Child & Adolescent Consultant Psychiatrist -Inpatient with certificate of sponsorship to the UK
Visa Note
This position offers a certificate of sponsorship for skilled workers. However, applicants must verify their eligibility for UK work authorization directly with the employer before applying. Immigration requirements can change, and individual circumstances may affect eligibility.
Job Overview
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Child and Adolescent Consultant Psychiatrist to join their Tier 4 inpatient CAMHS service at Chalkhill. This is a rare opportunity to play a key role in the future development of inpatient child and adolescent mental health services in Sussex. The position comes with a £45,000 recruitment and retention package, flexible working arrangements, and opportunities to shape service development.
Company Information
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health, learning disability and specialist children’s services across Sussex. The trust is rated ‘Good’ overall and ‘Outstanding’ for caring by the Care Quality Commission, with strong links to Brighton & Sussex Medical School and active peer support networks. Chalkhill is one of the country’s leading Tier 4 CAMHS inpatient units, working closely with community CAMHS and the COAST service to deliver integrated pathways for young people.
Location
The position is based at Chalkhill, Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, West Sussex. The location offers excellent transport links, being just 15 minutes from Brighton and 45 minutes from London. Sussex provides a wonderful mix of coastline, countryside, and vibrant cities including Brighton & Hove, with excellent connections to London and Gatwick Airport. The South Downs offer fantastic walking and cycling routes for those who enjoy outdoor activities.
Salary and Benefits
The position offers a competitive salary of £109,725 to £145,478 per year, pro rata. In addition, there is a substantial recruitment and retention package of £45,000 distributed over three years: £15,000 on appointment, £10,000 after 12 months, £10,000 after 24 months, and £10,000 after 36 months (pro-rata for part-time employees). Consultants also benefit from flexible job planning opportunities, hybrid working options, 30 days’ study leave over 3 years with funding, wellbeing initiatives, occupational health services, and staff networks.
Job Summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist to join Chalkhill, a 12-bed General Adolescent Unit entering an important phase of strengthening, innovation, and service redesign. You will work with an established, well-supported multidisciplinary team and have the opportunity to help shape how the inpatient pathway evolves. The trust is open to bespoke job planning and flexible working arrangements, including exploring a shared post model across Chalkhill and the COAST CAMHS Acute service where this supports continuity, service quality, and candidate preference.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
As Consultant Psychiatrist for Chalkhill, you will provide clinical leadership for a skilled and compassionate multidisciplinary team caring for young people aged 13-18 with complex needs. You will lead on formulation, risk management, and treatment planning, working closely with families and partner agencies. The role involves supervising junior doctors and trainees, contributing to teaching, audit, and quality improvement activities, and working within a supportive leadership group with strong operational and clinical management backing. You will also participate in the CAMHS Consultant on-call rota (1:9, with allowance for compensatory rest). The position is permanent, full-time (10 PAs), based at Chalkhill, Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath.
Essential Qualifications
Applicants must hold an MB BS or equivalent medical qualification and be fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) with a licence to practise at the time of appointment. You must be included on the GMC Specialist Register or be able to achieve this within six months of appointment. You should be in good standing with the GMC with respect to any warnings or conditions on practice. Additionally, you must have Approved Clinician status or be able to achieve this within three months of appointment.
Essential Experience
You will need excellent knowledge in your specialty and excellent clinical skills using a bio-psycho-social perspective with wide medical knowledge. Strong oral and written communication skills in English are essential. The role requires the ability to work in and lead teams, demonstrate commitment to shared leadership and collaborative working to deliver improvement, and participate in continuous professional development. You should have experience in research or service evaluation, be able to use and appraise clinical evidence, and have actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programmes.
Desirable Qualifications
While not essential, a wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to the post within the NHS or a comparable service would be advantageous. The ability to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post is also desirable. Reflection on the purpose of CPD undertaken, experience in clinical research and/or service evaluation, and evidence of achievement in education, research, audit, and service improvement (such as awards, prizes, presentations, and publications) would strengthen your application.
Transport Requirements
Holding and using a valid UK driving licence is essential, or you must provide evidence of a proposed alternative. This requirement ensures that you can travel between sites as necessary for the role and attend meetings and training sessions as required.
Working Pattern and Contract
This is a permanent, full-time position (10 programmed activities/week), based at Chalkhill, Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath. The trust is open to discussing flexible working arrangements and bespoke job planning to accommodate individual needs where possible.
Application Process
To apply for this position, you must submit your application through the NHS Jobs website. The application should include evidence of your qualifications, experience, and how you meet the person specification criteria. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview, which may include a presentation and/or assessment exercises. International applicants should be prepared to discuss their eligibility for UK work authorization during the interview process.
Visa and Sponsorship Information
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is able to offer a Certificate of Sponsorship for skilled workers who require it to work in the UK. Applications from international candidates are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. However, it is essential that you verify your specific eligibility requirements with the employer before applying, as immigration rules can be complex and subject to change.
Professional Registration Requirements
Applicants must have current UK professional registration with the General Medical Council (GMC). If you are trained outside the UK, you will need to obtain GMC registration before commencing employment. For further information about overseas qualifications and the registration process, please visit the NHS Careers website.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, which means it is necessary to submit a Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. This is a standard requirement for all NHS positions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of patients and staff.
Contact Information
For questions about the job or to arrange an informal visit, please contact Dr Jane McCarthy, Clinical Director for Specialist Services, at jane.mccarthy9@nhs.net. You may also contact Dr Saam Idelji-Tehrani (saam.idelji-tehrani1@nhs.net) or Nicola Chainey (nicola.chainey1@nhs.net) for additional information about the role or the service.
Supporting Documents
The full job description is available as a downloadable PDF document (Chalkhill Inpatient JD.pdf, 799 KB). We recommend that all applicants review this document carefully before completing their application to ensure they understand the full scope and requirements of the role.
Privacy Notice
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust processes personal information in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). For detailed information about how your data will be used, please refer to the trust’s privacy notice available on their website.
Equal Opportunities
The trust is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of race, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or age. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can reach their full potential.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, please visit the NHS Jobs website and search for reference number 354-CS-21616-G. Complete the online application form, ensuring that you provide comprehensive information about how you meet the person specification criteria. International applicants should specifically address their eligibility for UK work authorization in their supporting statement. The closing date for applications is 11 March 2026.