Specialist Clinical Psychologist

Transformationunitgm; London; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading NHS Trust as a Specialist Clinical Psychologist within the Mental Health & Learning Disabilities Service. In this full-time role, you will deliver high-quality psychological assessments and interventions to adults with learning disabilities and support them in overcoming additional mental health challenges. The position offers opportunities for professional growth and collaboration with a highly skilled team.

Qualifications

• Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy.
• Registered with HCPC or relevant professional body.
• Experience in assessment and treatment within learning disabilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist psychological assessments and interventions.
• Conduct neuropsychological assessments and manage treatment plans.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to enhance patient care.

Skills

Communication

Psychological Assessment

Neuropsychological Assessment

Treatment Planning

Team Collaboration

Education

Professional Doctorate in Psychology

HCPC Registration

Job description

Employer South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Old Town Hall Town London Salary £54,320 - £60,981 per annum inclusive of HCAs Salary period Yearly Closing 15/07/2025 23:59

Specialist Clinical Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 7

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role.We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

We are looking for a specialist practitioner psychologist /psychotherapist , to work within the Mental Health & Learning Disabilities Service (MHLD). We are a specialist community service for adults with learning disabilities, covering the London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham , delivering a service to adults who have additional mental health difficulties and/or behaviour that challenges.

The Lewisham post is a full time , permanent position based in central Catford , co-located with the CTLD health team. Those seeking full-time or part-time work are encouraged to apply.

The team consists of Psychology, Psychiatry and CPN colleagues and works in close partnership with local CTLD health teams and social care. You will be part of a well-established group of Psychologists and Behavioural Support Practitioners, working across the three boroughs.

You will be expected to work directly and indirectly with people with learning disabilities, families, carers and networks to provide a range of high quality, evidence-based, collaborative and person- centred psychological assessments and interventions. We are looking for someone that can bring a dynamic and creative approach to service delivery, aimed at improving the lives of people with learning disabilities who have additional mental health needs and/or behaviours that challenge. Please note, that knowledge, skills and experience in carrying out neuropsychological assessment is essential in this role.

Main duties of the job

To provide specialist psychological interventions to adults with learning disabilities with additional mental health needs and/or behaviour which challenges, including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate .

To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.

To work as an autonomous professional within registration body guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions with support of clinical supervisor.

To contribute psychological expertise within the wider multi-agency context.

To be active in the provision of staff support within their area, including but not limited to Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Resolve. To participate , as a recipient, in staff support work when appropriate .

Working for our organisation

Across the three boroughs, we provide a range of psychological assessments and interventions for people with learning disabilities and their networks, with specialist expertise and interests across the service in systemic, narrative, neuropsychology, CAT and positive behavioural approaches. You will be expected to make use of regular CPD sessions within the Trust as well as special interest/supervision groups offered by psychologists within the service aimed at further developing therapeutic skills and knowledge.

We have close links with the Estia Centre and as we are part of a Clinical Academic Group within Kings Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre, research interests and joint initiatives aimed at improving the physical and mental health care for people with learning disabilities are encouraged. There are opportunities to help develop and deliver training and consultation to provider services and our mainstream mental health colleagues as part of your work.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KR 1 Clinical and Client Care

To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for adults with learning disabilities seen within the MHLD service, including working with people who have mental health difficulties and/or challenging behaviours and their networks, within limits expected at Band 7, i.e. achievable by newly-qualified psychologists after a few months on-the-job training.

To select, administer and interpret psychometric and neuropsychological tests, requiring skilled manipulation of test materials, and interpretation and integration of complex data.

To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required .

To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.

To provide reports, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order to inform referrers , service users , their families and professional network .

To select and deliver specialist evidence based therapeutic interventions , drawing on a range of theoretical models , monitoring outcome and modifying and adapting interventions as necessary, based on the highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual and their network .

To promote psychological support for carers (or families as appropriate) of referred clients .

To work as an autonomous professional within professional guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking full responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.

To communicate skilfully and sensitively highly complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication.

To act as care coordinator or CPA co-ordinator if required , taking responsibility for planning and reviewing care plans, CPA co-ordination and meetings as required

KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning

To contribute to the effective working of the MHLD service and to a psychologically informed framework for the service.

To contribute to the team or service’s delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.

To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services.

To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans.

To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members.

To liaise with the service/s MDT and other professionals.

KR 3 Policy and service development

To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes.

To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.

To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects .

KR 4 Care or management of resources

To take care of, and use carefully, the Trust’s equipment and physical resources.

To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.

To ensure the cleanliness and safe functioning and use of equipment that will be used by clients or other persons.

To monitor and advise clients on the safe use of materials and processes.

To ensure adequate confidential and safe storage for artefacts produced during the therapy process in line with professional guidelines.

To be responsible for obtaining, storing and maintaining all materials and equipment for the provision of therapy in work setting within budgetary constraints.

KR 5 Management and supervision

To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of an assistant psychologist if required , under supervision from a more senior psychologist .

To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Training Course’s Supervision Training.

To provide supervision for the psychological and/or psychotherapeutic work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate .

KR 6 Teaching and Training

To undertake occasional teaching and training of pre and post- qualification psycholog ical practitioners and specialised training to other professions and staff in local services as appropriate .

To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within the service by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychological therapy and learning disabilities and by implementing knowledge gained in practice.

To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.

KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance

To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.

To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.

KR 8 Research and development

To undertake regular complex service evaluation, audits or research relevant to service needs.

To initiate and carry out appropriate research as agreed .

To provide research advice to other staff undertaking research within the service.

KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development

To receive regular clinical and professional supervision f rom a more senior psychological therapist according to professional body and Trust guidelines.

To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with professional body and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and professional Standards for Cont inuing Professional Development .

To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.

To comply with professional body Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics /Standards of Proficiency and ensure professional development in line with these.

KR10 General

To travel to home visits, community placements, psychology meetings as appropriate and across the Trust when required .

To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group and follow trust policies relating to its management.

To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations (such as challenging behaviour, abuse etc.) and to support others involved in such situations through Trust-wide approaches including Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Reso lve.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration (2)
• Registered with professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP/ADMP-UK. (2)

Experience

• Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature seen within the speciality of learning disabilities. (2)
• Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs (2)
• Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience. (2)
• Experience of developing and carrying out research, audit or service evaluation projects. (2)
• Lived experience of mental health or supporting someone with learning disabilities . (2)

Knowledge

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of adults with learning disabilities who have additional mental health needs, psychological distress or challenging behaviour (2)
• Knowledge of psychological assessment, therapy and clinical psychometrics. (2)
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities (2)
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for people with learning disabilities (2)
• Knowledge of racial and other diversity issues and factors affecting access to mental health care (2)
• To deliver psychological/psychotherapeutic therapy across cultural and other differences. (2)

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 (2)
• To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials. (2)
• Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups (2)
• Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups and sensitively managing, a number of people’s needs simultaneously within the context of therapeutic work/consultation. (2)
• To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, including neuropsychological assessments, formulation and interventions, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources (2)

Abilities

• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles (2)
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate (2)
• Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour (2)
• Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings (2)

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online
• That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
• That we are a smoke-free Trust

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion , Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe’

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.