South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Specialty Doctor (Locum) – Adult Eating Disorders Inpatient Unit
Closing date: 26 July 2026

Job summary
The Gerald Russell Unit is seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and skilled Specialty Doctor to join one of the United Kingdom's leading specialist inpatient services for adults with eating disorders.

The successful candidate will contribute to the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of adults with severe eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, ARFID and other complex eating disorder presentations. Patients frequently present with significant psychiatric and physical health risks requiring highly specialised multidisciplinary care.

The post holder will play a central role in providing psychiatric and medical input to the inpatient service, including assessment, physical health monitoring, nutritional rehabilitation, risk management, treatment planning, family work and discharge planning.

The post offers excellent opportunities to develop expertise in the management of eating disorders, the interface between psychiatry and medicine, Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act practice, and psychologically informed multidisciplinary care.

The successful applicant will join a highly experienced multidisciplinary team and will receive regular consultant supervision together with opportunities to participate in teaching, quality improvement, research and service development.

Main duties of the job
To participate in assessment of referrals, undertake admission psychiatric and physical health assessments, complete mental state examinations, assess psychiatric and physical risk, and contribute to multidisciplinary formulations, treatment plans and individualised care plans.

To monitor physical health throughout admission, assess and manage medical complications associated with eating disorders, oversee nutritional rehabilitation and refeeding programmes, and help prevent and manage refeeding syndrome.

To attend ward rounds, MDT meetings, CPA reviews and family meetings where appropriate, contribute to formulation discussions, and support collaborative decision-making. To include families and carers appropriately, contribute to psychoeducation, and maintain a patient-centred approach. The role also includes assessment and management of psychiatric and physical health risk.

To participate in Mental Health Act assessments and reviews, undertake Mental Capacity Act assessments where appropriate, contribute to best interests decisions, and develop expertise in treatment refusal, ethical dilemmas and the legal aspects of specialist eating disorders practice.

About us
The Adult Eating Disorders Service at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust is nationally and internationally recognised for excellence in clinical care, teaching and research.

The Gerald Russell Unit is an 18-bedded specialist inpatient unit providing assessment and treatment for adults with eating disorders requiring inpatient care. The service accepts referrals from both local and national pathways and provides care for patients with significant psychiatric and medical complexity.

The inpatient programme includes:

• Nutritional rehabilitation and refeeding
• Medical stabilisation and monitoring
• Psychiatric assessment and treatment
• Psychological therapies
• Motivational enhancement approaches
• Cognitive remediation therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Family and carer interventions
• Recovery-focused rehabilitation
• Discharge planning and transition to community services

The unit forms part of the wider Adult Eating Disorders Service, which also includes specialist outpatient and day treatment programmes. The post holder's responsibilities will be focused primarily on inpatient care, whilst maintaining close working relationships with community and day services to facilitate integrated pathways of care.

The Gerald Russell Unit has a strong commitment to multidisciplinary working, reflective practice, clinical excellence and continuous service development.

Details
Date posted: 13 July 2026
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Doctor - other
Salary: Depending on experience, £63,696 - £102,689 per annum pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 6 months
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 334-PMOA-8081571-JA
Job locations: Gerald Russell Unit, Eating Disorders Inpatient Unit, 4th Floor, New Douglas Bennett House, Windsor Walk, London, SE5 8AZ, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities
Assessment, Admission and Ongoing Inpatient Care
To participate in assessment of referrals for inpatient treatment, undertake admission psychiatric and physical health assessments, complete mental state examinations, assess psychiatric and physical risk, and contribute to multidisciplinary formulations, treatment plans and individualised care plans. To provide day-to-day psychiatric care, review patients regularly, assess and manage comorbidity and contribute to CPA reviews, care planning, discharge planning and transition to community services.

Physical Health Monitoring and Nutritional Rehabilitation
The post holder will monitor physical health throughout admission, assess and manage medical complications associated with eating disorders, oversee nutritional rehabilitation and refeeding programmes, and help prevent and manage refeeding syndrome. Working closely with MDT to support weight restoration, behavioural interventions, management of treatment ambivalence and monitoring of progress towards treatment goals.

Multidisciplinary, Family and Risk Work
To attend consultant ward rounds, MDT meetings, CPA reviews and family meetings where appropriate, contribute to formulation discussions, and support collaborative decision-making. To include families and carers appropriately, contribute to psychoeducation, and maintain a patient-centred approach. The role also includes assessment and management of psychiatric and physical health risk.

Legal, Liaison and Documentation Responsibilities
To participate in Mental Health Act assessments and reviews, undertake Mental Capacity Act assessments where appropriate, contribute to best interests decisions, and develop expertise in treatment refusal, ethical dilemmas and the legal aspects of specialist eating disorders practice. Accurate and timely electronic record keeping, discharge summaries, clinical correspondence, and compliance with Trust and professional documentation standards are essential.

Job description
Job responsibilities
Assessment, Admission and Ongoing Inpatient Care
To participate in assessment of referrals for inpatient treatment, undertake admission psychiatric and physical health assessments, complete mental state examinations, assess psychiatric and physical risk, and contribute to multidisciplinary formulations, treatment plans and individualised care plans. To provide day-to-day psychiatric care, review patients regularly, assess and manage comorbidity and contribute to CPA reviews, care planning, discharge planning and transition to community services.

Physical Health Monitoring and Nutritional Rehabilitation
The post holder will monitor physical health throughout admission, assess and manage medical complications associated with eating disorders, oversee nutritional rehabilitation and refeeding programmes, and help prevent and manage refeeding syndrome. Working closely with MDT to support weight restoration, behavioural interventions, management of treatment ambivalence and monitoring of progress towards treatment goals.

Multidisciplinary, Family and Risk Work
To attend consultant ward rounds, MDT meetings, CPA reviews and family meetings where appropriate, contribute to formulation discussions, and support collaborative decision-making. To include families and carers appropriately, contribute to psychoeducation, and maintain a patient-centred approach. The role also includes assessment and management of psychiatric and physical health risk.

Legal, Liaison and Documentation Responsibilities
To participate in Mental Health Act assessments and reviews, undertake Mental Capacity Act assessments where appropriate, contribute to best interests decisions, and develop expertise in treatment refusal, ethical dilemmas and the legal aspects of specialist eating disorders practice. Accurate and timely electronic record keeping, discharge summaries, clinical correspondence, and compliance with Trust and professional documentation standards are essential.

Person Specification
Essential

• Full registration with the General Medical Council and licence to practise
• MBBS or equivalent primary medical qualification
• Minimum of four years full-time postgraduate training (or equivalent part-time experience), including at least two years in psychiatry or equivalent relevant experience
• Experience working within psychiatric
• Experience assessing and managing patients with severe mental illness
• Knowledge of psychiatric assessment and treatment
• Ability to contribute effectively within multidisciplinary teams

Desirable

• Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) or equivalent qualification
• Section 12(2) Approval under the Mental Health Act
• Experience working within specialist eating disorders services
• Knowledge of eating disorder psychopathology and treatment
• Knowledge of nutritional rehabilitation and refeeding principles

Person Specification
Essential

• Full registration with the General Medical Council and licence to practise
• MBBS or equivalent primary medical qualification
• Minimum of four years full-time postgraduate training (or equivalent part-time experience), including at least two years in psychiatry or equivalent relevant experience
• Experience working within psychiatric
• Experience assessing and managing patients with severe mental illness
• Knowledge of psychiatric assessment and treatment
• Ability to contribute effectively within multidisciplinary teams

Desirable

• Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) or equivalent qualification
• Section 12(2) Approval under the Mental Health Act
• Experience working within specialist eating disorders services
• Knowledge of eating disorder psychopathology and treatment
• Knowledge of nutritional rehabilitation and refeeding principles

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Gerald Russell Unit, Eating Disorders Inpatient Unit, 4th Floor, New Douglas Bennett House, Windsor Walk, London, SE5 8AZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details
Employer name: South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Gerald Russell Unit, Eating Disorders Inpatient Unit, 4th Floor, New Douglas Bennett House, Windsor Walk, London, SE5 8AZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Ward Manager, Ian Ssenyonga, Ian.Ssenyonga@slam.nhs.uk, 07849734111

Details
Date posted: 13 July 2026
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Doctor - other
Salary: Depending on experience, £63,696 - £102,689 per annum pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 6 months
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 334-PMOA-8081571-JA
Job locations: Gerald Russell Unit, Eating Disorders Inpatient Unit, 4th Floor, New Douglas Bennett House, Windsor Walk, London, SE5 8AZ, United Kingdom

Supporting documents
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