Practitioner Psychologist or CBT Therapist in London

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 providing high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment. The Care Quality Commission 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

This is an exciting opportunity to join the National and Specialist CAMHS OCD, BDD and Related Disorders Service. They are seeking to recruit 2 × full‑time permanent Band 7 Psychologists or CBT Therapists. This service is nationally and internationally renowned in the field of paediatric OCD, BDD and related disorders and is at the forefront of research and clinical practice developments.

The service provides specialist assessment and treatment for children with OCD, BDD, and related disorders. The post‑holders will work closely with senior and experienced Clinical Psychologists on the team, a part‑time Consultant Psychiatrist, as well as trainees from a variety of disciplines. The post‑holders will work in all aspects of the service, clinical, research and service development.

Main duties of the job

The post‑holders will carry their own caseload and work with children, young people and their families with OCD, BDD and related disorders such as Tourette Syndrome and Trichotillomania. As well as being part of multi‑disciplinary assessments, the post‑holders would be delivering manualised CBT for the different disorders and would have the opportunity to train up in this treatment, according to service need. The post‑holders will have the opportunity to contribute to ongoing service developments and research within the clinic, and to take a lead in some of these projects.

Working for our organisation

The National and Specialist OCD, BDD & Related Disorders team is currently based at the Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People (PMCYP), Maudsley Hospital. It is a large and growing, busy and very friendly service. The team is made up of largely clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, a Parent Peer Support Worker, and excellent administrative support. The service is much in demand with a growing number of referrals. There is regular individual supervision, team case discussions and a Reflective Practice group to ensure that everyone feels well supported. There is an emphasis on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and research/audit is strongly supported as part of the multi‑disciplinary team approach.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Purpose

To provide a specialist psychology service to children and young people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder and related disorders 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 undertake service evaluation, audit and research. To work as an autonomous professional within BPS, HCPC, and/or BABCP guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.

Essential requirements

• 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/BABCP for purposes of professional registration.
• Registered with the HCPC/BABCP as Practitioner Psychologist/CBT Therapist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC/BABCP.
• Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in child and adolescent mental health services, including provision of CBT for anxiety disorders.
• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of children and young people with OCD, BDD and related disorders.
• To select and administer specialist neuropsychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
• 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.
• Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups.
• Ability to work effectively within a multi‑disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
• Ability to develop and use complex multi‑media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Entry‑level qualification in applied psychological therapy 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.
• Registered with professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/BABCP.

Experience

• Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, including provision of CBT for anxiety disorders.
• Experience working in a specialist service for children and young people with OCD and/or anxiety disorders.

Knowledge

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of children and young people with OCD, BDD, and related disorders.
• Experience of undertaking qualitative and quantitative research.

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

Abilities

• Ability to work effectively within a multi‑disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
• 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.

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.

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.