PSYCHIATRY TRAINING

in the North East and North Cumbria

Why Psychiatry?

As we continue to learn about the science of mental health, the brain and about the importance of good mental health, psychiatry is being recognised as being an important branch of medicine.

As a psychiatrist you will have a huge positive impact on the lives of your patients and their carers. You will face new and interesting challenges every day, but always be able to face them with the support of your doctor colleagues and team around you.

You will always be learning as your medical, scientific knowledge and skills will constantly grow. You can work in a range of settings, from hospitals to people’s homes, anywhere in the world. As you progress through your career, you have more opportunity to shape the way you work; you can work part time or full time and can combine your career with a wide range of other interests.

Why choose to train as a psychiatrist
in the North East and North Cumbria?

Our psychiatry training programme received top ratings from trainees in the 2019 GMC training survey and our region was rated as number one in 17 of the 18 GMC’s training quality indicators.

About our psychiatry training programmes

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

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Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

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Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust – rated as outstanding by the Care Quality Commission and recently awarded health care provider of the year in the Health Service Journal awards. It is the third most active mental health trust in UK for research.

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation NHS Trust – one of the largest mental health and learning disabilities trusts in the country which provides services across Country Durham, the Tees Valley, and York and North Yorkshire. The trust ranked sixth best for quality of training, out of more than 200 trusts in the UK, in the 2017 GMC national trainee survey. They also have strong links to Newcastle and Durham universities which have excellent reputations for research – nationally and internationally renowned.

Our training programmes offer:

  • Full range of training opportunities across all psychiatric specialities including a simulation training programme
  • Excellent and consistently delivered protected time for training
  • Support to prepare for MRCPsych examinations
  • Specialist training with an early focus on clinical and communication skills
  • High rates of CASC exam success
  • Structured support for research in higher training
  • Dedicated support and training programme for doctors new to working in the UK

Applications are through Oriel


Apply now

One employer, one contract, one less thing to worry about

Regardless of which trust you work in, as a specialty trainee in our region you will be employed by a single employer known as the lead employer trust (we call it the LET!).

What is the LET?

We are here to make sure your employment, whilst training in the North East and North Cumbria, runs as smoothly as possible. We are hosted by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Your statutory rights for continuous employment are held by one Trust holding contract of employment and remaining on one payroll system.

What does the LET do?

We work in partnership with Health Education England North East to ensure you are supported throughout your career. We handle all human resources and payroll matters including payment of travel expenses, study leave expenses and most importantly, making sure you get paid!

We carry out all pre-employment checks and there is a dedicated helpdesk for you throughout your employment should you need to get in touch.

We manage all your statutory rights such as maternity, paternity and special leave. We work closely with all 11 NHS trusts and local general practices to ensure that your rotations go smoothly too.

Nine out of 11 NHS trusts are members of our regional collaborative bank which allows doctors to work additional shifts (at the level in the specialties they have the competence to work in). The system allows you to be paid weekly where your payslips are available on the electronic staff record (ESR) portal (where you will also see your monthly payslip).

Feel free to contact us if you would like to know more or have any questions.