Consultant Community Paediatrician in Ipswich

We are looking for a committed clinician to join the team of paediatric staff providing integrated Community Services to children and young people across Suffolk. The post-holder should have wide experience in all aspects of Community Paediatrics. The post-holder will work within the community paediatric team in East Suffolk and liaise with services within a geographical cluster. We have extremely good working relationships with Nursing and Allied Health Professionals as well as Consultant colleagues at West Suffolk Hospital and with Education and Social Care staff. We also work as part of a wider paediatric community medical team, with our colleagues in the east locality. The Trust aims to provide equitable community paediatric services across the whole of the county.

Main duties of the job:

• Responsibility for the assessment and management of children referred with neuro-developmental problems from a geographical area including the participation in multi-disciplinary assessment where appropriate.
• Management of children and young people with long term neuro-disability such as cerebral palsy.
• The post holder would be encouraged to develop the movement clinic for consideration of botulinum injections to children with cerebral palsy working closely with the orthopaedic team.
• Assessment of school aged children with suspected autism spectrum disorder following a multidisciplinary triage process.
• Provision of medical advice for Education Health and Care Plans for children under our care.
• Assessment of children where there are safeguarding concerns raised by other Health or Educational professionals, Police and Social Services.
• The post-holder will be expected to be experienced in safeguarding assessment.
• Initial Health Assessments for looked after children.
• Clinical and educational supervision of trainees and medical students working within the Child Health Department.
• Providing clear standards, encouraging high quality care, with encouragement of audit and fully participating in the clinical governance arrangements of the Trust.
• The post-holder will be based at St Helen's House in Ipswich, with the potential for some peripheral clinics based in Stowmarket.

About us:

We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings. The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge. Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital. We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and teamwork guide how we work and behave as a team. With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be. We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyone's voice counts.

Person Specification:

• Qualifications:
• Essential: Full GMC registration with a licence to practise MRCPCH or equivalent. Entry on the GMC specialist register in Paediatrics or be eligible for entry (within six months of attaining Certificate of Completion of Training) at the time of interview and hold a licence to practice.
• Desirable: Other relevant qualification, e.g. MD, MSc.
• Training and Experience:
• Essential: Wide range of experience in hospital and community child health. Two years higher specialist training in community paediatrics. Experience in working in a multi-disciplinary team. Experience in recognition and management of child protection cases.
• Desirable: Specific training and experience on the use of assessment tools for diagnosis of ASD (e.g. DISCO/ ADOS). Assessment and management of behaviour problems. Experience in management of spasticity including assessment for botulinum toxin treatment for children with cerebral palsy. Experience with looked after children and adoption medical assessments and processes.
• Management and Administration:
• Essential: Experience of clinical leadership and clinical governance.
• Desirable: Evidence of management training. Experience of leadership and implementing service developments.
• Teaching Experience:
• Essential: Ability to teach both medical and non-medical staff involved in children's services. Interest in teaching under-graduates and post-graduate students.
• Desirable: Experience of organising teaching/training programmes. Formal training in teaching skills.
• Research:
• Essential: Knowledge and interest in appropriate current research methods in paediatrics.
• Desirable: Research experience and/or publications.
• Skills and Qualities:
• Essential: Ability to communicate clearly. To be able to work effectively in a team. Leadership skills. Committed to work within Trust policies. Committed to CME as laid down by the RCPCH. Committed to own professional development and be responsible for own revalidation.
• Desirable: Willingness to undertake additional professional responsibilities. Computer skills. Has ability to travel to rural locations.
• Appraisal:
• Essential: To understand the aim and need for appraisal.
• Desirable: To have training and experience in appraisal systems.
• Clinical Governance:
• Essential: To have a broad understanding of all elements of, and a commitment to the principles of Audit & Clinical Governance.
• Standards:
• Essential: To have a thorough knowledge and demonstrable understanding of 'Good Medical Practice' from the GMC.