Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist - Learning Disability

NHS; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 66,000 - 97,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading health service provider in Cardiff is looking for a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist to join their Learning Disability Service. The role involves assessing and treating children with learning disabilities, working within a multidisciplinary team and attending joint clinics. Ideal candidates should be on the GMC Specialist Register or near completion of specialty training. The part-time position offers a salary between £66,144 to £96,570, depending on experience.

Qualifications

• Broad training and experience in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry including at least 3 years training.
• Additional experience or interest in specialty area.
• Evidence of teaching medical students and resident doctors.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychiatric assessment and treatment for children with learning disabilities.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Conduct joint clinics with community paediatricians.

Skills

Effective team and multidisciplinary working

Communication skills

Clinical risk management

Knowledge of Child Protection

Education

On GMC Specialist Register or Specialty Registrar

Tools

Mental Health Act knowledge

Job description

Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist - Learning Disability

The closing date is 14 October 2025

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist with a special interest in intellectual disability to join the Child & Adolescent Learning Disability Service (CALDS) in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. This post is part-time, working 6 sessions per week.

The CALDS team supports children and young people aged 5-18 with moderate to severe learning disabilities who present with significant mental health difficulties and/or behaviours that challenge. We are committed to delivering holistic, trauma-informed care in partnership with families, education, social care, and the wider health system.

Applicants should either be on the Specialist Register or be a Specialist Registrar within six months of their expected date of receipt of a CCT at the time of interview.

You will be able to take advantage of the excellent Consultant contract for Wales. The basic salary range for this post is £66,144 per annum to £96,570 per annum for a 6-session commitment.

Applicants must ensure they provide names and contact details of referees covering at least the last 3 years of their employment/training history in full. In addition, applicants who are currently or have most recently been employed as a substantive Consultant or as a Locum Consultant in post for more than 12 months must also provide the name of their Medical Director as an additional referee.

Main duties of the job

The Consultant will work as part of a multidisciplinary team including clinical psychology, nursing, speech and language therapy and occupational therapy and involves joint working with CAMHS psychiatrists and community paediatricians. Joint clinics with paediatrics--often based in special schools--form a core part of the role, alongside consultation and liaison with other services.

The appointee will provide specialist psychiatric assessment, formulation and treatment for children/young people with learning disabilities and associated mental health/behavioural difficulties. These individuals typically require co-ordinated, multi-agency support addressing complex needs that significantly impact daily functioning.

The role includes joint clinics with community paediatricians, frequently held in special school settings, and follows a biopsychosocial model of care incorporating contributions from across the child\'s environment. Home visits, classroom observations, and inter-agency planning meetings form a routine part of the assessment and review process.

This post offers excellent opportunities for clinical leadership, service development, and involvement in strategic initiatives, including transition to adult services, health equity, and the promotion of learning disability services within the directorate. You will be well supported with dedicated admin, flexible working arrangements, and a strong team ethos.

About us

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 17,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving over 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone, delivering excellent care and support.

Our mission is "Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together", and our vision is that every person\'s chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. Our 10-year transformation and improvement strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, is our chance to work collaboratively with the public and our workforce to make our health board more sustainable for the future.

Job responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents for this post.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• On GMC Specialist Register for specialty / Specialty Registrar with CCT due in 6 months of interview date (note that Portfolio Pathway applicants must be on the Specialist Register at the point of application)
• Section 12 Approved

Experience

• Broad training and experience in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry including at least 3 years training in a recognised training scheme
• Additional experience or interest in speciality area

Skills

• Evidence of effective team and multidisciplinary working
• Effective and demonstrable communication skills
• Exercises sound clinical risk management
• Knowledge of Child Protection, safeguarding, Mental Health Act and Capacity Act

Clinical Governance

• Evidence of participation in clinical audit and understanding role of audit in improving medical practice
• Evidence of proactive engagement with appraisal and revalidation

Research

• Ability to critically evaluate published research evidence to inform clinical practice

Teaching

• Evidence of teaching medical students and resident doctors

Management

• Evidence of effective leadership skills
• Ability to contribute effectively in meetings and committees

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.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board