Consultant Paediatrician (Child Health/Neuro)

Job summary
Named Doctor for Children We Care For (Looked After Children)2PAs Named Doctor 8 PAs Community Paediatrician

We are seeking to appoint a motivated Consultant Community Paediatrician, to take the lead as Named Doctor- Children We Care For (Looked After Children) and to join a dynamic community paediatric team, based in Crawley and Horsham Child Development Centre, in Crawley, West Sussex.

The successful applicants will join a team of 9 consultants, to participate in all aspects of community paediatric work. You will be part of a multidisciplinary team offering high-quality care for children with a wide range of developmental needs. The team are actively involved in training and there are paediatric trainees at the Child Development Centre. This centre was purpose built in 2022 and is well equpipped with modern facilities to promote a child/ young people and family friendly environment for multidisciplinary working.

The team at the Crawley and Horsham Child Development Centre is part of Sussex Community Foundation Trust (SCFT) wider Child Development Service, consisting of three other CDCs. There are opportunities for joint working and professional development and networking with over 20 consultant paediatric colleagues across the Trust.

This post is suitable for either Community Paediatric or Neurodisability Paediatricians. This post is also open to paediatric trainees who will be within six months of CCT from date of interview. Interview Date set for 23rd October 2026

Main duties of the job
The post holder will have a lead role as Named Doctor for Children We Care For (Looked After Children) and will carry a neurodevelopmental/ neurodisability caseload. They will be encouraged and supported to undertake further training when in post if needed. You will be expected to work within the multidisciplinary team, to provide a comprehensive community paediatric service. There are close links with CAMHS, East Surrey Hospital, University Hospitals Sussex, and with Education and Social Services within West Sussex. There is a requirement for the post holder to support the teaching of medical students from Brighton and Sussex Medical School, and in supervising paediatric trainees. They will participate in quality improvement, and peer review activities within the department.

There is not an out of hours on-call commitment but we operate a Weekday, 9am-5pm Safeguarding on-call rota.

The post offers regular SPA time and supports continued professional development.

About us
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?

• Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussex
• Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
• Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
• Accredited Living Wage Employer, we ensure fair pay for all our staff
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust

Our values -- Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence --guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Job responsibilities
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Person Specification
Other requirements
Essential

• Able to travel to meet the requirements of the job

Qualifications and/or Professional Registration
Essential

• Recognised Basic Medical Degree
• MRCPCH or equivalent
• Full GMC Registration and Licence to Practice
• Certificate of Completion of Training in Paediatrics or equivalent and Inclusion on the Paediatric Specialist Register (or within 6 months at time of interview)
• Additional Training & Qualifications in child protection, and looked-after children's health, trauma-informed practice
• Evidence of level 3 Safeguarding Children's Competency and working towards level 4

Desirable

• Relevant Higher Degree (eg MSc in Community Child Health, MD, PhD)

Experience
Essential

• At least two years of Higher Specialty Training in Community Child Health/ Paediatric Neurodisability/ Neurology or equivalent experience
• Experience in the field of safeguarding / child protection
• Experience of involvement in a research project and publication or published audit project
• Significant experience working with vulnerable children, including those in care
• Experience of undertaking or overseeing statutory health assessments
• Experience in service development, audit or quality improvement
• Experience providing clinical supervision and training to colleagues

Desirable

• Experience of carrying out an audit project
• Commitment to and experience of under graduate and postgraduate learning and teaching

Skills and Knowledge
Essential

• Effective clinical skills
• Demonstrable management, leadership and motivational skills
• Ability to manage own time and workload and prioritise clinical work
• Ability to work successfully in a multi professional/disciplinary team and across organisational boundaries
• Ability to appraise own performance, demonstrate insight and act on feedback
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to deal effectively with pressure
• Thoroughness and attention to detail
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Positive approach to the job planning and appraisal process
• Understanding of the management skills required to function successfully as a consultant
• Understanding of and commitment to Good Medical Practice
• Knowledge of risk management
• Understanding of the direction of the NHS as it relates to community child health services
• Knowledge of safeguarding legislation relating to children and young people
• Evidence of commitment to Service Development
• Understanding of the role of governance in ensuring high quality care and safe practice

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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).