Clinical Lead

The Methodist Church in Britain; Newsham; On-site; GBP 72,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust is seeking a Senior Clinical Lead for the CREST team to work with children and young people in mental health crisis. The role covers evidence‑based assessment and interventions, leading high‑risk cases to prevent admissions and support timely discharge, and providing clinical supervision.

Travel between trust sites is required; the post holder deputises for the team manager in their absence and will participate in inter‑agency partnerships to enhance care.

Qualifications

• Doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology, or equivalent for psychotherapists.
• Eligibility for full membership of a relevant professional body (e.g., HCPC, BABCP, UKCP).

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical lead responsibilities for the service and work with the team manager to run it safely.
• Deputise for the team manager when absent as the most senior member.
• Oversee caseload of assessments and individual or group interventions.
• Lead high‑risk cases to prevent admissions and support timely discharge.
• Ensure high‑quality, NICE-concordant care.
• Work with complex mental health presentations in children and young people and their networks.
• Share clinical expertise to build the team's knowledge and skills.
• Offer regular clinical supervision to the team.
• Support trainees needing supervision within your competence.
• Attend organisational meetings to represent the local team and contribute to evidence‑based interventions.
• Identify training needs of the clinical team.
• Foster multi‑agency partnerships across Kent and Medway.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Team supervision

Evidence-based practice

Inter-agency collaboration

Education

Doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology

Job description

Senior clinical lead for the CREST team at Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust, working with children and young people in mental health crisis. The role covers evidence-based assessment and interventions, leading high-risk cases to prevent admissions and support timely discharge, and clinical supervision of the team. Travel between trust sites is required, and the post holder deputises for the team manager in their absence. Candidates need a doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for psychotherapists) and eligibility for a professional body.

What the job involves

• Provide clinical lead responsibilities for the service, working with the team manager to run it safely and effectively
• Deputise for the team manager as the most senior member of the team in their absence
• Oversee caseload of assessments and individual and group interventions
• Lead high-risk cases to prevent hospital admissions and support timely acute discharge
• Ensure high-quality, NICE-concordant care
• Work confidently with complex mental health presentations in children and young people, including their personal and professional network
• Share clinical expertise to build the team's knowledge and skills
• Offer regular clinical supervision to the team
• Support trainees who need clinical supervision within your own professional competence
• Attend organisational meetings to represent the local team and contribute to evidence-based interventions
• Identify training needs of the clinical team
• Foster multi-agency partnerships across Kent and Medway

Qualifications

• Doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology, or equivalent for psychotherapists

Registration & licences

• Eligibility for full membership of the appropriate professional body, such as NMC, HCPC, BABCP, BPC or UKCP

Experience

• Significant experience of working within mental health services
• Extensive experience delivering skilled, evidence-based interventions for children and young people with complex emotional, behavioural and mental health needs, including acute distress or crisis
• Experience initiating, organising and planning inter-agency meetings to set up tailored treatment packages
• Extensive experience of clinical supervision of post-graduate qualified psychological practitioners

Checks & eligibility

• Full, valid UK driving licence
• Access to a car or vehicle for business use, unless a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 applies

Nice to have

• Experience in children and young people's mental health services