Clinical Professor/Associate Professor in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

The University of Worcester and Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust are seeking an outstanding clinical academic to lead a programme of research in child and adolescent mental health. This joint appointment combines research leadership in the University's growing mental health portfolio with a substantive consultant psychiatrist role. The postholder will spend three days each week in clinical practice with the Community Core CAMHS Team in Redditch and two days undertaking research at the University. They will work within the NIHR-funded Mental Health Inequities Research Unit (MHIRU), developing a distinctive children and young people's research strand aligned with the Unit's wider programme.

The appointment may be made at Clinical Professor or Associate Professor level. The level offered will reflect the successful candidate's research outputs, external funding, doctoral supervision and breadth and significance of research leadership, considered in relation to career stage and opportunity.

The University of Worcester is an inclusive, ambitious and civic-minded university whose research addresses significant social, health and environmental challenges and seeks practical impact. The post will be based in the Three Counties Medical School at the St John's Campus in Worcester, providing an interdisciplinary environment linking clinical practice, medical education and research. The postholder will contribute primarily as a research leader, with opportunities to support the MBChB and postgraduate, doctoral and researcher development where this complements the role.

MHIRU is supported by significant investment from the National Institute for Health and Care Research. Its programme addresses mental health inequalities across Herefordshire and Worcestershire, particularly through early intervention and prevention, suicide prevention, and digital innovation in mental health interventions. The Unit brings together university researchers, health and social care professionals, public health, voluntary and community partners, and people with lived experience.

Research responsibilities:
- Develop an ambitious, coherent programme of research in child and adolescent mental health aligned with clinical expertise and MHIRU priorities
- Lead applications for substantial external funding, particularly from NIHR and other health research funders, and act as Chief Investigator or Principal Investigator for funded studies
- Produce internationally excellent or world-leading outputs and support translation into policy and practice
- Supervise doctoral researchers, mentor early career researchers and research-active clinical and academic colleagues, and contribute to research capacity and culture
- Build partnerships across universities, the NHS, the Integrated Care System, public health, voluntary and community organisations, and people with lived experience
- Contribute to relevant journals, funding bodies, committees and national or international networks

Relevant research interests may include earlier intervention and detection, inequalities in access or outcomes, self-harm and suicide prevention, digital approaches, service innovation, or transition between child and adult mental health services.

Clinical responsibilities:
For three days each week, the postholder will work with the Community Core CAMHS Team in Redditch. The role includes multidisciplinary working, clinical governance, quality improvement, service development, education and professional leadership. It may involve travel to other Trust sites and a blend of face-to-face and remote working. There is no on-call commitment, although consultant cross-cover may be required. A formal joint job plan will be agreed within three months of appointment and reviewed at least annually.

Person specification:
- Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise and in good standing
- On the GMC Specialist Register or within six months of inclusion
- MB BS, MBChB or equivalent qualification
- A relevant higher research degree, normally a PhD or equivalent
- Strong research outputs and successful delivery of mental health research
- Experience of NIHR research infrastructure, external funding, doctoral supervision and research leadership
- Approved Clinician status, or the ability to achieve it within three months
- Appointment at Clinical Professor level requires a sustained track record of professorial scale, quality and significance; other appointable candidates may be considered at Associate Professor level

Support provided:
The appointee will have a jointly agreed job plan, continuing professional development, annual consultant appraisal and revalidation. For the University component, they will be mentored by Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor Research Professor Eleanor Bradley and have access to researcher development and appropriate external training. The Trust provides postgraduate teaching, a consultant peer group, occupational health and staff wellbeing support.