Float Doctor in Lambeth Hospital

Float Doctor in Lambeth Hospital

The closing date: 21 May 2026

Applications are invited for a Trust Grade Float Doctor post (Junior Clinical Fellow Level) based at the Lambeth Hospital. This is a full-time fixed‑term post across a variety of inpatient services at the Lambeth Hospital. The post operates between 9 am and 5 pm with no on‑call responsibilities, although the doctor may contribute to gaps in the resident doctor on‑call rota and will be compensated for doing so. This is a well‑established role and is becoming available as the current incumbent moves on to commence their training post.

All services in Lambeth Hospital will be relocated to different Trust sites this autumn. The acute wards and PICU will relocate to the newly built New Douglas Bennett House on the Denmark Hill campus (Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ). This post will move along with all staff working in these services. A full induction programme will be offered.

Post will be initially for a period of 6 months with the possibility of extension.

Main duties of the job

The Lambeth Hospital Float Doctor will provide psychiatric medical input to inpatient psychiatric wards, with the purpose of providing cover for psychiatric trainees associated with the teams. The post is designed to cover planned leave and on‑call commitments (9 am‑5 pm) of the ward resident doctors, including holding the duty bleep on Wednesdays (9 am‑5 pm) during the CT academic day. The post-holder will have a host ward and rotate to cover short‑term vacancies on the Lambeth inpatient wards, the psychiatric intensive care unit and the rehabilitation and challenging behaviour ward based on the Lambeth Hospital site. Each ward has a dedicated inpatient consultant psychiatrist and a middle‑grade (ST4‑6).

The Lambeth Hospital Float Doctor will be involved in the assessment and management of adults who are of a clinical and risk profile requiring inpatient psychiatric admission. Patients typically present with an acute mental disorder, and associated vulnerabilities with risk to themselves or others. The inpatient psychiatric services interface with home treatment teams, community‑based services and general medical services in the primary and secondary care.

Job responsibilities

• To provide medical and psychiatric advice to the inpatient wards under supervision of consultant psychiatrists, including the acute wards, the psychiatric intensive care unit and the rehabilitation and challenging behaviour unit in Lambeth Hospital.
• To accept medical responsibility for patients admitted to the inpatient wards under supervision of consultant psychiatrists.
• To initiate a psychiatric assessment, including mental state examination on first contact with the patient, and to regularly update the mental state examination.
• To ensure that a physical examination of all patients admitted to the inpatient wards under the care of the psychiatric team has been performed.
• To maintain adequate written documentation of all medical and psychiatric examinations of the patients and to record contacts with relatives and carers and their outcomes. Clear diagnostic and treatment plans should be formulated and recorded, and a comprehensive case workup should be available within 24 hours of admission.
• To maintain adequate communication of medical activities. This includes completion and communication of electronic discharge notification and presenting medication details to the General Practitioner before the patient is discharged from the ward. A definitive discharge summary should be completed and sent within one week of discharge. The discharge summary should include presentation and progress during the admission, and statements of commitment to further follow‑up, monitoring and intervention, particularly if they are to be undertaken from within the community mental health teams.
• To provide cover for planned leave and on‑call commitments of the ward resident doctors with prior arrangement, including holding the duty bleep on Wednesdays (9 am‑5 pm) during the Core Trainees academic day.
• To maintain a professional and ethical stance towards the patients, their relatives, other team members and other agencies.
• To acquire knowledge of and competence in the legal framework including the Mental Health Act 1983/2007 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• To acquire competence in basic psychotherapeutic techniques and attend supervision sessions.
• Clinical supervision by the consultant psychiatrist in the host ward will take place on a regular basis, with regular feedback.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Certificate of completion of FY training or equivalent.
• Postgraduate qualification in medicine and related areas.

Experience

• Experience in post‑registration house jobs in the UK.
• Knowledge of current issues in psychiatry.
• Experience of working in the NHS.
• Experience of working in adult acute psychiatric services.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service will be required to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Pay: £52,656 (MT03) per annum, depending on experience.

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