About this role
Job summary
This is a 12 month fixed term cover of a highly valued leadership role within the Southwark Adult Mental Health Directorate at the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust. We are seeking to appoint an experienced psychologist, psychotherapist or psychological therapist with strong leadership skills to this Consultant role, ideally starting in October 2026.
As the Psychology and Psychotherapy Lead for Community Psychosis in Southwark, you will operationally, professionally and clinically lead psychological professionals across the pathway.
Main duties of the job
The person appointed to this post will provide leadership and management in relation to the Community Psychosis pathway, including overseeing safe, effective and timely care and treatment whilst supporting continuous improvement and service development.
The successful candidate will provide direct clinical care and treatment within the community psychosis pathway and enable stepped care with the support of multidisciplinary team colleagues.
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. We want you to feel like you are part of a close knit team at SLaM. It's important to us that you valued and appreciated and that are why we have a comprehensive benefits package 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, The Trust and P&P provide 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 programmesCar lease, our staff benefits from competitive deals to lease carsAccommodation, our staff benefits from keyworker housing available which is available on selected sitesNHS discounts, with discounts up to 10% from a variety of well-known retail brands though Health Service Discounts website.
Other benefits include:
Counselling servicesWellbeing eventsLong service awardsCycle to work schemeSeason ticket loanChildcare vouchersStaff restaurants
Job description Job responsibilities
We are looking for exemplary leadership and communication skills. You will have significant experience inspiring and supporting staff including psychologists and psychotherapists to work effectively, compassionately and collegiately. You will be used to dealing with multiple competing demands and you will be able to maintain your governance role whilst simultaneously having the drive and enthusiasm to support colleagues undertaking quality improvement projects, service delivery and performance responsibilities.
This post also offers excellent opportunities for continuing professional development.
This role will require ensuring appropriate managerial structures are in place to address professional and developmental needs; ensuring appropriate governance structures, roles and responsibilities are in place that support and promote collaborative leadership and team working. integrate research, teaching and clinical activity 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
Person SpecificationQualificationsEssentialDoctoral level qualification in clinical or counselling, forensic, health or educational psychology or equivalent professional qualification in psychological therapy (eg systemic psychotherapy, arts psychotherapy)Post doctoral training in an additional specialised area of psychological practice directly relevant to NHS mental health services (e.g. working with psychosis)Appropriate professional and/or statutory registration eg with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist, or with UKCP/BACP/ACP/BABCP/Evidence of continuing training in a specialised area of psychological practice through formal post-doctoral 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 (psychosis), assessed by an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a postgraduate diplomaExperienceEssentialExperience in leadership of mental health professionals including psychologists and/or psychotherapistsExperience of exercising full clinical responsibility for the psychological care and treatment with clients with psychosis and complex needsExperience of providing teaching and training to psychological therapists and/or other professional groups.
Knowledge & SkillsEssentialSkills in negotiating with management on strategic policiesHighly developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, highly technical and sensitive information to colleagues, clients and familiesAbility to establish and communicate courses of action and targets to ensure achievement of objectivesAdvanced knowledge of psychological assessment and, where relevant, clinical psychometricsAdvanced level knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group, mental health issues and child protectionDisclosure 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
Experience Essential
Clinical specialist in the NHS for people with psychosis Experience of leadership Experience of specialist assessment and treatment in Adult Mental Health specifically psychosis services Experience of supervising junior staff and relevant training Experience of working with diversity and addressing related issues Experience of participating in recruitment Experience of providing teaching and training to psychological practitioners or other professional groups
Knowledge Essential
Knowledge of the theory and practice of management and leadership Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of psychosis Advanced knowledge of the theory of psychological practice/processes in working with psychosis and their therapeutic application. Awareness of assessment and clinical psychometrics. Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities. Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care To deliver psychological/psychotherapeutic therapy across cultural and other differences. To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources according to discipline and specific to working with psychosis. Knowledge of a range of therapeutic ideas/approaches/models in assessment and treatment relevant to discipline Knowledge of racial and other diversity issues and factors affecting access to mental health care.
Qualifications Essential
To have undertaken 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 Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent 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. 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. (A/I) For Family / Systemic Psychotherapists: Post-graduate qualification in relevant mental health/social welfare profession and 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 qualification in Psychotherapy that has been accepted by the APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP (specify which, according to nature of post) for purposes of professional registration. (A/I). For Arts Therapists: Masters Degree (or equivalent) in Arts Therapy or Dance Movement Therapy. (or specify Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Dramatherapy or Dance Movement Therapy) oAdditional 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. (A/I/R) oCompleted training course in clinical supervision and/or accredited to supervise qualified psychological practitioners in relevant discipline. (A/I/R) oRegistered with / accredited by professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP/ADMP-UK/BPS. (A/I) oEvidence of continuing professional development as required by the professional body. (A/I)
Skills Essential
To deliver specialist therapy across cultural and other differences. To select and administer specialist assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources, on which expert opinion may differ. 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 To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers (and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews where appropriate). To plan allocation of tasks to assistants/trainees as appropriates. Well-developed IT skills Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups. 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. To plan delivery of psychology and psychotherapy services to the client group and carers, involving partner agencies. oSpecialist practitioner skills in discipline Advanced skills in professional supervision; including skills for offering live supervision of multi-disciplinary colleagues. Advanced skills in working with a number of clients and systems together, managing the highly complex emotional relationships within and between the component parts of the systems in ways, which maximise the potential for therapeutic outcomes Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups
Abilities Essential
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 psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these. 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 Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed at self (Ability to manage physical aggression directed at self, including use of physical interventions as prescribed by Trust policies.). Ability to manage highly complex situations involving multiple difficulties, and competing/conflicting views about those difficulties; and to help create contexts that develop systemic engagement, and harness the strengths and abilities of those involved in order to work towards solutions
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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 London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address St Giles CMHT
St. Giles Road
London
SE5 7UD
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)