Second Opinion Appointed Doctor (SOAD)

The Mental Health Act 1983 introduced the SOAD Service as a safeguard of the rights of patients detained under the Act who either refuse the treatment prescribed by the Approved Clinician or are deemed incapable of consenting.  From November 2008, the amended Mental Health Act introduced additional safeguards relating to Supervised Community Treatment and ECT.

The role of the SOAD is not to give a second clinical opinion in the conventionally understood medical form of the expression, but to decide whether the treatment recommended is clinically defensible and whether due consideration has been given to the views and rights of the patient.

The SOAD is an independent Consultant Psychiatrist appointed by HIW to undertake this statutory function, and only ‘becomes’ a SOAD when appointed to give an individual second opinion.  HIW is responsible for the appointment of SOADs and the SOAD service.   

Person specification

Successful candidates will have held permanent substantive posts as consultant psychiatrists for several years. We are looking for psychiatrists at a senior level with demonstrable commitment to a rights-based approach, in-depth knowledge and experience of psychiatry in a variety of clinical settings, and considerable experience of working with detained patients. Candidates should have current or recent hands-on practice in a clinical environment, and should be up to date with current practice, both clinical and non-clinical, including measures to promote equality of service provision for all patients. Consultants must both be a registered medical practitioner and hold a current licence to practice in the UK.

Essential criteria

• GMC registered
• MRCPsych or equivalent qualification recognised by the RCPsych and GMC
• Substantive consultant status in psychiatry for several years
• GMC Specialist registration
• Registered in good standing for CPD
• Current or recent hands-on clinical practice
• Breadth of psychiatric practice in a variety of settings
• Experience of working with patients liable to detention
• Excellent inter-personal skills
• Demonstrable practical commitment to equality and diversity
• Legible hand-writing
• Availability to undertake a minimum of 30 SOAD visits per annum
• Commit to attending an annual training day and also undertake the relevant CPD for your role as a SOAD
• Computer literate, with experience of sending and receiving email, completing MS Word documents, receiving PDF documents and use of encryption applications.

Full details of the vacancy and details of how to apply can be found within the documents below.