Responsible Clinician (RC) for detained inpatients.



Lead a multidisciplinary team that includes junior and senior trainees, psychologists, occupational therapists, nurses and pharmacists.



Ensure timely, evidence-based clinical decision-making and patient-centred care.



Collaborate closely with the Home Treatment Team and Community Mental Health Teams to ensure continuity across the acute care pathway.



Take shared responsibility with the Ward Manager for clinical governance, risk management, and service improvement on the ward.



Contribute to the design and delivery of safer, modernised inpatient pathways aligned with the Bowmere remodelling project.



Participate in incident reviews, audits and quality improvement initiatives.



Provide teaching and supervision for medical trainees and multidisciplinary staff, fostering a positive learning culture.



Join the West Cheshire consultant on-call rota (1:13) and participate in cross-cover arrangements as needed.



Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all-age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire.



We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton, Liverpool and Stockport.



Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person-centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.



As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcome applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services.

All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role.



Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to use your existing skills and experience in a new role, you'll find something to suit you at CWP.



Please download a copy of the job description (see 'documents to download' section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role.



At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values.



CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trust's Values in their everyday life and we use a values-based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.



Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trust's Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trust's Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours.



An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. Further help and support for completing your application can be accessed via our website. If you need any further guidance to help you complete your application, contact our recruitment team via email at: cwp.recruitment@nhs.net or by calling 01244 393100.



If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the 'essential' criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer 'YES' to the question: 'Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?'



Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.



The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.



Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of 16 per year applies.



New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.



Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.



Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!