Community CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrist - South Kent

NHS; Folkestone; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mental health service provider in Folkestone is seeking a Community CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrist to join its dedicated team. This role focuses on assessing and treating various mental health disorders in children and young people. Applicants should possess a medical degree and relevant qualifications. The position offers a generous benefits package, including a £20,000 recruitment bonus and relocation support up to £8,000. Join a passionate team that aims to improve mental health care for communities.

Benefits

£20,000 recruitment bonus

Up to £8,000 relocation support

Generous annual leave and NHS pension scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Access to independent counselling service

Qualifications

• On the GMC Specialist Register or within six months of completing CCT in psychiatry.
• Approved Clinician status or able to achieve within 3 months of appointment.

Responsibilities

• Act as an autonomous, registered practitioner accountable for own actions.
• Responsible for service delivery to clients and developing care plans.
• Initiate referrals to other health professional specialist services.

Skills

Excellent knowledge in specialty

Excellent clinical skills

Excellent oral and written communication skills in English

Experience in managing patients from different cultural backgrounds

Mastery in management of mental disorders in children

Education

MB BS or equivalent medical qualification

Fully registered with the GMC with a Licence to Practise

Job description

Community CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrist - South Kent

From spring 2026, our services will extend to include children and young people's mental health services and all-age eating disorder services within the Trust.

We are looking for a dedicated consultant to join the South Kent Community CAMHS team from 1st April 2026.

The South Kent CAMHS Community team provides a service to children and young people (under the age of 18 years) living in Dover and Folkestone. Dover has a CYP population of 24 908, and Folkestone has a CYP population of 22 301.

The team is a generic Tier 3 CAMHS team who undertake assessment and treatment of a range of disorders in children and young people including ADHD, ASD, Mood disorders, Psychosis, PTSD, Anxiety disorders, emerging personality disorders and challenging behaviour.

Successful applicants will ideally have MRCPsych or equivalent and be on, or within six months of inclusion on, the Specialist Register. You will be fully registered with the GMC, and have Approved Clinician status and S12 approval under the Mental Health Act (or have eligibility for it and be able achieve this on appointment).

Main duties of the job

1. To act as an autonomous, registered practitioner who is legally and professionally accountable for own unsupervised actions guided by the professional code of conduct and Trust guidelines and protocols.
2. The post holder will have full registration with a licence to practice on the General Medical Council (GMC).
3. Further professional knowledge will have been gained through accredited courses, workshops, study, and in-house training programmes.
4. To be responsible, and accountable, for service delivery to clients/patients.
5. To be able to assess and develop care plans to meet the complex needs of patients with a variety of conditions. This includes chronic, acute, and palliative care within own competencies, recognising own limitations and seeking advice when necessary. This will include continuously evaluating and acting on outcomes.
6. To be able to initiate referrals to other health professional specialist services and agencies.
7. To provide patients and relatives with information and education thus ensuring they have meaningful choices that promote dignity, independence, and quality of life.
8. To ensure practice is supported by research, evidence-based practice, literature, and peer review.

About us

We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway. Our teams support adults with a wide range of mental health needs. Because we cover the whole county and both hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the 1.8 million people of Kent and Medway. Rated 'Good' by the CQC, we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 in the community each year.

Our vision is simple: We are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. And everything we do is guided by our values caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us - if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's doing well together.

Job responsibilities

PLEASE NOTE: this job description is currently pending approval from the Royal College of Psychiatrists

For detailed information regarding the role, please refer to the attached job description and person specification. The job description will provide you with the main duties and responsibilities of the role. The person specifications will detail the qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience required for the role.

Part time or job-share applications are welcome.

Here are just some of our Benefits:

This post attracts a newly enhanced recruitment bonus of £20,000 Financial support for relocation of up to £8,000 Easy access to inhouse research team and academic opportunity through Kents own Medical school Generous annual leave and study leave entitlement and access to the fantastic NHS pension scheme Holiday of a Lifetime Scheme Bank your annual leave to save up for that all important extended break Flexible working - just ask and we will try to help Excellent Learning and Development opportunities - We offer doctors at all grades the chance to engage in leadership, educational, research, quality improvement development and seek growth opportunities tailored to their areas of interest Free access to an independent counselling service Blue Light Card - A discount service for the NHS, with thousands of amazing discounts Car lease scheme A variety of staff network forums which empower, support and encourage network members and allies, to reflect KMMH values and promote equality and diversity.

*If you would like further information, or to know the full terms of the Recruitment Bonus and/or Relocation Allowance, then please contact our Medical Staffing Team: [e-mail]

Person Specification

Training, Qualifications and Registration

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification
• Fully registered with the GMC with a Licence to Practise
• On the GMC Specialist Register OR within six months of completing CCT in psychiatry
• Approved Clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment
• Approved under S12 OR able to achieve with 3 months of appointment
• Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management.
• Additional clinical qualifications
• In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice

Clinical Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Excellent knowledge in specialty
• Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wide medical knowledge
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
• Able to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty
• Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others
• Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA
• Mastery in the management of a broad range of mental disorders in children, including neurodevelopment disorders
• Experience in managing patients from different cultural backgrounds. Working with interpreters and translators
• Wide range of specialist and sub‑specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service
• Practical experience in a short‑term psychological therapy

Academic Skills and Lifelong Learning

• Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training
• Ability to work in and lead team
• Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement
• Participated in continuous professional development
• Participated in research or service evaluation
• Able to use and appraise clinical evidence
• Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programmes
• Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post
• Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken
• Experienced in clinical research and /or service evaluation
• Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications
• Has led clinical audits leading to service change or improved outcomes to patients

Transport

• Holds and will use valid UK driving licence OR provides evidence of proposed alternative.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.