Counselling Psychologist/CBT/Psychological Therapist/Psychotherapist

NHS; City Of London; On-site; GBP 56,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in London is seeking a qualified clinical psychologist to join their outpatient team. The role involves providing specialist psychological interventions for eating disorders and managing the FREED early intervention pathway. Ideal candidates will have qualifications in mental health professions and experience working with diverse client needs. The position offers competitive salary and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

Protected time for research

Opportunities for continued professional development

Clear pathways for career development

Qualifications

• Qualified in a core mental health profession like psychology or social work.
• Entry-level qualifications accepted for professional registration.
• Experience with diverse client needs and mental health issues.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist psychological assessments and interventions.
• Promote a psychologically safe environment for staff and clients.
• Manage the FREED early intervention pathway.

Skills

Clinical supervision

Therapeutic communication

Risk management

Cultural competence

Education

Professional qualification in mental health

Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology

Job description

Overview

We have a vacancy for a band 7 clinical or counselling psychologist, CBT therapist or psychotherapist within our outpatient team. This is an exciting opportunity to join our team as joint FREED Champion, taking a lead role in coordinating our FREED early intervention pathway (First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders).

We can offer protected time for research, special interest projects and continued professional development, and clear pathways for further career development within our department and the Trust.

Responsibilities

• To provide specialist psychological interventions for eating disorders in adults, including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.
• 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 promote service evaluation, audit and research.
• To take a lead role as co-FREED Champion in the team, supporting the coordination of the FREED early intervention pathway (First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders).
• To work as an autonomous professional within registration body guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions with support of clinical supervisor.
• To be active in the provision of staff support within their area, including but not limited to Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Resolve. To participate, as a recipient, in staff support work when appropriate.

About us

The Eating Disorder Unit (EDU) is internationally renowned for providing best practice, evidence-based care for adults with the full range of eating disorder difficulties. We are the developers of MANTRA, now recommended as part of NICE 2017 guidelines for the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa, of FREED, and of PEACE (Pathway for Eating Disorders and Autism developed from Clinical Experience).

We offer opportunities for ongoing training and collaboration with colleagues across the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London. We will consider those who are completing training.

Our Trust headquarters is located at Denmark Hill less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2). We also provide services and operate across other locations, such as London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; and substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Lambeth, Greenwich and Wandsworth.

Details

Date posted: 01 October 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 7

Salary: £56,276 to £63,176 a year per annum Incl. of inner HCAs

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 334-CLI-7424606

Job locations: Eating Disorder Outpatient, Maudsley Hospital, Middle House, Level 2, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ

Job responsibilities

• To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients (individuals, couples, families and social networks where the identified client has complex mental health needs) in the eating disorders outpatients service.
• To provide culturally appropriate psychological or psychotherapeutic interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
• To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
• To provide reports, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, service users and their families.
• To select and deliver evidence-based specialist therapeutic interventions for eating disorders and associated comorbidities, drawing from a spectrum of evidence-based ideas and models, monitoring outcome and modifying and adapting interventions as necessary, based on the highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, couple, family or group.
• To promote psychological support for carers (or families as appropriate) of referred clients.
• To jointly manage the FREED early intervention pathway as co-FREED Champion.

Qualifications and experience

Qualifications Essential

• To have undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions, e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, medicine, social work and occupational therapy OR to have equivalent relevant experience and demonstrable competence to work in the mental health field in the NHS.
• For Psychologists: Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration as a clinical or counselling psychologist.
• For CBT Therapists and Psychotherapists: Entry-level qualification in Psychotherapy that has been accepted by the APC/BPC/ACAT/UKCP/BACP/BABCP for purposes of professional registration.

Experience Essential

• Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs.
• Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience.
• Experience of working with issues of risk and safety both physical and relational.

Desirable

• Experience of working with individuals with eating disorders.
• Experience of developing and carrying out audit/research projects).

Knowledge

Essential

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
• Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for adults with eating disorders.

Skills and abilities

Essential

• 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.
• To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers.
• Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups and sensitively managing, a number of people's needs simultaneously within the context of therapeutic work/consultation.
• To select and administer specialist assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.

Disclosures and other requirements

• Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
• 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.
• UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Notes: For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website and NHS Careers website as referenced in the original job posting.