Psychotherapist, Practitioner Psychologist or Psychological Therapist

NHS; City Of London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS foundation trust is seeking a qualified Psychotherapist or Psychological Therapist to join their Workforce Development team. The role will involve supporting the P&P Workforce initiatives, supervising trainees, and contributing to essential programs in mental health. Candidates must have a doctoral qualification in psychology and a commitment to diverse community engagement. The position offers competitive pay and flexible working options.

Benefits

Generous pay, pensions, and leave

Flexible working options

Career development opportunities

NHS discounts

Qualifications

• Evidence of working as a clinical specialist under supervision.
• Experience of supervising assistant psychologists and trainees.
• Knowledge of mental health legislation and safeguarding.

Responsibilities

• Support the 8b Workforce Lead in P&P Workforce development.
• Contribute to P&P Workforce initiatives and team working.
• Implement projects and handle multiple competing demands.

Skills

Compassion

Good communication skills

Initiative

Team management

Education

Doctoral level qualification in psychology

Job description

Go back South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Psychotherapist, Practitioner Psychologist or Psychological Therapist

The closing date is 11 November 2025

An innovative and highly valued trustwide organisational role: this permanent 8a role is open to all qualified Psychological Professions to work in Workforce Development within the Corporate Psychology & Psychotherapy (P&P) team in South London & Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Trust. Weseekto appoint a psychological therapist, psychotherapist or practitioner psychologist with an interest in developing and supporting the SLaM P&P workforce to be a safe, effective, inclusive and innovative environment.

Youwill work with the existing Workforce Lead to deliver a range of supports to the P&P Workforce including CPD events and programmes in collaboration with Learning & Development and P&P colleagues, liaising with professional training programmes (we have close links with the Kings Clinical Psychology Training programme but support several training pathways) and contributing to new role development and the diversification of the profession.

The post holder will act as an advocate for staff and an ambassador for the P&P workforce across the trust, supporting them and others to maintain excellent standards of care and evidence-based service delivery. Along with the Workforce Lead, the Trust Director and Deputy Director of P&P and other staff, the postholder will contribute to the leadership and development of the Psychological Professions across the Trust.

We welcome applications from candidates from minoritised ethnic and other groups representing local communities.

Main duties of the job

This person appointed to this post will support the 8b Workforce Lead to deliver P&P Workforce development priorities by effectively supporting and promoting initiatives for the benefit for the workforce in their P&P career. This will include supervision of Assistant Psychologists and Trainees working in the service who will also contribute to this work.

As a member of P&P Workforce Development within the Corporate P&P team the postholder will take up responsibilities as required and they will work actively with other functions and colleagues in the Trust such as the Trust Learning & Development team and P&P colleagues across the full range of clinical services.

This post is a full‑time post including up to 0.2 WTE clinical sessions. Clinical sessions will be arranged on appointment according to the successful applicant's area of expertise and existing service vacancies. Applicants will be able to demonstrate appropriate level clinical experience.

About us

We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work‑life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family. It’s important to us that you valued and appreciated and that our comprehensive benefits package is on offer.

Some of our benefits are highlighted here:

• Generous pay, pensions and leave – we offer a comprehensive pay, pensions and leave package which is dependent on the role and length of service.
• Work life balance, flexible working and support a range of flexible options, such as: part‑time working and job sharing.
• Career development – there are plenty of opportunities to progress your career and we support your development through a number of programmes such as mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes.
• Car lease – our staff benefit from competitive deals to lease cars.
• Accommodation – our staff benefit from key‑worker housing available on selected sites.
• NHS discounts – with discounts up to 10% from a variety of well‑known retail brands through the Health Service Discounts website.
• Counselling services
• Long service awards
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Staff restaurants

Job responsibilities

We are looking for someone to take initiative, implement projects and use their compassion and good communication skills in working with a range of colleagues. In your existing role you are ideally likely to have experience of contributing to team management/leadership and service development and governance as well as having sound clinical experience and skills. You will be able to deal with multiple competing demands including being able to respond to a range of queries, carry out regular programmes of work as well as focus on in‑depth project development.

This post also offers excellent opportunities for continuing professional development. This role will have responsibilities within P&P Workforce Development in the Corporate Psychology & Psychotherapy team as well as in your clinical placement (to be agreed). The Workforce Development responsibilities include:

• to contribute to and where appropriate lead on P&P Workforce initiatives for the Psychology & Psychotherapy workforce across the Trust.
• to collaborate with colleagues across the Trust and external to the Trust to address issues in Workforce Development with a key focus on issues related to SLaM P&P.
• activities requiring support and promoting collaboration and team working.
• activities involving integrating research, guidance, teaching and clinical activity and knowledge so that there is a continual cycle of innovation, review, evaluation and improvement based on best‑practice standards and creating an environment that fosters innovation and service development.

Excerpts from Person Specification

Qualifications

Doctoral level qualification in clinical or counselling, forensic, health or educational psychology or equivalent professional qualification in psychological therapy (eg systemic psychotherapy, arts psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy)

Appropriate professional and/or statutory registration eg with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist, or with an appropriate body eg UKCP/BACP/ACP/BABCP

Evidence of continuing training in a specialised area of psychological practice relevant to the work of the Trust through formal post-qualification training (diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses, OR an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice‑based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a postgraduate diploma

Experience

• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision.
• Experience of supervising other staff such as assistants and trainees having completed relevant training.
• Post‑qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
• Experience of carrying out post‑qualification research, audit or service evaluation projects.
• Experience of providing teaching and training to psychological therapists and/or other professional groups.

Knowledge & Skills

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.

Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.

Knowledge of racial and other diversity issues and factors affecting access to mental health care.

To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.

Knowledge of a range of a range of therapeutic ideas/approaches systemic models in assessment and treatment relevant to discipline.

Well‑developed IT skills including entry and analysis of data.

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).

Person Specification

Qualifications

• A specific Psychological Profession qualification and accreditation as set out below: 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/Counselling/Health/Educational/Forensic Psychologist. (A/I) For Family / Systemic Psychotherapists: qualification in relevant mental health/social welfare profession or significant demonstrable practice in this field (A/I) Plus Masters level qualification in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy or equivalent qualification, accredited by UKCP (A/I) For Psychotherapists: Entry‑level applied clinical qualification in Psychotherapy that has been accepted by the APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP for purposes of professional registration. (A/I) For Arts Therapists: Masters Degree (or equivalent) in Art, Music or Drama Psychotherapy accredited by HCPC or Dance Movement Therapy with A‑DMP professional registration
• General mental health (and related) experience as evidenced by 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.
• Additional training beyond entry‑level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice through formal post‑qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice‑based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a registered body and/or an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher.
• Completed training course in clinical supervision and/or accredited to supervised qualified psychological practitioners in relevant discipline.
• Registered with professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP/ADMP‑UK.

Experience

• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
• Experience of supervising other staff such as assistants and trainees having completed relevant training.
• Post‑qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
• Experience of carrying out post‑qualification research, audit or service evaluation projects
• Experience of working with Psychological Profession training courses

Knowledge

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for psychological assessment and intervention.
• Advanced knowledge of the theory of psychological therapy and it’s therapeutic application. Associated awareness of assessment and clinical psychometrics.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to mental health issues, safeguarding, and equalities.
• Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
• Doctoral/MSc level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis.

Skills

• Skillful communication about sensitive and complex information
• To plan and prioritise tasks for self and others
• Contribute and work effectively in a team
• Use clinical governance mechanisms

Abilities

• Ability to work effectively within a multi‑disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
• Ability to develop and use complex multi‑media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings
• Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these.

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.

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust