Second Opinion Appointed Doctor

When requested by a patient’s responsible hospital, the Review Service for Mental Health arranges for an independent doctor, called a Second Opinion Appointed Doctor (SOAD) to provide a second opinion if a patient is not able or willing to consent to their treatment. This is a statutory requirement undertaken on behalf of the Welsh Ministers. 

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 on behalf of Welsh Ministers, 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. 

We are also recruiting a deputy Lead SOAD post as part of this recruitment, please complete the relevant application form if you wish to be considered for this role.

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

The closing date for applications is the 30th April 2025

Specification Second Opinion Appointed Doctor (SOAD) Wales