Professional Lead Clinical Psychologist

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust in Milton Keynes is looking for a Professional Lead Clinical Psychologist to spearhead autism assessments and provide expert consultation within a multidisciplinary environment. You will manage a team of psychologists, ensuring high-quality, evidence-based interventions and drive service improvement initiatives. This role requires strong leadership and clinical skills, where you will actively contribute to the development of innovative digital tools and ensure compliance with clinical governance standards.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Experience in leading psychological assessments, particularly for autism.
• Strong management skills including recruitment and supervision.
• Ability to work autonomously and maintain high standards of care.

Responsibilities

• Lead autism/ASD assessments within a multidisciplinary framework.
• Provide expert psychological input and consultation.
• Deliver training and supervision to staff.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical psychology expertise

Autism assessments

Quality improvement

Education

Relevant clinical psychology degree

Job description

As Professional Lead Clinical Psychologist, you will:

• Lead autism/ASD assessments and neurodevelopmental formulations within a multidisciplinary framework.
• Provide expert psychological input and consultation across the team.
• Line‑manage psychologists and psychological practitioners, including recruitment, supervision, job planning and performance management.
• Deliver teaching, training and supervision to psychology staff and wider professionals.
• Drive service development, quality improvement and co‑production initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with clinical governance, safeguarding and Trust policies.
• Lead a small team of multidisciplinary practitioners offering assessment and brief psychological intervention, ensuring safety and quality of their work.
• Inspire and support colleagues within a busy service and work closely with the MDT to deliver high‑quality assessments and interventions for children and young people.
• Ensure high‑quality, evidence‑based psychological interventions for children and young people.
• Offer specialist psychological input and advice to the multidisciplinary team.
• Support complex case discussions and clinical decision‑making.
• Deliver training and supervision to psychology staff and wider professionals.
• Promote continuous professional development and best practice across the service.
• Drive quality improvement, innovation and co‑production initiatives.
• Lead implementation of digital tools and contribute to CNWL’s Neurodevelopmental Pathway Transformation programme.
• Provide expert, highly specialist assessments for neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly autism.
• Ensure timely access to assessments, post‑diagnostic support and interventions.
• Work autonomously within professional guidelines, maintaining the highest standards of clinical care.
• Coordinate workload and support staff development to maintain service quality.
• Work closely with the Specialist Children’s Service Manager, Service Manager and Clinical Director.
• Participate in CNWL networks related to ASD and Community Paediatrics.
• Provide consultation, training and teaching within and beyond the team.
• Lead quality improvement initiatives, service evaluation, research and audit.
• Monitor service effectiveness against key deliverables such as patient safety and care quality.
• Report regularly to the Service Manager and Clinical Director.
• Promote inclusive practices and foster good relations across diverse communities.
• Encourage applications from all sectors of the community to ensure the workforce reflects the populations served.

Leadership & Governance

• Act as the professional lead for clinical psychology within the service.
• Oversee psychological governance and ensure compliance with Trust policies, clinical governance and safeguarding standards.
• Lead service planning and development for neurodevelopmental pathways across the county.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Provide expert, highly specialist assessments for neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly autism.
• Ensure timely access to assessments, post‑diagnostic support and interventions.
• Work autonomously within professional guidelines, maintaining the highest standards of clinical care.

Team Management

• Line‑manage psychologists and psychological practitioners, including recruitment, supervision, appraisal and training.
• Coordinate workload and support staff development to maintain service quality.

Collaboration & Consultation

• Work closely with the Specialist Children’s Service Manager, Service Manager and Clinical Director.
• Participate in CNWL networks related to ASD and Community Paediatrics.
• Provide consultation, training and teaching within and beyond the team.

Quality & Evaluation

• Lead quality improvement initiatives, service evaluation, research and audit.
• Monitor service effectiveness against key deliverables such as patient safety and care quality.
• Report regularly to the Service Manager and Clinical Director.

Equality & Inclusion

• Promote inclusive practices and foster good relations across diverse communities.
• Encourage applications from all sectors of the community to ensure the workforce reflects the populations served.

CNWL Neurodevelopmental Pathway Transformation

The postholder will play a key role in embedding innovative digital tools and contributing to the ongoing development and evaluation of the ND pathway transformation programme. CNWL is implementing a new Neurodevelopmental (ND) pathway transformation programme designed to improve access, consistency and quality of care for children and young people with neurodevelopmental needs. As part of this initiative, the autism assessment service is adopting innovative digital tools and platforms to streamline processes, enhance multidisciplinary collaboration and improve patient experience.

Welcome to Psychological Therapies at Milton Keynes Mental Health Services :: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (cnwl.nhs.uk). Here at CNWL we encourage our psychological professions staff to pursue leadership opportunities in senior roles. Various prominent leadership roles within the Trust are currently held by Psychologists, including Director of Strategy and Integration, Chief Information Officer, and 3 Clinical Directors.

Learn more about working in Milton Keynes by following the link below.

Are you an experienced Clinical Psychologist ready to lead and innovate? We are seeking a highly motivated Professional Lead to join our Milton Keynes Autism Assessment and Community Paediatrics Service. This senior role offers the opportunity to shape a multidisciplinary autism pathway, ensuring timely, high‑quality assessments and post‑diagnostic support for children and young people.