Consultant Practitioner Psychologist – Acute CAMHS

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Haywards Heath; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Haywards Heath is recruiting a Consultant Practitioner Psychologist to lead Acute CAMHS across Sussex. The role combines strategic leadership with direct clinical practice in inpatient and crisis pathways, developing psychological care for children, young people and families.

You will provide professional leadership for Psychological Professions, supervise and support teams, and help shape service delivery across inpatient and crisis services, including

Qualifications

• HCPC registered and significant post-qualification experience within specialist mental health services.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional leadership for Psychological Professions across Acute CAMHS.
• Lead the delivery of specialist psychological assessment, consultation and intervention.
• Support development of the seven-day COAST service.
• Influence service transformation across inpatient and crisis pathways.
• Provide supervision and leadership to psychological professionals.
• Collaborate with psychology, psychiatry, nursing, occupational therapy and others.
• Support workforce development, quality improvement and clinical governance.
• Promote psychologically informed approaches to care across Acute CAMHS.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Strategic influence

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Risk management

Education

HCPC registration

Job description

Consultant Practitioner Psychologist – Acute CAMHS

NHS AfC Band 8c

£79,504 to £91,609 per annum

Permanent | Full time, 37.5 hours per week

Flexible working available

Based in Haywards Heath with Sussex-wide responsibilities

Are you ready to influence the future of Acute CAMHS across Sussex while maintaining meaningful clinical practice?

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Clinical or Forensic Psychologist to join our Acute CAMHS services as Consultant Practitioner Psychologist.

This is a rare opportunity to combine strategic leadership, professional leadership and specialist clinical practice during a period of significant transformation and workforce growth across Acute CAMHS services.

Working across both inpatient and crisis pathways, you’ll help shape how psychological care is delivered to children, young people and families experiencing some of the most complex and acute mental health difficulties. Your influence will extend well beyond individual services, helping to develop psychological practice across Sussex's Acute CAMHS pathway.

The opportunity

This is an exciting time to join Acute CAMHS in Sussex.

Our inpatient and crisis services are continuing to evolve, with investment in workforce growth and service development designed to improve outcomes for children and young people across the county.

As Consultant Practitioner Psychologist, you’ll provide professional and clinical leadership across Acute CAMHS services while maintaining direct clinical involvement with young people and families. You’ll play a key role in shaping service delivery across our inpatient services and our enhanced seven-day Crisis Outreach Acute Support Team (COAST), helping to develop alternatives to inpatient admission and deliver high-quality, integrated care.

This role combines strategic influence, service development, workforce leadership and specialist clinical work, offering a unique opportunity to shape the future direction of Acute CAMHS across Sussex.

What you'll be doing

• Providing professional leadership for Psychological Professions across Acute CAMHS
• Leading the delivery of specialist psychological assessment, consultation and intervention
• Supporting the continued development of our enhanced seven-day COAST service
• Influencing service transformation, innovation and improvement across inpatient and crisis pathways
• Providing supervision, support and leadership to psychological professionals across services
• Working collaboratively with colleagues from psychology, psychiatry, nursing, occupational therapy, family therapy, social work and mental health practitioner backgrounds
• Supporting workforce development, quality improvement and clinical governance
• Promoting psychologically informed approaches to care across Acute CAMHS

About you

We’re looking for an experienced Clinical or Forensic Psychologist who is passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people and families.

You will be HCPC registered and bring significant post-qualification experience within specialist mental health services, alongside the confidence to provide leadership within complex multidisciplinary environments.

You’ll be comfortable supporting complex decision‑making, risk management and service development while maintaining a compassionate and person‑centred approach to care.

Experience working within CAMHS, crisis services, inpatient settings or other acute mental health pathways will be particularly valuable.

Why join Sussex Partnership?

Rated 'Good' overall and 'Outstanding' for Caring by the CQC, Sussex Partnership provides mental health and learning disability services across Sussex.

You’ll be joining at a time of significant investment and development across Acute CAMHS, working alongside an expanding Psychological Professions workforce across both inpatient and crisis services.

As part of our wider Psychological Professions leadership community, you’ll benefit from:

• Regular professional and clinical supervision with a strong focus on wellbeing
• Excellent links with Consultant and Senior Psychological Professionals across CAMHS, Early Intervention, Perinatal and Adult Services
• Extensive CPD opportunities, leadership programmes and professional networks
• Opportunities to contribute to research, quality improvement and service innovation
• Quarterly senior leadership forums and opportunities to influence practice across services
• Flexible working arrangements where service needs allow

Live and work in Sussex

Based in Haywards Heath, you’ll enjoy easy access to Brighton, London, the Sussex coastline and the South Downs National Park, with excellent transport links across the South East.