Psychiatrist recruitment for regional employers

Psychiatrists assess and diagnose mental, emotional and behavioural disorders, order tests, prescribe medication and psychotherapy, arrange inpatient admission and decide whether a patient needs involuntary treatment under the mental health law of their state. They also supervise registrars and advise courts and tribunals in forensic settings.⁴

Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP) leads to specialist registration in psychiatry. The RANZCP Fellowship Training Program runs in three stages over five years: stage 1 in the first year, stage 2 in years two and three, and stage 3 in years four and five.⁸ Specialist registration rests on an approved qualification such as an accredited college fellowship, or a college assessment of eligibility.⁹

Where the Medical Practitioners Award 2020 covers the role, a full-time Specialist earns at least $2,337.21 a week and a Senior Specialist from $2,499.10, before the 10% on-call allowance the award pays specialists, who must be available for reasonable on-call and recall duties (a Specialist's rate is $2,570.93 a week with it⁷), from 1 July 2026.⁶ The award covers employers of doctors in workplaces such as hospitals and community health centres, and not employees under a state public sector award.⁶

Public mental health services pay under state instruments: in New South Wales the Staff Specialists (State) Award¹⁸, in Queensland the Medical Officers' (Queensland Health) Certified Agreement (No. 7) 2025¹⁹, and in Western Australia the WA Health System – Medical Practitioners – AMA Industrial Agreement 2024.²⁰

No national median is published for psychiatrists: the earnings estimate for the occupation is not reliable enough to release.⁴ With no benchmark to lean on, we talk with you early about salary, private practice rights and the allowances that will compete for your service.

Tell us the setting: an inpatient unit, community mental health, consultation-liaison in a general hospital, or private practice. Then the population, whether adult, child and adolescent, older people or forensic, and the level, from a newly fellowed consultant to a clinical director.

The practical details matter as much: the after-hours and on-call roster, the authorised psychiatrist duties under your state's Act, telehealth to outlying towns, registrar supervision and the multidisciplinary team around the role.

Because a third of psychiatrists work part-time, flexible hours widen the field. We ask candidates whether a fractional regional role with telehealth sessions, or a full-time post with protected time for teaching or research, would suit them.

Tell us about housing, relocation help, private practice rights and leave for professional development. We raise them in the first conversation.

If the right person needs a visa or sponsorship, our sister business Australian Immigration Agency can advise.

Register with Hire Australia and tell us your fellowship or training stage, your registration, the populations you work with and the hours and towns that suit you. Consultants and senior registrars are welcome, and we will talk with you about roles that fit.