Paediatric CAMHS
Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
CAMHS at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital
CAMHS at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, is a specialist NHS service supporting children and young people aged up to 18 years who are experiencing mental, emotional or behavioural difficulties that affect daily life. The service works across Manchester, Salford and Trafford and provides assessment, diagnosis, advice, talking therapies and, where clinically appropriate, medication. CAMHS also works with families, schools and partner agencies to support mental health and emotional wellbeing.
The service is organised around the THRIVE Framework, with care and support aligned to Getting Advice, Getting Help, Getting More Help and Getting Risk Support. This gives observers and fellows experience of a needs-led model that emphasises shared decision-making, community-based support and active involvement of children, young people and families in care planning.
Observers and fellows may gain exposure to a broad CAMHS service offer, including core community CAMHS, early years services, eating disorder services, crisis care, Deaf CAMHS, EMERGE 16-17 community mental health services, inpatient care at Galaxy House, looked after children services, learning disability and autism services, mental health support teams in education settings, paediatric psychosocial services, neurodevelopmental assessment pathways, fatigue services, infant-parent services and youth justice CAMHS.
Fellowships and observerships at Manchester Specialist Health Academy provide international clinicians with structured opportunities to experience high quality healthcare training within a leading NHS environment. Both pathways offer consultant oversight, a clear induction, and access to modern clinical settings that support a strong understanding of advanced patient care. Participants are welcomed into a professional community that encourages learning, collaboration, and engagement with the culture of Manchester.
While fellows take part in more in depth clinical development, gaining exposure to subspecialties, procedures and research, observers focus on shadowing and understanding multidisciplinary practice within NHS services. Both groups benefit from involvement in clinics, team discussions, and wider learning activities such as simulation sessions, CPD opportunities, and quality improvement insight.
Academic contributions and awards
CAMHS launched a co-produced CAMHS website in 2026, designed with young people to improve access to information for young people, parents, carers and healthcare colleagues. The website includes advice on wellbeing, mood and mental health, neurodiversity, CAMHS services and access routes.
The CAMHS Strategic Delivery Plan 2024-2029 sets out the division’s future direction across access, prevention and early intervention, outcomes and experience, integrated care, communication, workforce, digital development and research. The plan describes a division that has expanded to more than 50 distinct services in 2024/25 across Manchester, Salford and Trafford, including community services, regional and national services and an inpatient unit.
Research and innovation are embedded in the Trust’s wider research ambitions. CAMHS strategic priorities include developing an expanded research hub portfolio across the continuum of care to strengthen evidence-based practice and evaluate transformation and workforce expansion programmes.
Why Manchester?
Manchester is a city of innovation and progress, renowned as the world’s first industrial city and still leading in science, healthcare, and technology. With excellent transport links and a vibrant, multicultural atmosphere, it offers an inclusive environment for learning and professional growth.
Beyond your placement, Manchester offers something for everyone - from watching the iconic Manchester derby to exploring world-class museums and galleries. With vibrant music, sport, and culture, the city truly has it all. Combining heritage and modernity, it creates a unique setting for personal enrichment and memorable experiences whilst you develop professionally.
Our signature programmes
Observership
CAMHS
Objectives
By the end of the placement, the visiting professional should be able to:
- Understand the structure and function of CAMHS within a large NHS teaching hospital trust.
- Observe multidisciplinary assessment, formulation and care planning for children and young people with mental health needs.
- Develop insight into the THRIVE Framework and how services provide Getting Advice, Getting Help, Getting More Help and Getting Risk Support.
- Observe how CAMHS works with families, carers, schools, social care, community agencies and acute hospital colleagues.
- Develop understanding of safeguarding awareness, consent, confidentiality and risk management in children and young people’s mental health.
- Observe specialist pathways such as eating disorders, crisis care, neurodevelopmental assessment, learning disability and autism, paediatric psychosocial care, inpatient CAMHS and mental health support in education settings, where available.
Eligibility
- The visiting professional must have sufficient English language skills to engage meaningfully in the observership.
Fellowship
CAMHS
Objectives
By the end of the placement, the visiting professional should be able to:
- Strengthen clinical reasoning in child and adolescent mental health assessment, formulation, risk assessment and management planning.
- Develop practical experience of multidisciplinary and multiagency care coordination across community, specialist, crisis, inpatient and education-facing pathways.
- Build capability in evidence-informed intervention planning, family and carer engagement, outcome measurement and reflective practice.
- Gain insight into service improvement, pathway development, digital access, workforce development and research priorities in a large NHS CAMHS division.
- Apply learning to future clinical leadership, service development, education or specialist practice in the fellow’s home health system.
Eligibility
- Postgraduate Qualification: Applicants must hold an overseas-recognised postgraduate medical qualification (MD, MS, Masters) in the relevant specialty.
- Experience: Minimum of 3 years’ recent experience in the relevant or a related specialty within the last 5 years, including at least 12 months of continuous practice before applying.
- Training Level: Equivalent to ST5 or above, or post-CCT clinicians seeking subspecialty exposure.
- Language Proficiency: IELTS Academic with 7.0 in each band and overall 7.5, or OET Medicine with Grade B in all domains, with certificate validity within 24 months.
- Registration: GMC registration is required for fellowship activity. Sponsorship support may be available through approved routes where appropriate.
- Applicants must not have failed PLAB exams previously.
- Visa sponsorship is only available through approved routes; self-funded visas outside agreed schemes are excluded.