Job summary
The Trust provides both specialist inpatient and community eating disorder services and has both Adults and CAMHS elements to this.

This post is based in the adult eating disorder inpatient unit at Birch Ward, West Park Hospital. The unit hosts the North East & North Cumbria Regional eating disorder beds alongside extra beds for extra-contractual referrals. This forms the Northern Centre for Eating Disorders (NCED).

The NCEDs purpose is to provide specialist tertiary eating disorder inpatient services for all ages both within the North East Specialist Services Regional Commissioning area and nationally to those requiring high intensity inpatient care who are either too high risk for community management or such approaches have deemed to have failed. Birch ward service provision is for patients aged 18 and over. The dedicated multi-disciplinary teams in the NCED provide comprehensive multi-domain - physical, nutritional, psychological, social and occupational - individualised treatment approaches for patients suffering from -

• Anorexia Nervosa
• Severe and complex Bulimia Nervosa
• Atypical Eating Disorders
• Co-morbid physical conditions with eating disorders

Birch Ward is a 10 bedded unit at West Park Hospital. The average length of stay for patients on the ward is 6 months.

On average, 3 patients are detained under MHA.

Main duties of the job
You will be expected to work full time within the inpatient eating disorder service, and will be expected to work closely with the community consultant in eating disorder service.

You will be expected to provide committed, proactive and responsive clinical expertise, working with other staff to provide an assessment and treatment service for those individuals admitted to Birch Ward. You will take a lead for the medical management aspects of clinical care of eating disorders including appropriate pharmacological and MHA interventions.

You will provide direct patient clinical care working closely with all members of the multidisciplinary team, being fully involved with the CPA process and attend relevant team meetings. Working closely with the ward manager, service manager and Associate Medical Director to plan and develop the service in line with the Trust Integrated Business Plan, to ensure the quality and development of the unit.

About us
We are one of the largest specialist mental health and learning disabilities trusts in the country, with an annual income of £320m and a workforce of some 6,700 staff operating from around 100 sites in Durham, Teesside, North Yorkshire and York and Selby. We provide a range inpatient and community services to 2m people living in County Durham, the Tees Valley, Scarborough, Whitby, Ryedale, Harrogate, Hambleton and Richmondshire. We also provide additional specialist services to other parts of Northern England.

We deliver our services by working in partnership with eight local authorities and clinical commissioning groups, a wide range of voluntary organisations, as well as service users, their carers and the public.

Psychiatrists are essential contributors to our mental health teams. Service users expect and are justified to expect collaborative relationships with dedicated psychiatrists who work consistently as part of effective services. The Medical Directorate and Medical Development Team are striving to improve medical workforce recruitment and retention in a variety of ways and the cornerstone of these efforts is The TEWV Charter for the Medical Workforce. (Please see attached Supporting Document).

Details
Date posted: 29 September 2026
Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
Grade: Consultant
Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 a year
This post may attract a recruitment premia
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
Reference number: C9346-AMH-349M2
Job locations: West Park Hospital, Edward Pease Way, Darlington, Co Durham, DH2 2TS, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Please see the attached job description for further information on this post.

The job description has yet to be approved by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Person Specification
Leadership
Essential

• Reflects on own performance and behaviour, seeking and acting on feedback. Able to influence and persuade to improve services Able to take on leadership role in multidisciplinary team. Knowledge of structure and management of the NHS and the Trust. Shows commitment to quality through knowledge of quality improvement and lean thinking methodology OR able to achieve within one year of appointment Able to adapt to and lead service change.

Desirable

• Able to take on a leadership role outside the multidisciplinary team. Understanding of NHS & wider health economy and its implications for the work of the Trust. Trained to standard equivalent to level 2 in TEWV Trust Quality improvement system

Academic Skills & Lifelong Learning
Essential

• Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training Participated in continuous professional development Participated in research or service evaluation. Able to use and appraise clinical evidence. Has actively participated in clinical audit.

Desirable

• Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation. Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications. Has led clinical audits leading to service change

Qualifications
Essential

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification.
• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment.
• Eligible for inclusion in the Specialist Register in the Specialty or within 6 months of gaining CCT
• Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment
• Approved under S12 OR able to achieve with 3 months of appointment

Desirable

• Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management.
• MRCPsych or equivalent postgraduate qualification.
• Included on the GMC Specialist Register.

Clinical Knowledge & Skills
Essential

• Excellent knowledge in specialty Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wide medical knowledge Excellent oral and written communication skills in English Able to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA

Desirable

• Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working within the specialty

Desirable

• Any other experience that may be applicable

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: Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Address: West Park Hospital, Edward Pease Way, Darlington, Co Durham, DH2 2TS, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Medical Recruitment Advisor, Rosie Wheadon, tewv.medicalrecruitment@nhs.net

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