About the role
We are looking for a senior clinician who can lead, inspire, and transform our mental health, learning disabilities, and CYP services. The Medical Director will work with the Chief Medical Officer, the Medical Director for Integrated Community Services, the Chief Medical Information Officer, and our Associate Medical Directors as part of a cohesive medical leadership team.
Key responsibilities
* Provide strategic and operational leadership for mental healthcare and learning disabilities services.
* Collaborate with the directorate triumvirate to improve and transform all aspects of quality and performance—including clinical activity, financial management, strategy and business development.
* Take overall responsibility for the recruitment and development of all senior medical colleagues within the directorate.
* Respond to fitness-to-practice concerns for medical colleagues and liaise with the Responsible Officer to follow policy processes.
* Ensure all medical colleagues have annual appraisals and that training and development needs are identified and met.
* Guarantee systems are in place for appropriate clinical supervision of medical colleagues.
* Work with other clinical leaders and service directors to ensure adequate staffing of the directorate, including emergency and out‑of‑hours cover.
* Develop, review and enforce coverage arrangements for annual and study leave for all medical colleagues.
* Perform the role on a substantive part‑time basis of 6 PAs per week, while maintaining an accompanying clinical role.
Application contact
Dr Lucy Knight, Chief Medical Officer & Responsible Officer for Dorset Healthcare & Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – lucy.knight32@nhs.net
Catherine Youers, Associate Director of HR for Dorset Healthcare & Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – catherine.youers@dchft.nhs.uk
Advert closes on Wednesday 13 May 2026.
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