Consultant – Psychiatry (Child and Adolescent)

The Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry plays a central role in delivering high-quality specialist mental health services to children, adolescents, and their families. As a key contributor to clinical excellence at North London, the Consultant ensures safe, effective, and compassionate care while working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.

This senior position requires advanced clinical reasoning, the ability to work autonomously, and a strong commitment to evidence-based practice. Typical duties include comprehensive psychiatric assessment, formulation and diagnosis, development and implementation of treatment plans, monitoring clinical outcomes, maintaining detailed medical records, and contributing to governance, audit, and service-improvement initiatives.

The role involves active participation in multidisciplinary team meetings, case reviews, training sessions, and quality-enhancement projects aimed at improving patient experience and strengthening mental health provision for young people. Professionalism, empathy, resilience, and adaptability are essential, particularly when supporting children and adolescents experiencing emotional distress, behavioural challenges, neurodevelopmental conditions, or acute psychiatric crises.

In addition to core clinical responsibilities, the Consultant is expected to provide visible leadership, support and supervise junior doctors and multidisciplinary colleagues, contribute to teaching and training programmes, and engage in continuous professional development to maintain specialist expertise in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The ability to manage complex caseloads, prioritise effectively, and maintain calm, decisive clinical judgement in high-pressure environments is fundamental.

The role requires adherence to all clinical governance frameworks, safeguarding procedures, and regulatory standards while promoting a culture of safety, dignity, and respect. Leadership qualities such as strategic thinking, problem-solving, and service-development insight further strengthen the Consultant’s contribution to overall service effectiveness and innovation.

Strong interpersonal skills and a child-centred, family-inclusive approach underpin this position, ensuring that care delivery aligns with organisational values and contributes positively to North London’s broader CAMHS mission. The role demands ongoing professional development, adaptability, collaborative teamwork, and a sustained commitment to delivering consistently high-quality psychiatric care to young people and their families.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver safe, effective, high‑quality clinical services.
• Conduct assessments and develop patient‑centred treatment plans.
• Maintain accurate documentation and adhere to clinical guidelines.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.
• Support service development and quality improvement initiatives.
• Participate in training, teaching, and supervision where appropriate.
• Uphold safeguarding, governance, and regulatory standards.

Key Requirements:

• Relevant professional qualification and registration.
• Experience in the specialty of practice.
• Strong communication and teamwork abilities.
• Ability to work autonomously and manage workloads.
• Commitment to evidence‑based and patient‑centred care.
• Understanding of clinical governance and risk management.
• Professionalism, reliability, and problem‑solving skills.