Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist

South West London And St George'S Mental Health Nhs Trust; Watford; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 71,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Career development

Job summary

South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust is seeking an experienced psychologist at Band 8a level. The post welcomes applications from Clinical/Counselling Psychologists and those with under 18 months post-qualification, with progression from Band 7 to 8a possible.

Experience in CBT for psychosis, trauma and DBT is valued. The role offers a permanent full-time position and a part-time fixed-term option (15 hours/week) until 13/09/2027, with flexible working patterns to suit

Qualifications

• Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent) with models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS;
• Formal supervision training for psychologists;
• Registration with HCPC under the appropriate domain title

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist psychological assessments using complex data from tests, self-report measures, scales and interviews.
• Formulate and implement plans for formal psychological treatment across care settings.
• Deliver a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups; adapt formulations across teams.
• Evaluate treatment options considering theoretical and therapeutic models and complex factors.
• Exercise autonomous professional responsibility for assessment, treatment and discharge of clients.

Skills

CBT for psychosis

Trauma therapy

DBT therapies

Education

Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology

Job description

Job summary

This post is an established at 8a level but we welcome applications from final year Clinical / Counselling Psychologists Trainee Clinical Psychologists, and from Psychologists with less than 18 months post qualification experience, who could progress from a Band 7 preceptorship to a Band 8a in this post. We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates with experience in CBT for psychosis, trauma and DBT therapies.

We have both a permanent full-time position and a part-time fixed-term position (15 hours per week) available until 13/09/2027. The part-time role can be worked flexibly to suit your preferences and circumstances, including over 2 full days per week or spread across 3 or 4 days.

When submitting your application, please clearly indicate which role you would like to be considered for.

Main duties of the job

The role focuses on providing evidence-based psychological therapies and assessments for severe and enduring mental health conditions, including psychosis & bipolar affective disorder, personality disorder, complex mood, anxiety disorders & PTSD.

Main duties of this job is to provide a qualified clinical/counselling psychology service to clients of the service team, across all sectors of care; providing highly specialist psychological assessment and therapy at the same time as offering advice and consultation on clients' psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and to other, nonprofessional carers, working autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures; and to utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research within the area served by the team/service.

About us

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.

About our locations

Jubilee Health Centre East

Unless expressly stated in the job advert the role is not subject to sponsorship, please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK.

Details

Date posted: 21 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £63,665 to £70,887 a year per annum inclusive of Outer London HCAS
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
Reference number: 294-COMM-8372950-EB
Job locations: Jubilee Health Centre East, 6 Stanley Park Road, Wallington, SM6 0EX, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• To provide specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the team based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.
• To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a clients mental health problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy, across the full range of care settings.
• To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining several provisional hypotheses.
• To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options considering both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
• To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients whose problems are managed by psychologically based care plans.
• To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.
• To contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings and agencies serving this client group of people with severe and enduring mental health problems.

Essential training and qualifications

• Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and (for Clinical Psychologists) neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology; OR alternative training outside of the UK that is recognised by the Health & Care Professions Council leading to registration in the UK as a Clinical or Counselling psychologist
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS
• Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
• Registered with & Care Health Professions Council (HCPC) under the appropriate domain title

Desirable training and qualifications

• Eligible for accreditation for as a CBT therapist with BABCP and prepared to seek accreditation. This would include evidence of formal training in CBT such as a Post graduate Diploma/Masters in CBT
• BABCP Accreditation as CBT practitioner

Essential experience

• Experience of assessment and treatment of people with mental health problems, of varying severity and complexity, using evidence based psychological therapies, particularly CBT
• Demonstrate further specialist training/experience through having received a minimum of 50 hours clinical supervision of working as a specialist clinical or counselling psychologist over a minimum of 18 months, or an alternative agreed by the Head of Psychology and Psychotherapies
• Experience with routine outcome monitoring

Desirable experience

• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision
• Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts
• Experience of mental health problems and the capacity to use that experience to the benefit of patient care

Essential knowledge and skills

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
• Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HPC / BABCP.
• Leadership skills
• Knowledge of our business and how it supports patient care

Desirable knowledge and skills

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised group and individual psychological therapies including advanced level training in CBT
• Knowledge of the academic literature concerning common mental disorders in general practice

Essential other requirements

• Ability to work effectively and efficiently and manage high clinical caseloads in a safe and effective manner
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name: South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Employer's website: https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/

Contact

Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Emma Harding, [e-mail], 07858688589

Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content can become generic and fail to accurately reflect an applicant's individual experience. Please be aware that information provided in your application and supporting statement may be explored further during the selection process.