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.

Main duties of the job

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.