Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist

The Methodist Church in Britain; Carshalton; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Career development

A range of benefits not itemised in ad

Job summary

South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust is seeking a highly specialist clinical psychologist to provide assessment and therapy for people with severe mental health conditions. The post involves direct treatment plus consultancy, audit and service development across care sectors.

Permanent full-time and part-time fixed-term posts are offered; early-career psychologists can progress from Band 7 to 8a. HCPC registration is required and visa sponsorship is not available.

Qualifications

• HCPC registration is required.
• Doctoral training in clinical or counselling psychology with exposure to CBT and life-span development.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS and required by HCPC/BABCP.
• Formal supervision training for other psychologists.

Responsibilities

• Provide evidence-based psychological therapies and highly specialist assessments.
• Advise and consult on clients' psychological care for non-physchologist colleagues and carers.
• Work autonomously within guidelines and team procedures.
• Carry out specialist assessments using tests and interviews.
• Formulate and implement treatment plans for individuals, carers, families and groups.
• Deliver psychological interventions across care settings.
• Take responsibility for assessment, treatment and discharge of clients.

Skills

Clinical psychology

CBT therapies

Leadership

Audit & service development

Lifespan development

Education

BPS-accredited Doctoral training

HCPC registration

BABCP accreditation (desirable)

Tools

Psychometric tests

Outcome monitoring tools

Job description

This post is a highly specialist clinical psychology role at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust, providing assessment and therapy for people with severe and enduring mental health conditions. The work combines direct psychological treatment with advice to non-psychologist colleagues and carers, plus audit and service development. Permanent full-time and part-time fixed-term options are offered, with the fixed-term part-time post running to September 2027, and early-career psychologists can progress from Band 7 to 8a. HCPC registration is required and visa sponsorship is not available.

What the job involves

• Provide evidence-based psychological therapies and highly specialist assessments for people with severe and enduring mental health conditions across all care sectors
• Advise and consult on clients' psychological care for non-psychologist colleagues and non-professional carers
• Work autonomously within professional guidelines and team policies and procedures
• Use research skills for audit, policy and service development and research
• Carry out specialist psychological assessments using tests, rating scales, observation and interviews
• Formulate and implement plans for formal psychological treatment or management
• Deliver psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups
• Adjust and refine psychological formulations using different explanatory models
• Evaluate and decide on treatment options, considering complex historical and developmental factors
• Take autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients
• Provide specialist advice to other professionals contributing to formulation, diagnosis and treatment plans
• Contribute to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care across the service and partner agencies

Qualifications

• Doctoral training in clinical or counselling psychology accredited by the BPS, covering psychopathology, psychometrics, neuropsychology (clinical), two or more therapies and lifespan development
• Or overseas training recognised by HCPC leading to UK registration as a clinical or counselling psychologist
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS and required by HCPC and BABCP
• Formal training in supervision of other psychologists

Registration & licences

• HCPC registration under the appropriate domain title

Experience

• Assessing and treating people with mental health problems of varying severity and complexity using evidence-based therapies, particularly CBT
• At least 50 hours of clinical supervision over a minimum of 18 months as a specialist clinical or counselling psychologist, or an alternative agreed by the Head of Psychology and Psychotherapies
• Experience of routine outcome monitoring

Skills & knowledge

• Skills in complex psychological assessment and intervention requiring sustained concentration
• Leadership skills
• Knowledge of the trust's business and how it supports patient care

Checks & eligibility

• Evidence of right to work in the UK

Other

• Ability to work effectively and efficiently and manage high clinical caseloads safely
• Ability to use clinical governance to support practice despite regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour

Nice to have

• Eligible for BABCP CBT therapist accreditation and prepared to seek it
• Formal CBT training, such as a postgraduate diploma or masters
• BABCP accreditation as a CBT practitioner
• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision
• Experience of applying clinical psychology in different cultural contexts
• Lived experience of mental health problems, used to benefit patient care
• Knowledge of theory and practice of specialised group and individual therapies, including advanced CBT training
• Knowledge of academic literature on common mental disorders in general practice

What’s offered

• Flexible working
• Career development
• A range of benefits, not itemised in the advert