Locum Consultant Community Paediatrician 7.5PAs inNewcastle upon Tyne inNewcastle upon Tyne PUBLISHED MON 6 JAN 2025

We are delighted to be able to offer an opportunity for a highly motivated, ambitious individual to join our well integrated team as a less than full time (7.5PA) Locum Consultant in Community Paediatrics. This is a new clinical post, designed to support the continuing development of our clinical service. You will join a large team of consultants in paediatric medicine, which includes several consultant colleagues in Community Paediatrics.

The department of paediatric medicine provides a comprehensive acute, general and community paediatric service to the children and young people of Newcastle upon Tyne and its surrounding area. You must hold MRCPCH or equivalent. A passion for Community and General Paediatrics with substantial experience is essential.

Please read attached Job Description and Person Specification.

This is a new, less than full time post (7.5 PA). Applications are invited from candidates with training and a passion for Community Paediatrics. We are looking for a candidate to complement the current needs of the Community Paediatric Department. These include child development assessments of children with broad developmental disorders but also more specifically those with social communication disorders, the candidate will be involved in autism assessments and form part of the autism team. Other duties will include child protection medical assessments, review of children who attend a specialist school to include those who have complex neurodisabilities. There are other opportunities within the department including work with the child in care team.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

For an informal discussion and further information regarding the opportunity and Directorate, please contact: Clinical Lead for Community Paediatrics Dr Anna Thorley on Option 4, or via email at

About us

The proposed timetable for the successful applicant would include the following duties:

Community Paediatrics:

• The successful candidate will have one locality-based Community clinic per week. Some of these clinics may be held within the Child Development Centre in the GNCH and others in the Community. This will include seeing new and review patients with both developmental concerns and concerns about possible Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• The successful candidate will have one clinic a week during term time in either the junior or senior specialist school in Newcastle, the candidate will see children who are learning disabled and manage their associated co-morbidities, they will also see children with neurodisabilities to include children and young people with more complex health needs.
• The successful candidate will have the opportunity to perform Children in Care Initial Health Assessment (IHA) Clinics, and if this is a specific area of interest there is an opportunity to take on the role of named doctor for Children in care
• The successful candidate will take part in the Consultant on-call Child protection rota seeing children referred for a medical assessment by childrens social care. This will involve covering referrals on one designated afternoon a week as part of the departmental rota to complement the working patterns of the department. Currently approximately 140 referrals are seen per year. No other programmed activities will be scheduled for this afternoon.

Clinical:

• To provide expert opinions on patients with a wide range of acute and longstanding paediatric problems, taking independent responsibility for the clinical care of patients referred to them.
• Work closely with nursing, and other staff to create / further develop systems of care dedicated to the management of children with specific disorders, in keeping with the general philosophy of the department.
• Undergo Continued Medical Education (CME) in accordance with guidelines stipulated by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).
• Undertake an annual appraisal and job plan review. It is expected that objectives within job plan reviews will be based on Trust objectives such as fulfilment of fixed contractual commitments on the basis of a 43 week working year with due allowance for statutory holidays.

Managerial:

• Participate in all aspects of Clinical Governance, making a significant contribution to multidisciplinary quality improvement, audit and risk management activities in the care of children and their families. The aims of audit will include:- Ensuring compliance with national guidelines relating to the care of children; - Helping to create an environment of continuously seeking to improve the quality of that care.
• These activities will all be carried out in close partnership with the successful candidates consultant colleagues, nursing staff (including Nurse Practitioners), and care providers from related specialties.
• Assist the Directorate Manager and Clinical Director in the timely investigation of complaints working to provide reports within the timeframe set out by Trust policy.
• Contribute to the general organisation and running of paediatric services within the Trust, working in collaboration with colleagues.

Administrative:

• Undertake administrative duties in relation to the care of his/her patients and in relation to the running of the Childrens Services Directorate in co-operation with the Heads of Department, Directorate Manager and Clinical Director. The appointee is entitled to become a member of the Medical Staff Committee of the hospital.
• To undertake general administrative duties within a context of compliance with Directorate and Trust aims and objectives.
• Become involved with the financial management of the paediatric departmental budget - at all times looking to ensure the delivery of high quality care to agreed standards, but at the same time reviewing working practices to provide the most efficient use of resources

Research:

• Research has a high priority within GNCH. The Trust welcomes and encourages research as a high profile activity that compliments the service provided. The emphasis being on studies that fall within the National Institute of Health Research Portfolio. The successful applicant will have an opportunity to take part in our thriving clinical trials department.

Teaching:

• Participate in the teaching of undergraduate medical students from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in stage 3 attachment in Child Health.
• Participate in the teaching and training of any other health care professionals within the Directorate.
• Consider the option to develop teaching skills to joint the trusts outstanding teaching and training leadership group
• Participate in the teaching of undergraduate medical students from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in all parts of the course but specifically in stage 3 and 5 during the attachments in Child Health.
• Active involvement in the clinical supervision of all postgraduate trainees in the department with specific responsibility for a small number of individuals as educational supervisor under the direction of the college tutor.
• The incumbent will be expected to contribute to the teaching of all levels of paediatric postgraduate trainees.
• Participate in the teaching and training of any other health care professionals within the Directorate an on-going and active contribution to the education of nurse practitioners on the admissions wards is an essential component of this job.