CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrist – COAST

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Study leave

Hybrid working

Teaching & research

Staff networks

Parking

Job summary

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Consultant Psychiatrist to lead the COAST CAMHS crisis service in Haywards Heath. You will provide senior psychiatric leadership across COAST and the wider CAMHS system, delivering high-quality assessment, treatment planning and expert input for young people in crisis.

You will supervise junior staff, collaborate with MDT colleagues and partner agencies, and contribute to service development, research and quality improvement.

Qualifications

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification.
• CCT in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry or equivalent.
• Full GMC registration with a licence to practise.
• Inclusion on the GMC Specialist Register, or eligibility within six months.
• Approved Clinician status, or ability to achieve this within three months.
• Section 12 approval, or ability to achieve this within three months.

Responsibilities

• Lead specialist psychiatric assessment, formulation and treatment planning for young people experiencing mental health crisis.
• Provide specialist psychiatric input to young people receiving intensive home treatment.
• Lead the management of complex clinical presentations, including medication management.
• Support access and gatekeeping assessments and advise on complex cases.
• Act as Responsible Clinician under the Mental Health Act where required.
• Provide consultation and expert advice to MDT colleagues and partner agencies.
• Provide clinical supervision and support to junior and non-consultant medical colleagues.
• Provide visible clinical leadership through handovers, safety huddles, ward rounds and escalation discussions.
• Work across inpatient, community and crisis pathways to support coordinated care.
• Contribute to service development, redesign, audit, research and quality improvement.
• Participate in leadership forums and CAMHS delivery discussions.
• Participate in the CAMHS Consultant on-call rota (1:9 with compensatory rest).

Education

MB BS or equivalent medical qualification

CCT in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry or equivalent

Full GMC registration with a licence to practise

Inclusion on GMC Specialist Register or eligibility within six months

Approved Clinician status or ability to achieve within three months

Section 12 approval or ability to achieve within three months

Excellent specialist knowledge and clinical skills

Ability to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty

Experience of multidisciplinary working and clinical leadership

Job description

Chalkhill Hospital, Haywards Heath – or another SPFT site by agreement

Enhanced £45,000 Recruitment & Retention Package

Join our Crisis Outreach Acute Support Team (COAST) and take a leading role in delivering intensive home treatment and crisis care for children and young people across Sussex.

Why this role stands out

• £45,000 Recruitment & Retention Package over three years
• Lead and shape an established CAMHS crisis and intensive home treatment service
• Work at the interface between inpatient and community CAMHS, helping prevent avoidable hospital admissions
• Active caseload of approximately 12–20 young people at any one time
• Work within an experienced MDT spanning nursing, psychology, occupational therapy, systemic therapy, social work and creative therapies
• Opportunity to influence clinical pathways, service redesign and quality improvement
• Bespoke job planning and flexible working arrangements
• Dedicated SPA time for teaching, audit and CPD
• Strong academic links with Brighton and Sussex Medical School
• Free on-site parking and excellent transport links to London, Brighton and Gatwick

Enhanced £45,000 Recruitment & Retention Package

This post attracts up to £45,000 additional Recruitment & Retention payments over three years:

Payments are pro rata for part-time appointments.

The role

COAST provides intensive home treatment and crisis outreach for young people, working closely with inpatient units, community CAMHS and the Southern Counties Provider Collaborative.

As Consultant Psychiatrist, you’ll provide senior psychiatric leadership within COAST and across the wider CAMHS system.

You’ll:

• Lead specialist psychiatric assessment, formulation and treatment planning for young people experiencing mental health crisis
• Provide specialist psychiatric input to young people receiving intensive home treatment
• Lead the management of complex clinical presentations, including medication management
• Support access and gatekeeping assessments and advise on complex cases
• Act as Responsible Clinician under the Mental Health Act where required
• Provide consultation and expert advice to MDT colleagues and partner agencies
• Provide clinical supervision and support to junior and non-consultant medical colleagues
• Provide visible clinical leadership through handovers, safety huddles, ward rounds and escalation discussions
• Work across inpatient, community and crisis pathways to support coordinated care
• Contribute to service development, redesign, audit, research and quality improvement
• Participate in leadership forums and strategic discussions relating to CAMHS delivery
• Participate in the CAMHS Consultant on-call rota, currently 1:9 with compensatory rest

Who can apply

You’ll need:

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification
• CCT in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry or equivalent
• Full GMC registration with a licence to practise
• Inclusion on the GMC Specialist Register, or eligibility within six months
• Approved Clinician status, or ability to achieve this within three months
• Section 12 approval, or ability to achieve this within three months
• Excellent specialist knowledge and clinical skills
• Ability to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty
• Experience of multidisciplinary working and clinical leadership
• Ability to fulfil responsibilities under the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
• A valid UK driving licence and willingness to use it for work, or evidence of a suitable alternative

Experience or expertise in:

• CAMHS crisis, acute or intensive home treatment services
• Service development and service improvement
• Teaching and training undergraduate or postgraduate learners
• Clinical research or service evaluation
• Audit and quality improvement
• Wider specialist or sub-specialist experience relevant to CAMHS

Additional qualifications or higher degrees in medical education, clinical research or management would also be welcomed.

Shape the future of CAMHS crisis care

This is more than a traditional Consultant post. COAST sits at a critical point in the CAMHS pathway, providing an alternative to hospital admission and helping young people receive intensive support closer to home.

You’ll have the opportunity to influence how these pathways develop, strengthen relationships between inpatient and community services and contribute to wider service improvement across CAMHS.

We’re also open to bespoke job planning and flexible working arrangements, including shared-post models, where these support service continuity and candidate preference.

What Sussex Partnership can offer you

As a Consultant at Sussex Partnership, you’ll have access to:

• Flexible job planning and opportunities for hybrid working
• 30 days’ study leave over three years, with associated funding
• Opportunities for teaching, research, audit and service innovation
• Supportive medical leadership and established peer supervision
• Local psychiatry group meetings and Consultant networks
• Occupational health and wellbeing support
• Staff networks and wider professional development opportunities

Based at Chalkhill at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, you’ll also benefit from direct rail links to London and the south coast, proximity to Gatwick Airport, easy access to the South Downs and free on-site parking.

If you’re a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist looking for a Consultant role combining clinical leadership, crisis care, intensive home treatment and genuine opportunities to shape services, we’d love to hear from you.