Most consultants work on a long-term contract with one or more hospital trusts, and these posts are known as substantive consultant positions.

Affiliateship offers psychiatrists in the UK, who are not in training grades or substantive consultant posts, the opportunity of involvement with the College.

A physician must be on the Specialist Register before he or she may be employed as a substantive consultant in the National Health Service (NHS).

Application for consultant posts No one may take up a substantive consultant appointment in the NHS without first acquiring an entry in the Specialist Register.

Fellows: Doctors may be considered for election to Fellowship of the College if they have obtained the MRCP(UK) or MRCP Edin and hold a substantive Consultant post or equivalent.