Clinical Specialist - Generic

NHS; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare provider in the UK seeks a Clinical Specialist to join their learning disability intensive support team. This role is responsible for providing clinical leadership and expertise in the assessment and support of adults with learning disabilities. The ideal candidate will have a relevant professional registration, substantial clinical experience, and the ability to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team. This position offers a chance to impact individuals' lives positively while working within a supportive organizational culture.

Qualifications

• Registration with a relevant professional body required.
• Postgraduate diploma in a relevant subject or willingness to obtain within 2 years.
• Recognised advanced clinical qualification or Masters level credits within first year.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership to the intensive support team.
• Deliver specialist assessments and interventions for individuals with learning disabilities.
• Manage operational issues in the absence of the team manager.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Mental health knowledge

Risk assessment

Team collaboration

Education

Postgraduate diploma or above in relevant area

Registration with relevant professional body (NMC, GMC, HCPC)

Job description

Clinical Specialist - Generic

The closing date is 02 January 2026

We have an exciting opportunity for a Clinical Specialist in the learning disability intensive support team covering North Yorkshire, York and Selby. This is for candidates with the relevant experience and a professional registration in learning disability nursing or allied health profession to undertake the clinical specialist role providing leadership for the service in relation to an intensive support model of care for people with a learning disability.

They will function as a senior member of the multidisciplinary team (MDT), designing, supporting and/or delivering specialist assessments, formulations, interventions and recommendations of relevance to people with LD with acute and/or complex mental health and/or challenging behaviour needs. Clinical responsibilities will include supporting colleagues to skillfully navigate the complex interface of values, rights, evidence, clinical guidelines, and legal/policy frameworks for people with LD, in accordance with the professional standards of their specialist/advanced practice.

Providing clinical leadership to the intensive support team members and clinical supervision.

Applicants should be enthusiastic and driven, with excellent knowledge of learning disability services across the community system, including primary care, specialist services, local authority & the voluntary and community sector (VCSE).

Main duties of the job

The Adult learning Disability Community Teams are based across 4 bases in North Yorkshire. This role covers North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

The Clinical Specialist (CS) will be a specialist and/or advanced practitioner in their clinical field and will work in clinical practice. They will provide specialist, accredited, clinical expertise in the mental health & behavioural support of adults with learning disabilities (LD).

Their clinical focus will be within the Trust's Intensive Support Team (IST) delivering assessment & support to individuals to prevent placement breakdown, inappropriate hospital admissions and supporting timely & effective hospital discharges. Clinical practice hours will include direct & indirect clinical/therapeutic work with individuals & their support systems (e.g. family members, support staff, managers, practice leads, multi‑agency colleagues).

The CS would have oversight of operational issues for the team in the absence of team manager. For example, reporting sickness, ensuring safe staffing levels health roster, attending any clinically relevant meetings.

Working pattern is Monday to Friday however if service needs change some flexibility in work pattern will be required. This will be discussed at interview.

You will be able to develop and demonstrate clinical leadership, supervisory and coaching skills and a comprehensive knowledge of learning disability care, the Mental Health Act and complex risk assessment.

About us

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

In order to continue to develop and maintain high quality services, ongoing opportunities will be made available to help further your own skills, knowledge and development to uphold your leadership role.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registration with relevant professional body. (e.g. NMC, GMC, HCPC, Social Work-England)
• For nursing professions - Recognised Practice Supervisor and /or Practice Assessor, clinical educator or equivalent
• And Trained in providing clinical supervision
• For other professions - evidence of training in clinical supervision of other staff and able to demonstrate competence in this area of practice in clinical supervision of other staff and/or students/ trainees
• All professions - Postgraduate diploma (or above) in a subject relevant to the area of practice or be willing to work towards and achieve within 2 years.
• Within the first year of being in post hold a recognised advanced clinical qualification or Masters level credits e.g., Intermediate Systemic Family Therapy/Post Grad diploma in CBT/British Isles Dialectical Behaviour Therapy /NMP e.g. dysphagia, posture, autism assessment, rebound, social prescribing, sensory processing, Approved Mental Health Professional, Practice Educator (level 3 Independent Prescriber) * Note any other advanced qualification/masters credits not listed here as an example, must be clearly evidenced and listed as "advanced qualification or masters credits" - within the individuals application form
• And have Equivalent clinical experience to that of a Post Grad Diploma/master's level such as working as a band 6 (or above) in relevant clinical area with significant experience (see below under experience), together with evidence of relevant CPD

Experience

• Substantial clinical experience of working in relevant specialist area in collaboration with service users, families and relevant others or transferable experience of similar settings and willing to gain knowledge within first 12 months.
• Experience of assessing and managing risk (harm to self, others and safeguarding)
• Substantial experience of working in a multi‑disciplinary team
• Involvement in quality improvement activities

Knowledge

• Extensive knowledge of current issues relating to health needs of patients in the field of practice, regionally and nationally
• Experience of application of relevant legislation (i.e., Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act) in practice

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.

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust