Update - Due to revised business needs the number of vacancies for Fee-paid Medical Member of the First-tier Tribunal Health, Education and Social Care Chamber, Mental Health (HESC) has increased from 50 to 52.

Open for applications: 11 July 2012
Closing date for applications: 15 August 2012
Number of Vacancies: 52 for HESC England, 10 for MHRT Wales
Locations: throughout England and Wales
Fee: £454 per day for HESC and £447 per day for MHRT Wales, plus £174 per patient examined, according to the guidance for timing of preliminary examinations

If you are a consultant psychiatrist, you could play an important role working within either of these tribunals. You will use your clinical expertise to undertake preliminary examinations, assess evidence, and jointly with legally qualified and specialist members decide on matters affecting the liberty of patients, such as compulsory detention, guardianship and community treatment.

The First-tier Tribunal HESC and MHRT are independent judicial bodies responsible for deciding whether mentally disordered patients should continue to be detained in hospital and conditional discharges need to remain in place.

A tribunal comprises three members. One is legally qualified (known in England as a tribunal judge), one is medically qualified (the current vacancies) and one is a specialist lay member.

To apply to either tribunal, you must be fully and unconditionally registered with the General Medical Council and must have held a full-time or part-time appointment as a Consultant Psychiatrist  for at least three years (one of which should normally be within the last five years) and be a Member, Fellow or Specialist Associate of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

You will normally be required to sit a minimum of 15 days per year (or 15 days in each tribunal if you choose to apply for both). Training in the relevant legal principles and in judicial skills will be provided.

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 To the right of this page, there is a job description and a statement of the terms and conditions of employment. You will also find an application form, and an information pack describing in full the eligibility criteria for the role and the selection process, with dates of the shortlisting and selection days, and advice on how to prepare your application.