CAMHS Highly Specialist Practitioner (N&S OPD AAFS)

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

The NHS is seeking a Band 8a Practitioner Psychologist for a 9-month fixed term role, providing specialist clinical service for young people with complex mental health needs. In a supportive team environment, the successful applicant will conduct assessments and deliver psychological interventions, contributing to a psychologically safe setting while undertaking service evaluation and research.

Benefits

Flexible working

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent accepted by HCPC.
• Additional training in CBT/DBT through formal post-qualification training.
• Completed training course in clinical supervision.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist clinical service to the adolescent at-risk & forensic service.
• Conduct highly specialist assessments and evidence-based psychological interventions.
• Facilitate clinical supervision and consultations.

Skills

Psychological assessments

Risk management

CBT

DBT

Clinical supervision

Education

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

Post-qualification training in CBT/DBT

Job description

Job summary

We are delighted to be recruiting a 1 WTE Band 8a Practitioner Psychologist to join our team on a 9-month fixed term basis for maternity cover. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a responsive, specialist service for young people and families who present with high risk alongside complex mental health needs and neurodiversity. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to consolidate skills in formulation, intervention, and risk management within a skilled and supportive clinical team.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide a specialist clinical service to the Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service, National and Specialist CAMHS. Main duties include:

Highly specialist assessments of young people with complex mental health needs, high-risk behaviours (e.g., self-harm, aggression, sexual offending) and/ or risk of exploitation (sexual and criminal). Assessments include structured risk and neuropsychological assessments.

To provide direct and indirect evidence-based psychological interventions for young people, their families and the systems around them.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate.

To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.

To work as an autonomous professional within professional guidelines and codes of conduct and guided by the policies and procedures of the service.

About us

1. About Us:

The N&S CAMHS Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service (AAFS) is a national and specialist service within the South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. AAFS works with young people aged 10-18, their families, carers and professional networks, offering evidence-based assessment and intervention using CBT, DBT and systemic models. The young people seen by our service typically present with complex mental health needs, high risk across multiple domains (to self, to others, from others), have early and ongoing adverse and traumatic experiences and (often undiagnosed) neurodiversity (autism, ADHD, intellectual disability).

About our locations:

Maudsley Hospital (headquarters)

Our Trust headquarters is located at Denmark Hill less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2) and is within walking distance from the beautiful green spaces of Ruskin Park and the vibrant high-street that offers great shopping opportunities and with a wide range of restaurants.

Flexible working:

As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. In this role you will be able to work Monday to Friday in the time frames from 09:00 to 17:00. (this may include working early mornings or late evenings and some Saturdays as part of the core working hours/working pattern for this post). On-site working a minimum of four days will be required.

Details Date posted

02 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£61,927 to £68,676 a year per annum Incl. of HCAs

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-CLI-6918840-A

Job locations

Michael Rutter Centre

De Crespigny Park

London

SE5 8AZ

Job description Job responsibilities

The post holder will provide a specialist clinical service to the Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service, National and Specialist CAMHS. We are a friendly and supportive team committed to professional and personal development. We are committed to addressing inequality in access, experience and outcomes for children and staff from diverse backgrounds and take an anti-racist approach. Our team is made up of clinical psychologists, a forensic psychologist, a social worker, clinical psychology trainees, MSc placement students, and assistant psychologists. We are actively involved in research and have close links with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, Doctoral Training Programme in Clinical Psychology. We recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce and the positive impact this has on our staff and our service users. We welcome and actively encourage applications from those with lived experiences of mental health and care services and from black and minority groups.

Main duties include:

Highly specialist assessments of young people with complex mental health needs, high-risk behaviours (e.g., self-harm, aggression, sexual offending) and/ or risk of exploitation (e.g., sexual and criminal). Assessments include structured risk and neuropsychological assessments.

To provide direct and indirect evidence-based psychological interventions for young people, their families and the systems around them.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate.

To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.

To work as an autonomous professional within professional guidelines and codes of conduct and guided by the policies and procedures of the service.

Job description Job responsibilities

The post holder will provide a specialist clinical service to the Adolescent At-risk & Forensic Service, National and Specialist CAMHS. We are a friendly and supportive team committed to professional and personal development. We are committed to addressing inequality in access, experience and outcomes for children and staff from diverse backgrounds and take an anti-racist approach. Our team is made up of clinical psychologists, a forensic psychologist, a social worker, clinical psychology trainees, MSc placement students, and assistant psychologists. We are actively involved in research and have close links with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, Doctoral Training Programme in Clinical Psychology. We recognise the benefits of a diverse workforce and the positive impact this has on our staff and our service users. We welcome and actively encourage applications from those with lived experiences of mental health and care services and from black and minority groups.

Main duties include:

Highly specialist assessments of young people with complex mental health needs, high-risk behaviours (e.g., self-harm, aggression, sexual offending) and/ or risk of exploitation (e.g., sexual and criminal). Assessments include structured risk and neuropsychological assessments.

To provide direct and indirect evidence-based psychological interventions for young people, their families and the systems around them.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate.

To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.

To work as an autonomous professional within professional guidelines and codes of conduct and guided by the policies and procedures of the service.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration. (A/I)
• Additional training in a specialised area of psychological practice (CBT/DBT) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent) (A/I)
• Completed training course in clinical supervision. (A/I)

Desirable

• Post qualification training and experience in complex risk assessment and management (e.g., AIM-3, SAVRY)

Experience Essential

• Experience of having worked as a clinical specialist in a CAMHS setting with young people with complex mental health needs, neurodiversity and significant risk across domains (to self, to others, from others) (A/I
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment (including neuropsychological assessment) and intervention with young people with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature related to risk. (A/I)
• Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists having completed the relevant training.
• Experience of supporting, and supervising the support of, young people presenting in crisis via comprehensive risk management plans, safeguarding and extensive liaison with professional networks.

Understanding and Knowledge Essential

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for young people presenting with complex mental health and neurodiversity, emerging personality disorders, and where risk of harm to self, others and/or from others is high. (A/I)
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised risk assessment for risk of harm to self, to others and from others.

Desirable

• Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in young people with complex needs (e.g., neurodiversity, social complexity, offending behaviour, contextual safeguarding concerns).

Skills Essential

• To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences. (A)
• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information. (A/I)

Desirable

• To be able to liaise with referrers and relevant stakeholders in monitoring team activity and productivity
• Able to offer effective supervision to junior psychologists, in relation to complex client presentations across mental health and significant risk needs, enabling safe and effective clinical work and promoting staff wellbeing.

Abilities Essential

• Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour. (A/I)
• Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed at self. (A/I)

Desirable

• Ability to demonstrate leadership where appropriate, across team management, audit and/or innovation.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration. (A/I)
• Additional training in a specialised area of psychological practice (CBT/DBT) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent) (A/I)
• Completed training course in clinical supervision. (A/I)

Desirable

• Post qualification training and experience in complex risk assessment and management (e.g., AIM-3, SAVRY)

Experience Essential

• Experience of having worked as a clinical specialist in a CAMHS setting with young people with complex mental health needs, neurodiversity and significant risk across domains (to self, to others, from others) (A/I
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment (including neuropsychological assessment) and intervention with young people with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature related to risk. (A/I)
• Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists having completed the relevant training.
• Experience of supporting, and supervising the support of, young people presenting in crisis via comprehensive risk management plans, safeguarding and extensive liaison with professional networks.

Understanding and Knowledge Essential

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for young people presenting with complex mental health and neurodiversity, emerging personality disorders, and where risk of harm to self, others and/or from others is high. (A/I)
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised risk assessment for risk of harm to self, to others and from others.

Desirable

• Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in young people with complex needs (e.g., neurodiversity, social complexity, offending behaviour, contextual safeguarding concerns).

Skills Essential

• To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences. (A)
• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information. (A/I)

Desirable

• To be able to liaise with referrers and relevant stakeholders in monitoring team activity and productivity
• Able to offer effective supervision to junior psychologists, in relation to complex client presentations across mental health and significant risk needs, enabling safe and effective clinical work and promoting staff wellbeing.

Abilities Essential

• Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour. (A/I)
• Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed at self. (A/I)

Desirable

• Ability to demonstrate leadership where appropriate, across team management, audit and/or innovation.

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).

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.

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).

Employer details Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Michael Rutter Centre

De Crespigny Park

London

SE5 8AZ

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Michael Rutter Centre

De Crespigny Park

London

SE5 8AZ

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)