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Job Title


Locum Consultant in Paediatric Neurology


Company : Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust


Location : Leeds, England


Created : 2025-08-10


Job Type : Full Time


Job Description

We are looking to appoint a dynamic individual to join the Paediatric Neurosciences Department at the Leeds Children's Hospital for 6 months, in the post of Locum Consultant in Paediatric Neurology .This is an exciting opportunity to join a well-established and experienced multidisciplinary team The team comprises of over 20 specialist colleagues across physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology, speech and language therapy, neuropsychology as well as specialist nurses and a paediatric trauma and rehabilitation coordinator.This post will deliver 9 PAs and the successful applicant will be 1 of 8 consultants delivering a comprehensive paediatric neurology service to the West, North and East of the Yorkshire and Humber regionMain duties of the jobThis post will deliver 10 PAs and the successful applicant will be 1 of 8 consultants delivering a comprehensive paediatric neurology service to the West, North and East of the Yorkshire and Humber region. They will join the 6 existing Consultant Paediatric Neurologists (Dr Anne-Marie Childs, Dr Karen Pysden, Dr Helen McCullagh, Dr Lydia Green, Dr Munni Ray and Dr Micheal Taylor), Dr Cristina Martos Lozano a Consultant Paediatrician with expertise in Paediatric Neuromuscular disorders, 4 Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeons (Mr John Goodden, Mr Atul Tyagi, Mr Gnanamurthy Sivakumar and Ms Rebecca Chave-Cox). The post-holder will provide 1:6 cover on the paediatric neurology consultant acute week/on-call rota. The post-holder will provide out-patient clinics at the Leeds Children's Hospital.The post holder will work with the existing specialist multidisciplinary neurosciences team in outpatients and on the dedicated neuroscience ward. Support will be given to develop specialised interests within Paediatric Neurology.About usThe post will be based at the Leeds Children's Hospital, Leeds General Infirmary.The successful applicant should possess MRCPCH (or equivalent) and should be included on the Specialist Register or within 6 months of CCT at the time of interview, if currently within a training programme within the UK. In accordance with the consultant appointment regulations, all other categories of doctors must be on the Specialist Register.Applicants should have established skills in Paediatric Neurology and its related specialties. A strong commitment to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and a research interest is desirableLeeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.Job descriptionJob responsibilitiesPaediatric Neurology in within the Leeds Children's Hospital CSUThe Yorkshire area of the Northern and Yorkshire Region has a population of approximately 5.5 million. Leeds has a total population of approximately 750,000, of whom 155,000 are children. Although there has been significant urban regeneration, there are still many areas of social deprivation, both in the inner city and on post-war housing estates. Parts of the city have a cosmopolitan ethnic background with significant numbers of people from Eastern European, South Asian and Afro-Caribbean backgrounds.Leeds General Infirmary (LGI) provides almost all of the tertiary referral services for the Yorkshire part of the Northern and Yorkshire Region, as well as a number of supra-regional services.PAEDIATRIC NEUROSCIENCESPaediatric Neurosciences at Leeds Children's Hospital is the home to a thriving and active department with a national reputation. We receive referrals from the local area, and Paediatric teams from North and West Yorkshire, along with Hull and the East Riding. The Neurology department provides a specialist (tertiary) service for the diagnosis and treatment of children with neurological disorders. We have active involvement with local, national and international research projects.Children with neurological and neurosurgical disorders are admitted to the dedicated paediatric neuroscience ward at LGI and are jointly managed as needed by paediatric neurologists and the paediatric neurosurgeons.Paediatric neurosciences are fully supported by specialist neuroradiology & interventional neuroradiology, neurophysiology, genetics and neuropathology.CHILDRENS CLINICAL SERVICE UNITManagement ArrangementsThe Children's Services Clinical Service Unit is responsible for all children's specialties and is led by Jo Haigh (General Manager). The team consists of Clinical Director, Lead Clinicians Matrons Service Managers and Business Managers for each specialty, together with corporate support from Finance, Medicine, Nursing, Planning and Informatics.At present there is one Clinical Director within Children's Services, having responsibility for the management of clinically related issues within the individual medical and surgical sub-specialities. Dr Colin Holton is Clinical Director for Paediatric Services who is supported by 9 Lead Clinicians.Hospital Services for ChildrenChildren's Services have an inpatient bed base of 212 beds and 68 cots between both LGI and SJUH sites. The Children's Services Directorate employs a total of 80 consultants providing general, specialist and supra-regional children's medical and surgical services. Inpatient, day case and outpatient services are mainly provided at the Leeds Children's Hospital within the LGI although some outpatient services are also provided from SJUH and Wharfedale Hospital.The following established specialist children's services are provided:Cardiology and Cardiac SurgeryCleft Lip and PalateCystic FibrosisDiabetesEndocrinologyGastroenterologyGeneral MedicineHepatology and Liver TransplantationImmunology and AllergyIntensive CareNeonatal Medicine & SurgeryNephrology, including transplantationNeurologyNeurosurgeryOncology/Haematology, including BMTRheumatologyPaediatric SurgeryUrologyAdditional Children's Services are provided in Non-Paediatric Specialities. These include Dermatology, Orthopaedic and Spinal Surgery, Ophthalmology, Dental Surgery, Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Accident and Emergency, ENT, Neurosurgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Renal Transplant Surgery and Clinical Genetics.Inpatient FacilitiesNEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY12 beds Ward L52 Clarendon WingPAEDIATRIC MEDICINE26 beds Ward L09 Children's Assessment Unit Jubilee Wing10 beds Ward L30 Respiratory and Cystic Fibrosis Clarendon Wing15 beds Ward L40 Children's Medical Ward Clarendon WingNEONATAL CARE25 beds (12 ICU) includes Neonatal Surgery Clarendon Wing LGI20 beds (3 ICU) Gledhow Wing St James13 beds Transitional Care Gledhow Wing St JamesPAEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY/HAEMATOLOGY16 beds Ward L31 Paediatrics Clarendon Wing4 beds Ward L32 BMT Clarendon Wing8 beds Ward L33 Teenage and Young Adult Clarendon WingSPECIALTY MEDICINE16 beds Ward L10 Hepatology/Nephrology/Gastroenterology Jubilee Wing6 Dialysis Stations Ward L11 Jubilee WingCARDIOLOGY AND CARDIAC SURGERY16 beds Ward L12 Jubilee Wing includes 6 HDU bedsPAEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE UNIT & HIGH DEPENDENCY16 beds Ward L47 Clarendon Wing6 beds (HDU) Ward L48 Clarendon WingPAEDIATRIC SURGERYIncludes General Surgery, Urology, Trauma & Orthopaedics, Plastics, ENT, Cleft Lip and Palate, Maxillo-Facial and Dental.10 beds Ward L41 Clarendon Wing13 beds Ward L42 Clarendon Wing26 day case beds Ward L49 Clarendon WingOutpatient FacilitiesThe majority of outpatients are seen in a dedicated, purpose-built Children's Outpatient department in Martin Wing at LGI. Some additional outpatient services are provided in the Children's Day Hospital at SJUH and in Wharfedale Hospital at Otley.StaffingConsultantsThe paediatric neurosciences consultant team consists of 5 Paediatric Neurologists, 1 paediatric Neurologist & Neurophysiologist, 1 Consultant Paediatrician with expertise paediatric neuromuscular disorders, and four Paediatric Neurosurgeons, all providing care for patients from Leeds and across the region.Dr Anne-Marie Childs Consultant Paediatric Neurologist Special Interest-Neuromuscular disordersDr Cristina Lozano-Martos Consultant Paediatrician with expertise Paediatric neuromuscular disorders Special Interests- Neuromuscular disordersDr Helen McCullagh Consultant Paediatric Neurologist Special Interests- Complex Epilepsy, Ketogenic Diet in Epilepsy, Tuberous Sclerosis, Neurovascular diseaseDr Karen Pysden Consultant Paediatric Neurologist Special Interests- Neuromuscular disorders and complex motor disorders including Botulinum and intrathecal baclofenDr Lydia Green Consultant Paediatric Neurologist Special Interests Inherited White matter Disorders and epilepsy (VNS clinical lead)Dr Micheal Taylor Consultant Paediatric Neurologist Special Interests Paediatric Epilepsy, Inflammatory disorders , Childhood Headache and greater occipital nerve injectionsDr Munni Ray Consultant Paediatric Neurologist & Neurophysiologist Special Interests Complex Epilepsy, Childhood headache, Paediatric NeurophysiologyMr Atul Tyagi Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon Special Interests - Neurovascular surgery, tumour surgery, spinal dysraphism surgery, complex hydrocephalus surgery and endoscopyMr John Goodden (Lead Clinician) Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon & Clinical Lead for Paediatric Neurosciences Special Interests - Tumour surgery, Spasticity surgery, Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy, complex hydrocephalus, endoscopyMr Gnanamurthy Sivakumar Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon Special Interests - Epilepsy surgery, tumour surgery, complex hydrocephalus, endoscopy, Functional neurosurgeryMs Rebecca Chave-Cox Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon Special Interests - Craniofacial surgeryMiddle Grade StaffThere are three HST posts within paediatric neurology who provide daily cover for paediatric neurology. We also have a Physician Associate working at an HST level and an ACPs and an additional ACP in training .There are three LST posts attached to paediatric neurology and they participate in a full shift rota to provide cover for neurosciences and other subspecialty patients. Middle grade cover out of hours is provided by the paediatric speciality SpR on a full shift basis. The consultant neurosurgeons provide a 24 hour on call rota and are supported by the on call SpR in Neurosurgery.NursingThe Nursing establishments are managed by Sarah Fletcher, Matron and Julie Cooper as Senior Sister on the Paediatric Neurosciences ward 52 and the surgical HDU. There are 4 specialist epilepsy nurses and a specialist nurse to support patients undergoing craniofacial surgery and with 2 specialist nurses covering intrathecal baclofen infusion pumps and SDR. There is a specialist nurse supporting the Tuberous Sclerosis service and another for the inherited white matter service. The neuromuscular team have 2 specialist nurses, one responsible for transition.Allied Health ProfessionsThere are paediatric physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dieticians, speech and language therapists, psychologists and pharmacists, neuromuscular family care advisors all working as part of the paediatric neurosciences team. We have experienced therapy practitioners undertaking independent clinics.General Manager Jo HaighHead of Nursing Laura WhelanClinical Director Colin HoltonPerson SpecificationQualificationsEssential MB BS (or equivalent) Membership Examination of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health or equivalent qualification. Eligible for full registration with the GMC at time of appointment and hold a current licence to practice. 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 ExperienceEssential Should have completed a recognised specialty training programme in Paediatric Neurology, UK Grid programme or equivalent. Must be able to demonstrate a high level of clinical experience and competence in Paediatric Neurology Must demonstrate higher training in Paediatric Neurology Evidence of the ability to carry out medical research. All applicants to have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English adequate to enable effective communication about medical topics with patients and colleagues demonstrated by one of the following: Undergraduate medical training in English or have achieved the minimum score of 7 across all 4 of the following categories in the academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in a single sitting within 24 months at time of application Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. (An overall minimum score of 7.5). Supporting evidence must be provided if applicants believe they have the necessary communication skills, but do not fit into one of these examples Please see person specification Desirable Evidence of subspecialty experience and ability to deliver a specific element of care Publication in peer reviewed journal and/or presentations at national/international society meetings Experience of supervising research by junior staff, C9298-MED-808#J-18808-Ljbffr