Consultant-Developmental Paeds & Doctor for Children Looked After London

This is an exciting opportunity for a permanent consultant to join a well-established neurodevelopmental and neurodisability team in South West London and meet rising demand in most of our specialist teams within Neurodevelopmental Paediatrics and the Children Looked After (CLA) Services. The successful candidate will work across and deliver care for the CLA, Developmental Paediatrics, ADHD and ASD sub-specialties. This post also includes the Named Doctor for CLA, an active role in delivering and improving the service for CLA.

The Named Doctor will be working alongside the Named Nurse for CLA and the rest of the wider team, who all contribute to delivering the clinical aspect of the CLA service. The post holder will ensure a high standard of care is achieved and maintained within their organisation demonstrating effective leadership skills and working within a team. This will include providing clinical supervision, including checking reports, of all doctors that carry out CLA clinics and management of the trainee doctors. The Named Doctor will also be responsible for providing an annual quality assurance report for CLA in conjunction with Named Nurse and management team.

Main duties of the job

The Children Looked After's Health Team works in close partnership with the Local Authority, London Borough of Wandsworth (LBW). Effective joint working arrangements between the LBW and SGH are in place to ensure that the health and well-being of children in care are promoted and that all children receive timely Initial Health Assessments (IHAs), Review Health Assessments (RHAs) and dental checks that are in line with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The Local Authority is responsible for around 320 looked after children. There are approximately 200 new accommodations each year.

The post holder is expected to have a clear understanding of how this post contributes to the achievement of the trust vision of: A thriving Foundation Trust at the heart of an integrated healthcare system. One that delivers improved patient care at a community, hospital and specialist setting, supported by a unique and nationally recognised programme of research, education and employee engagement.

We expect all our staff to share the values that are important to the Trust, being Excellent, Kind, Responsible & Respectful, and behave in a way that reflects these.

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and expects that all staff will share in this commitment. The Trust is clear that all staff have a responsibility to be aware of children and adult safeguarding policies and procedures and that each member of staff, clinical and non-clinical, will attend child or adult safeguarding training that is provided at an appropriate level to suit their role. The Trust has the additional expectation that all staff will be able to identify concerns and know what action to take.

Job responsibilities

• Provision of the Named Doctor function which includes specialist advice and supervision to staff who have direct contact with looked after children and care leavers.
• Undertaking Statutory CLA Initial Health Assessments.
• Undertaking Statutory CLA Review Health Assessments LAC for under-5s and for older children with complex medical or other special needs.
• Producing a report and healthcare plan within statutory time scales and subsequently a comprehensive written report.
• Clinical Supervision of the CLA clinics delivered by the trainee and other doctors.
• Work closely with the Named Nurse for CLA, as well as the other CLA Nursing staff and Paediatric Management team, to deliver a safe and efficient service for the looked after children of LBW.
• Provide annual quality assurance report for CLA in conjunction with Named Nurse and management team.
• Liaising closely with the Children's Social Workers.
• Undertaking developmental clinics, SEN clinics and possibly ADHD clinics or ASD multidisciplinary assessments depending on experience and relevant training.
• Deliver holistic approach for children who may need care in a number of aspects at once (CLA, ADHD, Developmental Paediatrics and ASD).

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• Clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining UK CCT in relevant Paediatric specialty: Community Child Health, Neurodisability, Child Mental Health or General Paediatrics (candidates within 6 months of CCT are eligible to apply).
• Full registration and licence to practise with General Medical Council or eligible if currently working overseas.
• MRCP, MRCPCH by examination or equivalent.
• Level 3 Child Safeguarding training.

Experience

• Experience in Community Paediatrics, Neurodevelopmental Paediatrics and Neurodevelopmental assessment.
• Experience in Children Looked After (CLA) Medical services appropriate to meet the responsibilities of the Named Doctor role described above.
• Ability to take full and independent responsibility for clinical care of complex patients.
• Audit: evidence of understanding of audit principles and having taken a lead role in completing at least 2 audit projects in clinical areas relevant to this application.

Skills

• Effective communicator and team worker.
• Ability to conduct a comprehensive neurodevelopmental assessment of children with suspected developmental problems with understanding of relevant psychosocial factors.
• Ability to compile a comprehensive report within defined timescales.
• Ability to liaise effectively with other professionals and agencies to ensure appropriate treatment and support.
• Ability to review a child and write a SEND/EHCP report.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a multiagency team.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of recognised tools for the assessment of developmental disorders e.g. Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales, SOGS etc.
• Understand multiagency working in the context of safeguarding.

Other

• Active involvement in Continuing Professional Development.
• Ability to be flexible, adaptable, thorough and resilient.
• An understanding of equality and diversity within the workforce and how it can impact on this post.
• Ability to share knowledge and difficulties with colleagues.
• Able to travel to meet the requirements of the post.

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.

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.