Head of Psychology & Psychotherapy (Neurodevelopmental Services)

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK healthcare provider seeks a Head of Psychology & Psychotherapy for Neurodevelopmental Services. This role provides strategic leadership across diverse community and inpatient settings while partnering with prominent academic institutions. You will oversee the delivery of specialist services, ensuring high-quality care and developing protocols within a trust-wide psychology leadership group. The position closes on January 4, 2026, offering unique opportunities to influence service development and individualised care.

Benefits

Partnership with leading academic institutions

Opportunity to lead meaningful change

Responsibilities

• Ensure access to psychology or psychotherapy for all service users and families in Neurodevelopmental Services.
• Provide strategic leadership and develop service protocols for psychology and psychotherapy.
• Plan and deliver specialist psychology and psychotherapy services, providing expert clinical input.
• Conduct research and audits to support evidence-based practice in services.

Job description

Head of Psychology & Psychotherapy – Neurodevelopmental Services

A vacancy at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. We are looking for an exceptional leader to become Head of Psychology & Psychotherapy for Neurodevelopmental Services, overseeing the Mental Health & Learning Disabilities and Specialist Neurodevelopmental Services. The role offers the opportunity to influence care across a range of community settings, inpatient settings, and specialist services, including the National & Specialist Autism ward at the Bethlem Royal Hospital (NAU), the National Adult ADHD and Autism Psychology Service (NAAAPS), the Transforming Care Autism Service (TCA), and the Three-Borough Service (Croydon, Lewisham, Lambeth).

As a key member of the Trust-wide Psychology & Psychotherapy leadership group you will help shape policy, governance, and quality standards across the organisation and partner with King’s College London and King’s Health Partners for research and education.

Responsibilities

• Work with operational managers and senior clinical leaders to ensure all service users, families, carers, and partner organisations of the Neurodevelopmental Services (NDS) have appropriate access to psychology or psychotherapy as part of their pathway to recovery.
• Provide strategic neurodevelopmental psychology and psychotherapy leadership, including service development, workforce development, implementation of psychology and psychotherapy guidance and policy, and development of specific protocols for the NDS.
• Lead, manage, and plan the delivery of highly specialist psychology and psychotherapy services, in conjunction with clinical and managerial service leads, and provide expert direct clinical input.
• Ensure the conduct of research, service evaluation, and audits that support evidence‑based practice in the services, establishing training needs and maintaining communication with the Trust Director of Psychology & Psychotherapy, Trust advisors, the Education and Training Department, and the Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology (IoPPN).

Benefits

• Unique environment where care, research, and education intersect, allowing partnership with leading academic institutions.
• Opportunity to lead meaningful change, support individualised care and contribute to nationally recognised service development.

This advert closes on Sunday 4 Jan 2026.