Senior Clinical Psychologist

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Clinical Psychologist The closing date is 15 March 2026

Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist, Band 8a, full time, fixed term post (1 year) in Lambeth.

Mental Health and Learning Disabilities (MHLD) Service - specialist community service for adults with learning disabilities and additional mental health difficulties or challenging behaviour, covering the London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham.

The Lambeth post is a full time fixed term position based at The Maudsley in Denmark Hill; full time or part time applicants are encouraged to apply.

About us The Psychology service forms part of the MHLD Service within the Croydon and Behavioural and Developmental Psychiatry Directorate. Psychologists and Behavioural Support Practitioners work under the lead of the Consultant Clinical Psychologist, in conjunction with the Team Leader for each borough. Clinical work is delivered within separate borough teams (Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark), each coordinated by a Team Leader. There are opportunities to contribute to service developments and CPD across the boroughs and the wider Trust.

Main duties of the job Provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and interventions for adults with learning disabilities, challenging behaviour and mental health needs; select, administer and interpret psychometric and neuropsychological tests; deliver culturally appropriate interventions; assess risk and develop management plans; produce clinical reports; promote psychological support for carers; work autonomously within professional guidelines; communicate sensitively; act as care coordinator; and oversee supervision and staff support.

Job responsibilities K.R. 1 - Clinical and Client Care

• Provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients with learning disabilities, challenging behaviour and mental health needs.
• Select, administer and interpret complex psychometric and neuropsychological tests.
• Provide culturally appropriate interventions with carers or families.
• Assess and monitor risk, and develop risk management plans.
• Produce psychological reports for referrers, service users, families and professional network.
• Deliver evidence based therapeutic interventions from a range of theoretical models, monitoring outcomes and adapting as necessary.
• Promote psychological support for carers or families.
• Work autonomously within professional guidelines, taking responsibility for treatment and discharge decisions.
• Communicate complex information sensitively, considering sensory, cultural and emotional barriers.
• Act as care coordinator for identified clients, managing CPA coordination and meetings.

K.R. 2 - Contributing to Team or Service Clinical Functioning

• Contribute to the effective working of the team and a psychologically informed framework for the service.
• Assist in delivering accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.
• Proactively challenge discrimination and support culturally competent services.
• Advise service members on specialist psychological care.
• Liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals to develop and review care plans.
• Utilise theory, evidence based literature and research to support practice.
• Liaise with MDT and other professionals.

K.R. 3 - Policy and Service Development

• Implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and propose improvements or beneficial changes.
• Contribute to service development through appropriate projects.
• Consult and engage service users in planning and delivering services that meet local community needs.

K.R. 4 - Care or Management of Resources

• Take care of and use Trust equipment and physical resources responsibly.
• Ensure sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requisitioning supplies.
• Maintain cleanliness and safe functioning of equipment used by clients or others.

K.R. 5 - Management and Supervision

• Be responsible for allocation and clinical supervision of more junior psychological practitioners with support from a senior practitioner.
• Supervise trainee applied psychological practitioners, behavioural support specialists and psychological practitioners.
• Contribute to appraisal and recruitment of junior practitioners as appropriate.
• Provide supervision for the psychological and psychotherapeutic work of multidisciplinary staff.

K.R. 6 - Teaching and Training

• Undertake occasional teaching and training of pre and post qualifications and specialised training for other professions.
• Maintain awareness of current developments in psychological therapy and learning disabilities and implement knowledge in practice.
• Disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.

K.R. 7 - Record Keeping and Information Governance

• Ensure all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
• Maintain high standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, including electronic data entry.

K.R. 8 - Research and Development

• Initiate, undertake, support and supervise complex service evaluation and audits.
• Initiate and carry out appropriate research as agreed.
• Provide research advice to other staff undertaking research.
• Develop and implement outcome measurement and assessment tools.
• Identify and contribute to service development through projects.

K.R. 9 - Maintaining Professional Standards and Continuing Professional Development

• Receive regular clinical and professional supervision in line with professional body and Trust guidelines.
• Maintain Continuing Professional Development in line with professional body and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of professional and clinical practice, legislation and policies.
• Comply with professional body standards of conduct, performance and ethics.

K.R. 10 - General

• Travel to home visits, community placements and various departmental and Trust meetings as required.
• Be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour and follow Trust policies.
• Respond appropriately to emotionally distressing situations and support others through Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect Support Resolve.

Person Specification Qualifications

• Entry level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) accepted for registration.
• Additional training beyond entry level 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 evidence based portfolio assessed by a registered body.
• Completed training in clinical supervision and/or accredited to supervised qualified psychological practitioners.
• Registered with a professional body (HCPC/APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP/ADMP UK).
• Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the professional body.

Experience

• Experience working as a clinical specialist under supervision in services for people with learning disabilities.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with learning disabilities with complex needs.
• Experience supervising assistants and trainees.
• Experience providing teaching and training to psychologists or other professional groups.
• Post qualification experience supporting work with and addressing diversity within local communities.
• Trust welcomes applications from people with lived experience of mental health challenges.

Knowledge

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and evidence based treatment for people with learning disabilities.
• Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment, therapy and clinical psychometrics.
• Knowledge of legislation relating to the client group, mental health issues, child and adult protection and equalities.
• Knowledge of factors affecting acceptance and accessibility of mental health care.
• Ability to deliver psychological/psychotherapeutic therapy across cultural and other differences.

Skills

• Skillfully communicate complex information with clients, carers and colleagues, overcoming sensory, emotional, cultural and hostilities.
• Plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individuals and groups, and manage meetings such as CPA and case reviews.
• Skilled in administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests.
• Plan allocation of tasks to assistants/trainees.
• Provide teaching and training to other professional groups.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check for any previous convictions.

Address Clinical Treatment Centre, Maudsley Hospital

Salary £64,156 to £71,148 a year incl. inner HCAs

Contract Fixed term

Duration 12 months

Working pattern Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working, Compressed hours

Reference number 334-CLI-
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