Consultant in Developmental Paediatrics

NHS; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading children's hospital in Liverpool seeks a Consultant in Developmental Paediatrics to enhance services and reduce waiting times. The role involves clinical leadership within a dynamic team, assessing and managing children with various neurodevelopmental conditions. Ideal candidates will have full GMC registration and teaching experience, with opportunities for part-time posts considered. The organization provides a thriving research environment and community-focused care.

Qualifications

• GMC Specialist Register with UK CCT or equivalent in relevant Paediatric specialty.
• Evidence of leading at least two audit projects.
• Ability to lead a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Clinical work around vulnerable children and developmental disorders.
• Participate in teaching and training of medical professionals.
• Supervise junior staff and participate in service review.

Skills

Teaching experience

Communication skills

Ability to build relationships

Team player

Child safeguarding knowledge

Education

Full GMC registration – MRCPCH or equivalent

Higher degree (MSc, MD, etc.)

Job description

Go back Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust

Consultant in Developmental Paediatrics

The closing date is 28 November 2025

We are expanding the service within the Department of Developmental Paediatrics based in Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust. We are looking to appoint a Consultant in Developmental Paediatrics to expand the service offer and to reduce waiting times across our catchment area. The department is going through an exciting period of change and modernisation and the post provides an opportunity to help shape the new service, particularly with the new Alder Hey Children's Hospital site and we look forward to a new Neuro Developmental Centre. Although the post is full time, if an applicant wants a part time post / job share, this can be considered. The Consultant will have the exciting opportunity to develop the service further and provide clinical leadership within the Team. The appointee will join a dynamic and forward‑thinking team of 17 Consultants, seven SAS doctors working in Neuro‑disability and Neurodevelopment, social and educational paediatrics covering North Mersey (Liverpool, Knowsley, Sefton). The Complex Neurodisability service cares for children with cerebral palsy, Down's and other neuro‑genetic syndromes, neuromuscular disorders, progressive neurological conditions and neuro‑developmental problems requiring investigation.

Main duties of the job

It is envisaged that this post will attract 10 programmed activities per week (8.5 PA direct clinical care and 1.5 PA supporting professional activities). Increases beyond 1.5 SPA, in respect of appropriate activities can be negotiated by mutual agreement following annual job planning reviews. The post holder will share with the Developmental Paediatric Patch Team, clinical responsibility for referrals from Primary Care, other Consultants within the Trust, Child Mental Health and Social Services/Education allowing for flexibility according to the skills of the successful applicant.

About us

As one of Europe's biggest and busiest children's hospitals, at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, we treat everything from common illnesses to highly complex and specialist conditions. In addition to our main hospital site, we offer paediatric services at a number of community sites and hold local clinics across Merseyside, Cumbria, Shropshire, Wales and the Isle of Man. We also provide specialist inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs in our recently relocated and newly opened state‑of‑the‑art facility.

Alder Hey has a thriving research portfolio and leads research into children's medicines, infection, inflammation and oncology. We are becoming recognised as one of the world's leaders in children's healthcare and research. We contribute to public health, lead cutting‑edge research and teach the next generation of children's specialists. Alongside this is our Innovation Hub, a dedicated space where clinicians and industries can come together to create new products and technologies.

We know that a children's hospital is different and that our job is more than just treating an illness. To us, every child is an individual. As well as giving them the very best care, we set out to make them feel happy, safe and confident as they play, learn and grow. At Alder Hey we are here to look after a child and their family and that includes mums, dads, brothers and sisters.

Job responsibilities

• Clinical work particularly around:
  • Vulnerable children, children looked after
  • Developmental delay
  • Assessment and management of children with neuro‑developmental disorders
  • Assessment and diagnosis of ADHD and ASD working jointly with ADHD/ASD Specialist Nurse
  • Behavioural problems, to assess whether there are underlying developmental aetiologies
  • Joint MD spasticity management clinics
  • Complex care clinics in special schools
  • Joint working with LD teams and CAHMS and development of pathways to improve access to services
  • Development of pathways and protocols to improve care for children with complex needs, including supporting the development of follow‑up services for high‑risk infants with adverse perinatal events from the maternity hospital
• Teaching & Academic role – Participate in the teaching and training of undergraduates and postgraduates and provide clinical and educational supervision; offer training in child development to health personnel and staff in partner agencies; develop research interests in their area of expertise.
• Managerial responsibilities – Supervise junior staff; participate in departmental, Local Authority meetings related to strategic planning; take an active role in service review and development with fellow Consultants.
• CPD, Audit & Clinical Governance – Participate in CPD activity with financial support available; initiate and undertake appropriate audit within the department; take part in the clinical governance programme.
• The community Paediatrics team provide a safeguarding service, and the clinician may be given an opportunity to support the safeguarding service if this was an area of interest, appropriately adjusted in the job plan.

Person Specification

• Full GMC registration – MRCPCH or equivalent – on the GMC Specialist Register with UK CCT or equivalent in relevant Paediatric specialty. Applicants with general paediatric CCT to demonstrate equivalent experience and competencies to those gained by CCT in Community Child Health and capable of working at Consultant level in Community Paediatrics.
• Level 3 Child Safeguarding training – Valid BLS training.
• Portfolio Pathway (formerly CESR) applicants must be on the Specialist Register at the point of application.
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility and clinical management for complex patients.
• Teaching experience in a wide variety of settings; experience in audit and clinical governance principles; evidence of leading at least two audit projects.
• Teaching skills and experience; ability to supervise the clinical work of doctors in training and other staff.
• Good oral and written communication skills; ability to organise and prioritise personal workload and that of others.
• Ability to build effective relationships and work collaboratively with staff at all levels; empathise with patients and carers.
• Evidence of being a team player and effective communicator within a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to lead a multidisciplinary team and communicate effectively (report writing, thesis).
• Experience of supervising junior doctors; formal training in teaching.
• Self‑motivated to set and achieve targets; flexible in regard to teamwork; reliable attendance and punctuality.
• Demonstrable evidence of ongoing commitment to personal and professional development and to the development of a high‑quality service.
• Apparent competence in NHS Leadership Qualities Framework Delivering the Service cluster: leading change through people, holding to account, empowering others, effective and strategic influencing, collaborative working.
• Knowledge of recognised tools for assessment of developmental disorders (Griffiths, SOGS etc.); good knowledge of multi‑agency working and child safeguarding; familiarity with NICE guidance on management of childhood epilepsies, spasticity and cerebral palsy.
• Higher degree (MSc, MD, DCH, DCCH, MBA or other relevant postgraduate qualification).
• Valid APLS and NLS.
• Experience in child protection; ability to work unsupervised and make decisions.

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.

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust