Consultant in Paediatric Neurorehabilitation

Job responsibilities

The Department of Paediatric Neurosciences in Leeds is a welcoming highly collaborative service delivering care to children across West, East and North Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire a population of one million. Based in the Leeds Childrens Hospital, our dedicated paediatric neuroscience unit offers an exceptional clinical environment where paediatric neurologists, neurosurgeons and an expert MDT work seamlessly together to deliver inpatient care.

We are a forwardthinking team with a strong collaborative ethos. Our service provides acute and elective support to clinicians and healthcare professionals across the network.

As part of our growing service, we offer a breadth of specialist clinics, including epilepsy, neurooncology, inherited white matter disorders, cerebrovascular disease, headache, complex motor disorders, neurorehabilitation and neuromuscular conditions.

Joining us means becoming a valued part of a kind, wellestablished and highly skilled multidisciplinary rehabilitation team. You will play a vital role in supporting children and their families as they navigate the challenges of acquired brain injury and spinal injury, leading thoughtful, holistic assessment and compassionate, expert rehabilitation planning.

Most children with traumatic brain or spinal injuries first come to us through the Major Trauma Centre or PICU, where early foundations for their recovery are laid. Others may begin their journey within neurology, neurosurgery, oncology, cardiology, hepatology, respiratory or nephrology teams, before being referred to paediatric neurorehabilitation once they are medically stable. Wherever their care begins, we ensure clear handovers, close communication and a seamless transition into the rehabilitation pathway.

Our team also welcomes children from across the region and beyond who transfer specifically for comprehensive neurorehabilitation assessment, including those recovering from epilepsy surgery who benefit from being closer to home. Each child arrives with their own story, and we pride ourselves on offering a supportive environment where families feel heard, understood and genuinely cared for.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a respected neuroscience service and to help shape the future of specialist paediatric neurorehabilitation within a supportive clinical community.

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE POST

This is an 8PA appointment offered without an oncall commitment, although there is flexibility to explore joining the paediatric neurology consultant oncall rota if this supports your career aspirations. The role is designed to encourage growth in clinical leadership, education and service innovation within paediatric neurorehabilitation.

As clinical lead for the neurorehabilitation multidisciplinary team, you will provide strategic direction for the care of children with acquired brain and spinal cord injuries. Your involvement will span the full pathwayfrom early wardbased assessment to longterm followup in the regional clinic. You will oversee meaningful goalsetting, coordinated discharge planning and close partnership working with community teams, education services, social care and transition pathways. This is a significant opportunity to shape service quality and contribute to the ongoing development of a highly respected regional neurorehabilitation network.

The Leeds Neurorehabilitation Service is committed to ensuring that Children and Young People with acquired neurological injury are supported to achieve their full physical, communication, cognitive and psychosocial potential. Care is centred around the child and their family, delivered through a collaborative, goaloriented approach. Discharge planning is carried out in partnership with local teams, referring clinicians, GPs, Social Care and other agencies to ensure a safe and coordinated transition. Following discharge, the multidisciplinary team provides structured followup, working alongside community rehabilitation services to support continuity of care and optimise longterm outcomes.

The paediatric neurorehabilitation service is supported by a highly specialised and experienced multidisciplinary team, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, a Trauma and Rehabilitation Coordinator, clinical psychologist, social worker, paediatric neurosciences nurses, play specialists, dietitians, medical education staff and a wide range of dedicated support workers. The team benefits from access to inpatient neuropsychology input and is further strengthened by the involvement of a dedicated CBIT (Child Brain Injury Trust) worker, ensuring comprehensive, familycentred support throughout the rehabilitation pathway.

The Trust is committed to supporting your academic and clinical development. You will have scope to cultivate and expand your own subspecialist interests, supported by colleagues who value innovation and service enhancement.

Our department has a strong academic ethos and a long-standing commitment to grid training in neurology and neurodisability. You will play an important role in supervising and inspiring grid trainees, working closely with community colleagues across Child Development Services in Leeds and Bradford. This provides an excellent platform to contribute to the training programme, influence educational standards and promote best practice across the region.

For a consultant with vision and enthusiasm, this role offers a rare platform to combine compassionate clinical leadership with meaningful service innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration and opportunities for academic and educational development. It is an exciting time to help shape the future direction of paediatric neurorehabilitation.

Experience

Essential

• Specialist training in paediatric neurology or neurodisability in an accredited training program or equivalent. Must be able to demonstrate a high level of clinical experience and competence in paediatric neurology or paediatric neurodisability.
• Evidence of continuous career progression consistent with personal circumstances.
• Demonstrate experience in early management of CYP with significant acquired neurological deficits, including preventing common secondary complications.
• Evidence of managing CYP with ongoing medical needs requiring coordinated, intensive MDT therapy input.
• Practical experience supporting reintegration, including return to school and community reengagement.
• Proven ability to lead complex discharge planning with severe or multiple needs.
• Experience in followup, with ability to identify and manage emerging cognitive, emotional and behavioural effects of acquired brain or spinal injury.

Desirable

• Experience training within specialist paediatric rehabilitation services offering continuity of care from intensive care through to community integration, using agreed protocols for common conditions.

Training & Research

Essential

• On GMC Specialist Register or within six months of attaining CCT in paediatric neurology or paediatric neurodisability (or equivalent).
• Note: CESR applicants must be on the Specialist Register at the point of application.
• Valid Level 3 Safeguarding Training.
• Valid BLS Training.
• Evidence of the ability to carry out medical research.
• Experience and knowledge of critical appraisal of evidence, to improve clinical outcomes.

Desirable

• Valid APLS and NLS.
• Previous experience of supervising research by junior staff.
• Research projects relating to paediatric neurology or neurodisability/rehab.

Teaching, Audit, Interpersonal Skills & Other criteria

Essential

• Experience in training undergraduate medical students and postgraduate doctors.Willingness to teach all grades of professional multidisciplinary staff.
• Experience of participation in regular clinical audit.
• Understanding of current issues in the NHS.Understanding of management issues including medical management, clinical governance, service planning, and quality improvement.
• *Well organised and skilled in good time management.
• *Effective interpersonal skills.
• *Demonstrate ability to relate to and work within a team.
• -Hold full GMC Registration with a license to practice.
• -Entry on the GMC Specialist Register via:
• -CCT (proposed CCT date must be within 6 months of interview). Portfolio Pathway (or) international applicants should comply with the GMC specialty registration process. Portfolio Pathway applicants must be on the relevant Specialist Register at the time of application.

Desirable

• Previous attendance on Appraisal Techniques and Small Group Teaching Workshops.Training the Trainers.
• Attendance at recognised management course.

Qualifications

Essential

• MB BS (or equivalent)
• MRPCH (or equivalent)
• Eligible for full registration with the GMC at time of appointment and hold a current licence to practice.
• YOUR GMC NUMBER MUST BE CLEARLY STATED IN YOUR APPLICATION.
• Eligibility to work in the UK.
• Is up to date and fit to practise safely.

Desirable

• Higher degree e.g., MD/PhD relevant to the subspecialty.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).