Description

We are recruiting a Consultant Psychiatrist as Clinical Lead — a combined governance and clinical delivery role suited to a senior clinician looking to shape a new service and carry a clinical caseload alongside it.

CQC registration status

AXEL Clinic is in the final stages of preparing its application for CQC registration under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. The Clinical Lead will be named as the responsible clinician for the ADHD service on the application and supporting clinical documentation. Clinical delivery (assessments, prescribing) will begin only once registration is granted — anticipated launch Q4 2026

About the role

Clinical leadership

• Act as Named Clinical Lead for the Adult ADHD service for clinical governance and CQC registration purposes
• Approve and sign off the clinic's ADHD assessment protocol, prescribing formulary, and titration and monitoring pathway in line with NICE NG87
• Approve and sign off controlled drug prescribing governance arrangements and shared care agreement template
• Approve clinical policies and SOPs — safeguarding, consent, prescribing, escalation, and shared care
• Set and sign off the annual clinical audit plan; review audit outputs
• Chair a monthly clinical governance meeting
• Provide supervision and peer case review for additional clinical staff as the service grows
• Attend quarterly governance meetings

Clinical delivery (post-registration)

• Conduct specialist adult ADHD assessments and diagnosis in line with NICE NG87
• Initiate and titrate ADHD medication as an independent prescriber, holding a private controlled drug prescriber code
• Complete clinical records, GP correspondence, and shared care requests to the clinic's standards
• Obtain and record valid informed consent, assessing mental capacity where indicated
•  Manage a caseload of patients through titration and ongoing review

Requirements

Essential requirements

• Full GMC registration with a licence to practise, on the Specialist Register for General Adult Psychiatry
• Substantive consultant experience in adult ADHD assessment and treatment
• Independent prescriber status with a private controlled drug prescriber code (or willingness to obtain before engagement)
• Familiarity with NICE NG87, CQC clinical governance expectations, and private CD prescribing governance
• Current medical indemnity appropriate for a Clinical Lead role
• Willingness to be named as Clinical Lead on the CQC registration application and supporting evidence
• Right to work in the UK
• Comfortable working remotely via video consultation

Desirable

• Prior Clinical Lead, Medical Director, or Responsible Officer experience
• Experience setting up or scaling private / independent sector ADHD services
• Familiarity with shared care agreements and the NHS GP interface
• Experience using EHR systems (we use Pabau) and telemedicine platforms (Doxy.me)

Working pattern

• Sessional, self-employed
• Hours flexible and to be agreed — indicative starting commitment 4–8 hours per week, scaling with caseload
• Fully remote
• Governance activity primarily async; clinical sessions booked to agreed availability

What we offer

• Competitive sessional rates for both clinical and governance work
• Clinical Lead responsibility and influence over service design
• Admin and patient coordination support so clinical time is protected
• Opportunity to shape the clinical model of a new service in a high-demand area

Start date: governance and registration support — immediate. Clinical delivery — post-CQC registration.

To apply: send CV and a short covering note outlining ADHD service experience to resourcing@axelclinic.com