Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist

This new permanent role supports Islington community CAMHS and the paediatric mental health team (PMHT) at Whittington Hospital. The post holder will provide clinical leadership, psychiatric consultations, and interventions, acting as a liaison between community services and the hospital, with emphasis on crisis assessments and management.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership and consultation to colleagues within Islington CAMHS.
• Offer urgent psychiatric consultations to CYP presenting in mental health crises at Whittington Hospital.
• Assist the MDT with neurodevelopmental assessment decisions, supporting case management for two new cases per month.
• Support the psychiatry group by contributing to day‑time duty rota and crisis management.
• Address emergencies for existing patients and arrange cross cover when away.
• Foster good working relationships with Islington AAOT, CAMHS, NCL partners and the NCEL collaborative.
• Liaise with wider networks (social care, education) to support young people with significant mental health concerns.
• Contribute to UCLMS teaching for psychiatry and paediatrics.
• Participate in service development, innovation, audit, QI and research activities.
• Provide weekly supervision of resident doctors.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• MRCPsych or equivalent.
• Inclusion on the GMC’s specialist Register for Psychiatry or eligible for inclusion within 6 months of awarding CCST.

Training

• Safeguarding, governance and legislation knowledge relevant to children and adolescents.
• Section 12 (20) and AC Approval (Mental Health Act) or willingness to apply.
• Experience in therapeutic modalities for children, young people and families (CBT, DBT, systemic or psychodynamic psychotherapy).
• Experience in child health settings.

Other

• Experience of audit and outcome monitoring.
• Competence in delivering evidence‑based practice.
• Compliance with national and professional guidelines.
• Membership of Medical Defence organisation.
• Capacity for leadership in clinical governance and strategy for child and adolescent mental health.

Skills & Experience

• Extensive therapeutic experience with children, young people and their families/carers, including psychopharmacology.
• Ability to manage complexity and risk in acute and crisis settings.
• Assessment and management of young people presenting with mental health emergencies.
• Experience in multi‑disciplinary, multi‑agency collaboration.
• Experience in teaching, supervision and consultation at undergraduate, postgraduate and MDT levels.
• Strong analytical and formulation skills, with high competence in written and verbal communication to a multi‑agency audience.
• Clinical interest/experience in CAMHS crisis and/or neuro‑developmental psychiatry.
• Experience in research and publication.

Safeguarding Children and Adults

• Familiarity with and adherence to London Child Protection Procedures, London Multi‑Agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Pan London Procedures, local protocols and information sharing systems.
• Knowledge of appropriate contact numbers and reporting lines.
• Participation in required training and supervision.
• Compliance with professional boundaries and codes of conduct.

Diversity and Inclusion

Whittington Health values diversity and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including those from under‑represented groups. We are committed to equitable and accessible recruitment processes.