Come and join us We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day. At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development. We actively promote f lexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role. We recognise that tools like AI are becoming part of everyday life and you may choose to use them when preparing your application. We welcome this, as long as what you submit reflects your own experience, skills and voice. AI can be helpful for structuring or refining your answers, but it should not replace your own examples or create content that isn’t based on your real experience. Our recruitment process is designed to get to know you, and we’ll explore your examples further at interview, so it’s important your application genuinely represents what you bring. You can read more about using AI in applications and interviews on our recruitment process page. We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you. Job overview COAST (Crisis Outreach Acute Support Team) is seeking a Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist to help lead intensive home treatment and crisis outreach for young people across Mid Sussex. Based at Chalkhill, Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath, you will support an active caseload of approximately 12–20 young people at any one time, working at the interface of inpatient and community CAMHS services. This is an opportunity to influence clinical pathways, strengthen system relationships and shape the delivery of crisis care within a well-established multidisciplinary team including creative therapists, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, systemic therapy and social work. The service works closely with inpatient units, community CAMHS and the Southern Counties Provider Collaborative to reduce avoidable admissions and improve outcomes for young people in crisis. Recruitment & Retention Package – up to £45,000 over three years (pro-rata for part-time): • £15,000 on appointment • £10,000 after 12 months • £10,000 after 24 months • £10,000 after 36 months Haywards Heath offers direct rail links to London and the south coast, proximity to Gatwick Airport and easy access to the South Downs National Park. Free on-site parking is available, with additional local parking nearby. Advert The Consultant Psychiatrist will provide senior psychiatric leadership within COAST and across the wider CAMHS system. Key duties include: • Leading psychiatric assessment and management of complex clinical presentations, including medication management • Providing specialist psychiatric input to young people receiving intensive home treatment • Supporting access and gatekeeping assessments, advising and reviewing cases as required • Acting as Responsible Clinician for young people detained under the Mental Health Act where applicable • Ensuring high standards of clinical governance and statutory compliance • Providing clinical supervision and support to non-consultant medical staff • Participating in the CAMHS Consultant on-call rota (currently 1:9 with compensatory rest) • Contributing to service development, redesign and quality improvement work You will offer visible clinical leadership across daily handovers, safety huddles, ward rounds and system escalation discussions, supporting coordinated decision-making across services. Working for our organisation Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust delivers mental health, learning disability and neurodevelopmental services across Sussex and is rated Good overall and Outstanding for Caring by the CQC. The Trust maintains strong academic links with Brighton and Sussex Medical School and an established consultant peer network. Consultants benefit from: • Flexible job planning and opportunities for hybrid working • 30 days’ study leave over three years with associated funding • Wellbeing initiatives, occupational health services and staff networks • Opportunities for teaching, research and service innovation • Supportive medical leadership and peer supervision structures • Dedicated SPA time with opportunities for teaching, audit and CPD, including access to the local psychiatry group meeting We are open to bespoke job planning and flexible working arrangements, including shared post models where this supports service continuity and candidate preference. 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. Detailed job description and main responsibilities The post holder will provide senior psychiatric leadership within the COAST CAMHS Acute Service. The role is permanent, full-time (10 PAs) and based at Chalkhill, Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath, with flexibility considered. Responsibilities include: • Delivering specialist psychiatric assessment, formulation and treatment planning for young people presenting in mental health crisis • Supporting safe and effective intensive home treatment aimed at preventing unnecessary inpatient admission • Working collaboratively with inpatient services, community CAMHS teams, primary care and provider collaboratives to maintain clear and consistent care pathways • Acting as Responsible Clinician under the Mental Health Act where required and ensuring compliance with statutory and governance frameworks • Providing consultation and expert advice to multidisciplinary colleagues and partner agencies • Supervising junior medical staff and contributing to workforce development • Participating in leadership forums, contract meetings and strategic discussions relating to CAMHS delivery • Contributing to audit, quality improvement and research activity where appropriate SPFT is committed to building a workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We particularly welcome applications from people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and from disabled candidates, as these groups are currently underrepresented. Successful candidates are normally appointed to the bottom of the pay scale unless previous NHS experience in a similar role can be evidenced. SPFT takes its responsibilities for safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk very seriously. We expect all staff and bank workers to share this commitment and complete the relevant safeguarding training for their role. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful. However, we’ll always do our best to keep you informed as we know how much time and care goes into applying for a role. In the event of a high number of applications, we may close this vacancy early.