Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist – Medium Secure Services (Hellingly, East Sussex)
NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant | Full time | Permanent
Plus Recruitment & Retention Premia (£45,000)
Closing date: 9 February 2026
A senior forensic psychiatry role within a developing medium secure service, offering clinical leadership, specialist practice and enhanced financial incentives.
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is pleased to offer an exciting opportunity for a Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist to join our Forensic Health Services in East Sussex.
This post is based at the Hellingly Centre and provides senior clinical leadership on Ash Ward, a subacute and rehabilitation medium secure inpatient ward. The role has become available through service expansion and offers the opportunity to help shape the future of forensic services locally.
About the role
As Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, you will provide senior clinical and strategic leadership for a 15-bed male medium secure ward, delivering high-quality inpatient forensic care to individuals detained under the Mental Health Act. You will undertake specialist assessments, chair ward rounds and CPA meetings, contribute to risk management and care planning, and support safe and effective rehabilitation pathways. The role includes statutory responsibilities under the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act, liaison with criminal justice partners, contribution to referrals processes, and active involvement in service development, teaching and clinical governance. This is a senior, influential role within an established forensic consultant group.
Why join Sussex Partnership?
At SPFT, we put people first – both the communities we serve and the colleagues who work here. We’re proud to be rated ‘Outstanding’ for caring by the CQC, and in our latest staff survey 82% of colleagues told us that patient care is our top priority. You’ll be joining an organisation that actively supports flexible working, professional development, research and teaching, and values compassionate, inclusive leadership.
You’ll be based at the Hellingly Centre in East Sussex, offering a balance of countryside and coastal living, with easy access to the South Downs, the Sussex coast and rail links to Brighton, London and Gatwick.
What we offer
* Recruitment & Retention Premia of £45,000 (subject to policy)
* Flexible working and bespoke job planning
* Trust-wide consultant network and forensic peer support
* Opportunities for teaching, research and service development
* Active involvement in clinical governance and service expansion
About you
You will be a GMC-registered Consultant Psychiatrist on the Specialist Register (or within six months of CCT), with approved clinician status (or able to achieve). You will bring forensic psychiatry expertise, strong clinical leadership skills, and experience managing complex mental health presentations within secure services. You will be confident working across multidisciplinary and multi-agency systems and motivated to contribute to service development and continuous improvement.
Location: Hellingly Centre, East Sussex
Hours: Full time
Contract: Permanent
Our commitment
We are committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and from disabled candidates, who are currently under-represented within our organisation.
If this feels like the kind of role and organisation where you could do your best work, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now and help shape high-quality forensic mental health services in East Sussex.
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