The closing date is 22 July 2026

Job summary
This is a rare and exciting opportunity for a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist to play a key role in the future development of Tier 4 inpatient CAMHS in Sussex at our 12-bed Children & Young People's Inpatient Mental Health Unit in Haywards Heath (15 minutes from Brighton / 45 minutes from London), is entering an important phase of strengthening, innovation and service redesign.

You will join an established, well-supported multidisciplinary team and have the opportunity to help shape how the inpatient pathway evolves, drawing on best practice, national standards and collaboration across CAMHS. We are open to bespoke job planning and flexible working arrangements, including exploring a shared post model across our Children & Young People's Inpatient Mental Health Unit and the COAST CAMHS Acute service, where this supports continuity, service quality and candidate preference.

This post offers a £45,000 Recruitment & Retention Package, bespoke job planning, relocation support (where applicable) and opportunities to shape a service with momentum and leadership visibility.

If you are seeking a Consultant role where you can make a meaningful impact and help define the next chapter of inpatient CAMHS in Sussex, we would be delighted to hear from you. Informal conversations and visits are warmly welcomed.

Main duties of the job
As Consultant Psychiatrist, you will:

• Provide clinical leadership for a skilled and compassionate MDT caring for young people aged 13-18 with complex needs
• Lead on formulation, risk management and treatment planning, working closely with families and partner agencies
• Supervise junior doctors and trainees, and contribute to teaching, audit and quality improvement
• Work within a supportive leadership group with strong operational and clinical management backing
• Participate in the CAMHS Consultant on-call rota (1:9, with allowance for compensatory rest)

Permanent, full-time (10 PAs), based at our Children & Young People's Inpatient Mental Health Unit, Haywards Heath.

About us
Consultants benefit from:

• Flexible job planning and opportunities for hybrid working
• 30 days' study leave over 3 years, with funding
• Wellbeing initiatives, occupational health and staff networks

Living and Working in Sussex
A mix of coastline, countryside and vibrant cities (including Brighton & Hove). Excellent links to London and Gatwick Airport. South Downs walking and cycling routes.

Recruitment & Retention Package (£45,000 over 3 years):

• £15,000 on appointment
• £10,000 after 12 months
• £10,000 after 24 months
• £10,000 after 36 months

(Pro-rata for part-time employees) Contact: spft.medicalhr@nhs.net for full terms and conditions of this package.

Sussex Partnership is a place where your clinical voice, expertise and leadership genuinely influence how services evolve. Explore our CAMHS recruitment brochure to learn more.

Details

• Date posted: 29 June 2026
• Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
• Grade: Consultant
• Salary: £113,565 to £150,569 a year pro rata
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 354-CS-21616-K
• Job locations: Princess Royal Hospital, Lewes Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 4NQ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Full details of the role can be found in the attached job description but if you'd like to know more or arrange an informal visit, please contact: Dr Saam Idelji-Tehrani saam.idelji-tehrani1@nhs.net Nicola Chainey nicola.chainey1@nhs.net

Person Specification
Qualifications

• MB BS or equivalent medical qualification
• Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment.
• Included on the GMC Specialist Register OR within six months.
• In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice

Eligibility

• Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment

Transport

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

Clinical Skills, Knowledge & 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

Desirable

• Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service

Academic Skills & 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
• Ability to work in a participatory way so that shared decision making and conversations around formulation/diagnosis and ongoing care are a collaborative endeavour with the people who access our service.

Desirable

• 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

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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.

Employer details
Employer name: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Princess Royal Hospital, Lewes Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 4NQ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Clinical Director for Specialist Services
Dr Jane McCarthy
jane.mccarthy9@nhs.net