Locum Psychiatrist - Wakari Hospital at Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Southern, Otago

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Emergency and Acute Inpatient, Wakari Hospital
• Locum role (0.5 FTE Emergency Psychiatric Service and 0.5 FTE Acute Inpatient) starting January 2026
• Our people are at the heart of everything we do

Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora invites applications for a Locum Psychiatrist for our Emergency Psychiatric and Acute Inpatient Services team. This role will have call requirements and is aimed to provide care for the population of Otago.

This role is made up of 0.5 FTE Emergency Psychiatric Services and 0.5 FTE Ward 9 Acute Inpatient Services at Wakari Hospital. This role involves assessment and treatment formulation, while working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team (MDT) and engaging with the wider mental health and addictions sector.

About the role

The Mental Health Services in Dunedin include:

• inpatient wards
• two thriving CMHTs which are well resourced by international standards
• an emergency psychiatric service,
• forensic, child, old age, addiction, intellectual disability, and consult liaison services.

You will be an integral team member that ensures we provide our clients with contemporary psychiatric care. A personal commitment to maintaining high standards of practice and an unequivocal dedication to working as part of a team is essential. The inclusion of family/whanau is prioritised by our services.

Your ability to provide clinical leadership and reliable medical input to the multi-disciplinary team is pivotal to the position and previous general adult psychiatry experience is essential. You will also have a sound understanding and commitment to biculturalism.

About you

You will have a demonstrated commitment to continuing professional development and to providing training to students at all levels. You will be required to participate in an on-call roster, providing after-hours coverage for the Otago part of the wider Southern district. Fellowship with the RANZCP or equivalent is essential, and you must be eligible for registration with the NZ Medical Council.

About Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora is 'the weaving of wellness'. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand is committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome applications from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and provide care to our community. We are a pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on providing equitable outcomes for Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disabled Community.

How to apply

To apply please click 'apply now'. All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Agatha Chen, Recruitment Advisor - Senior Medical Officers agatha.chen@tewhatuora.govt.nz

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.

Pre-employment checks

In the interests of protecting our people and our patients, all appointments will be subject to the following:

• Occupational health assessment
• Police vetting/Ministry of Justice safety checks
• Serious misconduct checks (previous Public Service departments and statutory Crown entities only)

We only accept online applications. Please apply via our website.