Working in CAMHS at Sussex Partnership means being part of a collaborative, clinically led service where your expertise and leadership shape how care is delivered for children, young people and families. Whether you are an experienced Consultant, SAS doctor, approaching CCT or exploring portfolio work, you will be supported to build a career that blends clinical practice with teaching, research, transformation or service leadership while living and working in one of the most attractive regions in the UK.
Here, psychiatry doesn’t just support services. It helps lead them.
What makes CAMHS at Sussex Partnership unique?
CAMHS in Sussex is clinically led, ambitious and progressive. Psychiatry is central to how we design, deliver and develop services, not peripheral to it.
Consultants and SAS doctors shape pathways across crisis, community and specialist care, with visible medical leadership and real influence at every level.
Download our CAMHS Consultant Brochure to discover the opportunities, support, and impact you could make within our service. Take the next step in your career and see how you can help shape better mental health outcomes for children and young people.
Why join us?
Co-production that genuinely shapes services
Young people and families influence recruitment, pathway design and continuous improvement. Lived experience is embedded from frontline delivery to strategic leadership.
Leadership at every career stage
All consultants are encouraged to take active leadership roles, contributing to service redesign, quality improvement and regional collaboration within a well-established and governed medical leadership structure.
Breadth, scale and impact
The size and scope of CAMHS in Sussex create real opportunities for innovation, academic development and system-wide influence.
A place to thrive
Coast, countryside and the South Downs, offering an exceptional balance between meaningful work and quality of life.
Innovative care in action…
We don’t just talk about alternatives, we build them….
COAST (Crisis Outreach Acute Support Team) is a seven-day intensive home treatment and rapid crisis response, providing safe alternatives to admission.
Spring Tide is one of the few community eating disorder day programmes in the South East, reducing reliance on inpatient care.
i-Rock is an award-winning, open-access drop-in support for 14–25-year-olds. No referral, no appointment.
Sussex Partnership is a place where your clinical voice, expertise and leadership genuinely influence how services evolve. Explore our CAMHS recruitment brochure to learn more.
Our benefits offer
We offer doctors a comprehensive range of employment benefits. These include competitive financial packages, flexible working arrangements and support that reflects the responsibilities of medical roles.
- Recruitment and retention premia between £25,000 and £45,000 (pro rata and role dependent)
- Relocation expenses of up to £8,000
- NHS pension contributions of 23.7 percent
- Flexible working opportunities and bespoke job planning
- Responsibility allowances for specific roles and additional duties
- Access to health and wellbeing support, including Employee Assistance, financial wellbeing advice and Occupational Health services
- Eight staff networks including ethnic minority, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent and women’s networks
- Trust wide recognition initiatives and professional staff networks
Recruitment and retention payments are typically made in staged instalments across an agreed period following appointment. Relocation support can include removal costs, temporary accommodation assistance and practical guidance when settling into the area.
Full details for each post are outlined within individual job adverts. If you would like to discuss eligibility or explore options before applying, please contact our Medical Staffing team at spft.
Career Opportunities in CAMHS Psychiatry
We currently have several Consultant Psychiatrist opportunities within CAMHS across Sussex, spanning community and inpatient settings. These include full-time roles and two less than full-time community opportunities in East and West Sussex.
If you are interested in CAMHS but unsure which role might suit you best, we would encourage an informal conversation. Email spft.medicaldirectorate@nhs.net to request a call with one of the team. We are happy to talk through your preferences, career goals and flexible working options.
Current Key Vacancies
CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrist –
COAST (Mid Sussex)
Enhanced Recruitment & Retention Premia up to £45,000
Haywards Heath | Ref: 354-CS-21622-I
Consultant leadership within our Crisis Outreach Acute Support Team, delivering intensive home treatment and shaping crisis pathways across Mid Sussex. View full advert and apply
CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrist –
Coastal Sussex
Enhanced Recruitment & Retention Premia up to £45,000
Worthing & Chichester | Ref: 354-CS-21813-F
Community CAMHS Consultant role within the Coastal locality team, providing senior psychiatric input across West Sussex.
View full advert and apply
Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist –
Inpatient CAMHS (Chalkhill)
Enhanced Recruitment & Retention Premia up to £45,000
Haywards Heath | Ref: 354-CS-21616-H
Tier 4 inpatient leadership role within our 12-bed General Adolescent Unit, contributing to service development and integrated care pathways. View full advert and apply
Consultant Psychiatrist –
Spring Tide (CYP Eating Disorders)
Recruitment & Retention Premia £25,000
Hove | Ref: 354-CS-21826-B
Consultant role within Spring Tide, our Tier 4 Intensive Therapy Programme for young people aged 10 to 18 with eating disorders, delivering evidence based treatment within a Sussex-wide service. View full advert and apply
CAMHS Consultant Psychiatrist –
Specialist Eating Disorder Service
Enhanced Recruitment & Retention Premia up to £45,000
Hove | Ref: 354-CS-21078-AK
Consultant role within the Sussex Family Eating Disorder Service, providing specialist psychiatric leadership for children and young people with eating disorders across Sussex.
View full advert and apply
Career Pathways in CAMHS
CAMHS psychiatry at Sussex Partnership offers a range of career pathways across community, crisis, eating disorder and specialist services. Roles can be shaped to reflect your interests in clinical leadership, research, education, digital or innovation, with flexible job planning and protected time to support development.
Whether you are an experienced Consultant, SAS doctor or moving into your first Consultant post after CCT, you will find a supportive environment that values expertise and enables progression:
- Clinical Academic Group involvement
- Monthly Quality and Innovation drop-in sessions
- Audit, service evaluation and publication opportunities
- Teaching and curriculum development for future clinicians
- Structured induction and reduced initial caseload
- Named mentor and peer groups
- Tailored job planning during year one
- Access to leadership and development programmes
- Fully integrated within services and MDT leadership
- Protected SPA time and mentorship
- Portfolio Pathway support
- Specialist Grade progression support
- SAS advocacy
- Clinical autonomy, strong MDT support
- Flexible job planning supporting portfolio careers and leadership opportunities
- Protected time for teaching, research and quality improvement.
We currently have a range of Consultant Psychiatrist opportunities within CAMHS across Sussex, spanning community and inpatient settings. These include full time roles and a small number of less than full time community opportunities in both East and West Sussex.
If you are interested in CAMHS but unsure which role might suit you best, we really encourage an informal conversation. Email spft.medicaldirectorate@nhs.net to request a call with one of the team. We are happy to talk through your preferences, career goals and flexible working options.
Your Career, Your Way
Flexible and tailored careers
We recognise that flexibility helps people thrive. At SPFT, roles can be shaped around your interests, family life, and career goals, whether that means part-time working, hybrid models, or creative scheduling. Many of our clinicians design portfolio careers, combining clinical practice with teaching, leadership, research, or quality improvement. Whatever your ambitions, we’ll support you inbuilding a role, and a career, that’s as individual as you are.
I have a flexible role that allows me to focus on the areas I’m most passionate about, tailoring my work to make the biggest difference for young people and the team. I lead the CAMHS training and academic programme and oversee the Neurodevelopmental Pathway, supporting the next generation of clinicians while developing innovative learning opportunities within the service.
Dr Oana Rus
Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Brighton & Hove CAMHS Neurodevelopmental Pathway
Psychiatry Lead
KSS CAP Programme Lead
Hear from CAMHS colleagues
“When I joined Sussex Partnership as my first consultant post, the Trust provided outstanding support to help me make that transition with confidence.”
Dr Saam Idelji-Tehrani, Lead Psychiatrist
“The Trust actively supports SAS doctors to take on leadership roles and develop their careers, and for me, that support has made all the difference.”
Dr Susan Hamilton, Specialty Doctor and Named Doctor for Safeguarding Children
“In Sussex CAMHS, strong multidisciplinary working is at the centre of how we support children, young people and families.”
Nicola Chainey, Head of Service, CAMHS Acute & Eating Disorders
Where You Can Work
Brighton and Hove vibrant coastal city with strong academic and teaching partnerships.
West Sussex family-friendly towns with excellent London and Gatwick transport links.
East Sussex coastal and rural living with strong community partnerships and lower housing costs.
Living in Sussex means..
- Coastal and countryside wellbeing
- Strong schools and universities
- Easy rail access to London and Gatwick
- Inclusive and welcoming communities
- Space to thrive personally as well as professionally
If you are considering relocation or a change of area, we are happy to discuss practical considerations such as commuting patterns and local communities as part of your decision-making.
Ready to explore your future in CAMHS Psychiatry?
View current medical vacancies: Here
If you want to talk to someone about any of these roles email:
spft.medicaldirectorate@nhs.net
If you want to talk to someone about incentives email: spft.medicalstaffing@nhs.net
Download CAMHS Recruitment Brochure
Download Medical Recruitment Brochure