Specialty Doctor – Child and Adolescent

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

This position requires strong clinical reasoning, the ability to work autonomously, and a commitment to evidence-based practice. Typical duties include comprehensive assessment of children and young people, contributing to diagnosis and formulation, developing and implementing care plans, monitoring progress, maintaining detailed medical records, and participating in governance, audit, and service-improvement initiatives.

The role involves active participation in multidisciplinary team meetings, clinical reviews, training sessions, and quality initiatives aimed at enhancing patient experience, strengthening continuity of care, and improving service delivery within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Professionalism, empathy, resilience, and adaptability are essential, particularly when supporting young people experiencing emotional distress, behavioural challenges, neurodevelopmental conditions, or significant mental health crises.

In addition to core clinical responsibilities, the Specialty Doctor is expected to support junior staff, contribute to teaching and developmental activities, and engage in continuous professional development to maintain and expand specialist competence. The ability to manage complex caseloads, prioritise effectively, and maintain calm, reflective clinical judgment in high-pressure environments is fundamental in this field.

The role requires adherence to all clinical governance frameworks, safeguarding procedures, and regulatory requirements while promoting a culture of safety, dignity, and respect. Leadership qualities such as problem-solving, initiative, and forward-thinking clinical insight further enhance the Specialty Doctor’s contribution to service effectiveness.

Strong interpersonal skills and a child-centred, family-inclusive approach underpin the position, ensuring that care delivery aligns with organisational values and contributes positively to North London’s broader mission in Child and Adolescent services. The role demands ongoing professional development, adaptability, strong teamwork, and a sustained commitment to delivering consistently high-quality care to children and young people.

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.