Locum Consultant General Paediatrician/Paediatric Assessment Unit
Job summary
PLEASE NOTE THE PROPOSED INTERVIEW DATE WILL BE W/C 09th NOVEMBER 2026 This is a fixed term post for 12 months to cover Maternity Leave within the General Paedatrics / PAU team. Alder Hey is a major teaching hospital and tertiary referral centre serving children across Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire, Cumbria, Shropshire, and North Wales. With over 70,000 emergency attendances annually and a wide range of paediatric subspecialties on-site, we are proud to deliver world-class care in a purpose-built, child-friendly environment.
Main duties of the job
Our newly built PAU department is set to open in early 2027, offering direct urgent referrals from primary care and community teams, bypassing the Emergency Department. The unit provides rapid assessment, treatment, and discharge within a 12-hour window, aiming to reduce inpatient admissions and improve patient flow. We are looking for a consultant who is passionate about acute paediatrics, committed to innovation, and eager to contribute to service development. You will work within a supportive multidisciplinary team and play a key role in clinical decision-making, referral management, patient flow, and leadership.
About us
Sponsorship - We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.
Job responsibilities
Provide expert clinical care and decision-making for acutely unwell children Lead and supervise the PAU clinical team Coordinate referral pathways and liaise with primary/community care Support quality improvement, clinical governance, and service innovation Participate in teaching, research, and development initiatives Contribute to the General Paediatric on-call rota and outpatient clinics Please see attached Job Description for further detail. (Job Description pending RCPCH approval)
Person Specification
Qualifications · Essential
MRCPCH by examination of equivalent Full GMC Registration GMC Specialist Register or within 6 month of CCT at time of scheduled interview
Desirable
Higher Degree e.g MSC, MD, PhD in Paediatrics
Other · Essential
Ability to fulfil all of the duties of the post, including on -call commitments and travel requirements Clinical
Experience · Essential
Valid BLS Training Valid Level 3 Safeguarding Training Is able to demonstrate having achieved the competencies equivalent to the Highest Specialist Paediatric
Training · Desirable
Experience working in NHS Wider experience, research, and training, in providing subspecialty service (if applicable.) Valid APLS or equivalent
Knowledge and Skills · Essential
Willing to work unsupervised and make decisions Good communication skills, including communicating bad news Demonstrated ability to manage time effectively Meets the requirements of the GMC's 'Good Medical Practice'
Desirable
Knowledge of risk management, annual job planning, appraisal review process, etc.
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).
