Psychiatry of intellectual disability (PID)
Psychiatrists working in intellectual disability assess and treat people with intellectual or learning disabilities.
This can include the assessment and management of neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity, autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy.
Life as an intellectual disability psychiatrist
People with intellectual disability (sometimes called learning disability) are more likely to have mental health problems so you’ll provide patient-centric care to improve their quality of life.Your patients will usually be adults aged over 18 years as younger patients tend to be seen by a child and adolescent psychiatrist.
You’ll be required to adopt a holistic approach as patients with intellectual disability often have physical conditions such as cerebral palsy or epilepsy.
Patients often present non-specifically. For example, they demonstrate withdrawal or a change in behaviour. You’ll need to investigate and establish the cause in your diagnosis.
Common mental health conditions you’ll treat include:
- anxiety
- bipolar disorder
- depression
- obsessive compulsive disorder
- schizophrenia
You’ll work as part of a multidisciplinary team and be expected to collaborate with colleagues and a patient’s family and carers.
Psychiatry is an interesting academic discipline, whether you are interested in the biological basis of mental health problems (e.g. dementia in people with Down’s syndrome, behavioural phenotypes of genetic disorders), or the development of innovative service models or forensic aspects of intellectual disability.
How much can I earn?
You’ll first earn a salary when you start your foundation training after medical school. Find out details of current salary ranges for foundation and specialty training, SAS doctors and consultants on the 'Pay for doctors' page.How about the benefits?
- make a difference
- flexible and part-time working
- high income early in your career
- work anywhere in the world
- excellent pension scheme
- good holiday entitlement
- NHS discounts in shops and restaurants
Must-have skills
- excellent communication skills to manage a wide range of relationships with colleagues, and patients and their families
- emotional resilience, a calm temperament and the ability to work well under pressure
- teamwork and the capacity to lead multidisciplinary teams
- problem-solving and diagnostic skills
- outstanding organisational ability and effective decision-making skills
- first-class time and resource management for the benefit of patients
In addition, intellectual disability psychiatrists need to demonstrate:
- empathy and compassion and the ability to treat others with understanding and respect
- respect for people with intellectual disabilities and the contribution they make to society
- patience
- excellent listening skills
- willingness to build relationships with their patients
Entry requirements
Your first step is medical school. Typically, you’ll need excellent GCSEs and three A or A* passes at A level including chemistry for a five-year undergraduate degree in medicine. Many medical schools also ask for biology and others may require maths or physics.If you already have a degree, you could study for a four-year postgraduate degree in medicine.
You’ll need to pass an interview and admissions test. You’ll be asked to show how you demonstrate the NHS values such as compassion and respect.Some medical schools look to recruit a mix of students from different backgrounds and geographical areas, so your educational and economic background and family circumstances could be considered as part of your application.
What are my chances of starting a career in psychiatry of intellectual disability?
In 2021, there were 254 consultants in psychiatry of intellectual disability working in the NHS in England. In 2020, there were 30 applications for 52 training places.How to become an intellectual disability psychiatrist
After medical school, you’ll join the paid two-year foundation programme where you’ll work in six placements in different settings.After your foundation programme, you can apply for paid specialty training to become an intellectual disability psychiatrist, which will take a minimum of six years.
You may be able to train part time, for example for health reasons or if you have family or caring responsibilities.Where a career as an intellectual disability psychiatrist can take you
You could:- specialise or conduct research
- teach medical students or postgraduate students in training
- get involved in research at universities, the NHS or private sector
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Consultant in Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability.
Poole, BH17 8WG
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant in Psychiatry for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
Pembroke Dock, SA72 6DY
- Salary :
- £110240.00 to £160951.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hywel Dda University Health Board
-
Consultant Psychiatrist in Intellectual Disability-Little Plumstead
Norfolk, NR13 5EW
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Psychiatrist, Intellectual Disability - Pennine Lancashire
Darwen, BB3 1AY
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
-
Locum Consultant Psychiatrist Intellectual Disability-Little Plumstead
Norfolk, NR13 5EW
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Locum
- Employer :
- Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychiatry of Learning Disability
Leeds, LS12 3QE
- Salary :
- £119490.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Learning Disability Psychiatrist
Swansea, SA6 6AH
- Salary :
- £110240.00 to £160951.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Swansea Bay University Health Board
-
Consultant Psychiatrist - Learning Disabilities (Enfield)
Enfield, EN3 5BN
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North London NHS Foundation Trust
-
Medical Director & Consultant Psychiatrist Learning Disabilities
East Midlands, NG20 8BA
- Salary :
- £175000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Consultant Psychiatrist (Community Forensic Learning Disabilities)
Warrington, WA2 8WA
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Psychiatrist in Adult Learning Disability
Northallerton, DL6 2FG
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
-
COMMUNITY CAMHS LEARNING DISABILITY CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST
Canterbury, CT2 8JY
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- NELFT North East London Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Psychiatrist in CAMHS Learning Disability Team, Oxfordshire
Oxford, OX3 7JH
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxford Health NHS Trust
-
Physiotherapist- Learning Disabilities
Sheffield, S35 8QS
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Learning Disabilities Support Worker
Bordsley Green, B9 5LY
- Salary :
- £26208.00 to £27248.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Clinical Lead - Learning Disabilities
Preston, PR3 2JH
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Lead - Learning Disabilities
Preston, PR3 2JH
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
-
Assistant Practitioner - Learning Disabilities
Chippenham, SN15 2AJ
- Salary :
- £26712.00 to £29494.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- HCRG Care Group
-
Disability Services Team Manager
Kidlington, OX5 2BP
- Salary :
- £686136.00 to £725820.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxfordshire County Council
-
Learning Disability Occupational Therapist
Dover, CT161RH
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
-
Specialist Learning Disability Occupational Therapist
Bristol, BS16 1EQ
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Sirona care & health CIC
-
Consultant in Learning Disabilities - IOW
Sandown, PO36 9EA
- Salary :
- £99532.00 to £131964.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Adult Disability Service - Deputy Manager
Guernsey, GY4 6UU
- Salary :
- £46152.00 to £62310.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- States of Guernsey
-
Learning Disabilities and Vulnerabilities Specialist
Exeter, EX2 7HY
- Salary :
- £43742.00 to £50056.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior Disabled Children's Support Worker
Oxford, OX5 2BP
- Salary :
- £28163.00 to £30060.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxfordshire County Council
-
Learning Disability & Autism Liaison Practitioner
Bristol, BS1 3NU
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Sirona care & health CIC
-
Consultant Clinical Psychologist in Learning Disabilities
Oxford, OX3 7JH
- Salary :
- £76965.00 to £88682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxford Health NHS Trust
-
Band 5 Occupational Therapist- Learning Disabilities
Leicester, LE3 1PB
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
-
Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist - Learning Disabilities
Grimsby, DN32 7DH
- Salary :
- £43906.00 to £50612.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Care Plus Group
-
Band 6 Specialist Learning Disability Physiotherapist
Swindon, SN25 4AN
- Salary :
- £37338.00 to £44962.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- HCRG Care Group
-
Office Manager - Community Learning Disabilities Team
Oxford, OX3 7JH
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Oxford Health NHS Trust
-
Clinical Specialist OT -Learning Disabilities & Autism
Tooting, SW17 7DJ
- Salary :
- £64156.00 to £71148.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust
-
Family Support Worker - Disabled Children's Service
Banbury, OX16 5AU
- Salary :
- £30559.00 to £36124.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxfordshire County Council
-
Male Learning Disabilities Support Worker (Nights)
Wombourne, WV5 0BR
- Salary :
- £26208.00 to £27248.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
B6 Specialist Occupational Therapist - Learning Disabilities
Salisbury, SP4 6AT
- Salary :
- £37338.00 to £44962.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- HCRG Care Group
-
Learning Disabilities Support Workers (Days Only)
Huddersfield, HD1 4HR
- Salary :
- £26208.00 to £27248.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cygnet Health Care
-
Specialty Doctor in Adult Learning Disability Services
Peterborough, PE3 9GZ
- Salary :
- £59175.00 to £95400.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
-
Band 6 Occupational Therapist - Forensic Learning Disability
Enfield, EN2 8JL
- Salary :
- £44485.00 to £52521.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North London NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Core CYPMHS and Learning Disability Team
Leeds, LS11 5LQ
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust
-
Childrens Learning Disability Support Worker, East Sussex
Bexhill-on-sea, TN40 2DZ
- Salary :
- £13.00 to £15.00
- Type :
- Bank
- Employer :
- Claimont Health LTD
-
Bank Support Worker, Learning Disabilities, Complex Care
Hereford, HR1 2PJ
- Salary :
- £16.00
- Type :
- Bank
- Employer :
- Airmid Staffing Ltd
-
Bank Support Worker, Learning Disabilities, Complex Care
Bridgwater, TA6 3FQ
- Salary :
- £16.00
- Type :
- Bank
- Employer :
- Airmid Staffing Ltd
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The Royal College of Psychiatrists has further information about being a psychiatrist of intellectual disability, particularly as your career progresses. Take a look.