Job summary
Cambridge University Hospital Foundation Trust (CUH) is seeking a highly skilled and compassionate individual to join the new NHS Children and Young People's Gender Service (East of England) in the role of Lead CNS of Mental Health.
Based within the Paediatrics Department at CUH, the successful applicant will have extensive experience of delivering high quality, evidence-based assessments and care to children and young people.
The post holder will provide assessments, supervision and consultation to staff and be a source of neuropsychological and neurodevelopmental expertise to the MDT.
The Cass Review into gender services for children and young people has recommended that staff should maintain a broad clinical perspective by working across related NHS services in order to embed the care of children and young people with gender-related distress within a broader child and adolescent health context. In order to facilitate this, we encourage part-time applications from staff already working in other NHS or related services. We can also work with successful candidates applying for full-time roles to agree a job plan that includes a mix of gender service activity and activity in another clinical area.
The service operates Monday-Friday. Full or part-time (minimum 3 days per week) considered.
Please note the role is split over two locations, Cambridge and Newmarket.
Main duties of the job
The post holder is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and lead nurse within the CYPGS, providing highly specialist mental health expertise within paediatrics, acting as a key clinical resource for complex case management, consultation and pathway development. The role combines clinical expertise, leadership and strategic responsibilities, and service development responsibilities, with a particular focus on the assessment, formulation and management of children and young people presenting with complex mental health, emotional wellbeing, and psychosocial needs.
Working autonomously and as a core member of the multidisciplinary team, the post holder will lead on the assessment and management of complex and high-risk cases, provide expert advice and consultation to colleagues, and contribute to the development of integrated, high-quality care within the CYPGS. The role will also support service development, education, governance and quality improvement activities, ensuring care is safe, effective, evidence-based and aligned with Trust values and national guidance.
About us
Our Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start date of employment
This vacancy will close at midnight on 15th March 2026
Interviews are due to be held on 2nd April 2026
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start date of employment
This vacancy will close at midnight on 15th March 2026
Interviews are due to be held on 2nd April 2026
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Mental Health Nurse with current registration on the NMC register.
- First degree in Nursing or relevant health-related discipline.
- Evidence of ongoing continuing professional development relevant to paediatric mental health practice.
- Post-registration training or qualification relevant to mental health, children and young people, or advanced practice.
Desirable
- Master's degree in a relevant subject (e.g. Mental Health, Advanced Clinical Practice, Child & Adolescent Mental Health) or working towards one.
- Post-registration specialist training in child and adolescent mental health, psychological therapies, or equivalent.
- Teaching, mentoring or supervision qualification
- Leadership, management or service improvement qualification or equivalent experience.
Experience
Essential
- Substantial post-registration experience within mental health nursing, including experience working with children and young people and/or within paediatric settings.
- Experience of working in a recognised clinical nurse specialist or equivalent highly specialist role within mental health or paediatrics.
- Demonstrable experience of managing complex and high-risk clinical cases, including risk assessment, safeguarding and multidisciplinary care planning.
- Experience of autonomous clinical practice, exercising advanced clinical judgement and decision-making.
- Experience of working effectively within multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams.
- Experience of contributing to service development, quality improvement, audit or practice development initiatives.
- Experience of providing clinical advice, supervision or support to other professionals
Desirable
- Experience in a senior or leadership role within paediatric mental health or a related service.
- Experience of providing specialist consultation or advisory input beyond own caseload (e.g. second opinions, MDT consultation, pathway advice).
- Experience of supporting or leading change within clinical services.
- Experience of involvement in policy, pathway or guideline development.
- Previous NHS experience.
Knowledge
Essential
- In-depth knowledge of mental health presentations in children and young people, including complexity, co-morbidity and psychosocial risk factors.
- Sound knowledge of safeguarding children legislation, guidance and best practice.
- Knowledge of evidence-based interventions and national guidance relevant to paediatric mental health care.
- Understanding of clinical governance, risk management and quality improvement principles.
- Knowledge of professional accountability and legal frameworks relevant to nursing practice
Desirable
- Knowledge of local and national mental health service frameworks for children and young people.
- Knowledge of paediatric mental health care pathways across acute, community and specialist services.
- Awareness of integrated care systems and cross-agency working in children's services.
Skills
Essential
- Advanced clinical assessment, formulation and risk management skills.
- Ability to provide authoritative specialist advice and influence clinical decision-making across multidisciplinary teams.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex and sensitive information to children, young people, families and professionals.
- Ability to work autonomously while recognising the limits of own practice and escalating appropriately.
- Strong leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to support and develop others.
- Ability to prioritise workload, manage complexity and work effectively under pressure.
- Effective documentation, report writing and use of clinical information systems.
Desirable
- Experience in delivering training or education to multidisciplinary audiences.
- Skills in service evaluation, audit or quality improvement methodologies.
- Project management or change management skills.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Compassionate, professional and child-centred approach to care.
- Resilient and reflective, with the ability to manage emotional demands of complex paediatric mental health work.
- Demonstrates integrity, accountability and commitment to high professional standards.
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to working in a culturally sensitive way.
- Ability to work flexibly to meet service needs.
- Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance appropriate to the role.
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered Mental Health Nurse with current registration on the NMC register.
- First degree in Nursing or relevant health-related discipline.
- Evidence of ongoing continuing professional development relevant to paediatric mental health practice.
- Post-registration training or qualification relevant to mental health, children and young people, or advanced practice.
Desirable
- Master's degree in a relevant subject (e.g. Mental Health, Advanced Clinical Practice, Child & Adolescent Mental Health) or working towards one.
- Post-registration specialist training in child and adolescent mental health, psychological therapies, or equivalent.
- Teaching, mentoring or supervision qualification
- Leadership, management or service improvement qualification or equivalent experience.
Experience
Essential
- Substantial post-registration experience within mental health nursing, including experience working with children and young people and/or within paediatric settings.
- Experience of working in a recognised clinical nurse specialist or equivalent highly specialist role within mental health or paediatrics.
- Demonstrable experience of managing complex and high-risk clinical cases, including risk assessment, safeguarding and multidisciplinary care planning.
- Experience of autonomous clinical practice, exercising advanced clinical judgement and decision-making.
- Experience of working effectively within multidisciplinary and multi-agency teams.
- Experience of contributing to service development, quality improvement, audit or practice development initiatives.
- Experience of providing clinical advice, supervision or support to other professionals
Desirable
- Experience in a senior or leadership role within paediatric mental health or a related service.
- Experience of providing specialist consultation or advisory input beyond own caseload (e.g. second opinions, MDT consultation, pathway advice).
- Experience of supporting or leading change within clinical services.
- Experience of involvement in policy, pathway or guideline development.
- Previous NHS experience.
Knowledge
Essential
- In-depth knowledge of mental health presentations in children and young people, including complexity, co-morbidity and psychosocial risk factors.
- Sound knowledge of safeguarding children legislation, guidance and best practice.
- Knowledge of evidence-based interventions and national guidance relevant to paediatric mental health care.
- Understanding of clinical governance, risk management and quality improvement principles.
- Knowledge of professional accountability and legal frameworks relevant to nursing practice
Desirable
- Knowledge of local and national mental health service frameworks for children and young people.
- Knowledge of paediatric mental health care pathways across acute, community and specialist services.
- Awareness of integrated care systems and cross-agency working in children's services.
Skills
Essential
- Advanced clinical assessment, formulation and risk management skills.
- Ability to provide authoritative specialist advice and influence clinical decision-making across multidisciplinary teams.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex and sensitive information to children, young people, families and professionals.
- Ability to work autonomously while recognising the limits of own practice and escalating appropriately.
- Strong leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to support and develop others.
- Ability to prioritise workload, manage complexity and work effectively under pressure.
- Effective documentation, report writing and use of clinical information systems.
Desirable
- Experience in delivering training or education to multidisciplinary audiences.
- Skills in service evaluation, audit or quality improvement methodologies.
- Project management or change management skills.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Compassionate, professional and child-centred approach to care.
- Resilient and reflective, with the ability to manage emotional demands of complex paediatric mental health work.
- Demonstrates integrity, accountability and commitment to high professional standards.
- Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to working in a culturally sensitive way.
- Ability to work flexibly to meet service needs.
- Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance appropriate to the role.
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Addenbrookes Hospital-Division E
Hills Road/Westbrooke House
Cambridge/Newmarket
CB2 0QQ
Employer's website
https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)