Job Overview
A Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist is required for the South Bedfordshire Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. The position is an 8‑PA substantive post, with fixed‑term contracts also considered. The post-holder will join the Neurodevelopmental Team and work with young people up to age 18, their families, and carers in South Bedfordshire.
Responsibilities
- Provide psychiatric assessment and treatment where appropriate.
- Contribute a psychiatric perspective to multidisciplinary team discussions.
- Offer senior clinical leadership and consult to other professionals and agencies.
- Facilitate the development of the team and wider service.
- Work with local managers and professional colleagues to run the service efficiently.
- Share the medical contribution to management.
- Observe the agreed policies of the Trust and the procedures established with the profession on clinical matters.
Person Specification
Education – Essential Criteria
- Full GMC registration.
- MRCPsych Part 1 & 2 or equivalent.
- Eligibility for inclusion on the Specialist Register or CCT in the appropriate specialty (or within 6 months).
- Section 12 approved and Approved Clinician status or willingness to apply for approval.
Education – Desirable Criteria
Experience – Essential Criteria
- Extensive clinical knowledge and excellent clinical skills.
- Experience of assessment and management of children and young people with complex mental health disorders.
Knowledge and Skills – Essential Criteria
- Commitment to maintaining and developing knowledge.
- Sound professional judgement.
- Sound clinical risk management.
- Holistic view of patients.
- Creative in designing and implementing treatment programmes.
- Understanding of transcultural and gender issues in psychiatry.
- Evidence‑based practice and critical enquiry.
- Ability to balance competing demands and prioritise.
Knowledge and Skills – Desirable Criteria
- Higher training in a specific psychotherapeutic treatment or modality (e.g., Family Therapy, CBT, individual or group psychotherapy).
Communication and Interpersonal Skills – Essential Criteria
- Strong leadership and coordination skills to direct and organise teams.
- Excellent communication skills with a range of people.
- Ability to build effective relationships with patients, families, colleagues and other professionals.
- Resilience under pressure and adaptability to constant change.
- Enthusiasm and initiative in pursuing innovation and high standards for patients, juniors, colleagues and the organisation.
Teaching – Essential Criteria
- Experience of teaching in small groups and lecturing.
- Commitment to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, academic and clinical.
Teaching – Desirable Criteria
- Familiarity with problem‑based learning approaches.
Management and Audit – Essential Criteria
- Enthusiastic and organised approach to audit and quality assurance.
- Ability to operate effectively in a committee.
Management and Audit – Desirable Criteria
- Training in management skills.
- Experience of managing a clinical area.
- Experience of service development.
Research – Desirable Criteria
- Experience in a research project.
- Publication accepted by peer‑review journals in a relevant academic field.
Travel Requirements – Essential Criteria
- Ability to travel to other venues in the community including patients’ homes.
Travel Requirements – Desirable Criteria
Other – Essential Criteria
- Meets professional health requirements.
- Adherence to the highest ethical and professional standards.
