Clinical & Wellbeing Lead (Psychologist)

We are looking to recruit a Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist and Therapies Lead to lead on Therapies across the Older People's Service pathway. The postholder will be an expert in the psychological assessment and treatment of older people with mental health difficulties, including some experience in working with people with cognitive deficits. They will work in collaboration with the Consultant Psychology Lead for the pathway to ensure excellent governance of psychological assessments and therapies provided by all older people's psychologists and other staff. The postholder will provide professional and clinical supervision to band 7/8a psychologists carrying out psychological therapies and, alongside the other 8b psychologists, take a lead role in the management of waiting lists and the Older People's Psychology CPD programme. The postholder may be asked to contribute to wider CMHA service line initiatives and improvement projects needing their clinical expertise.
For the clinical part of their role the postholder will be based in one of the Older People's Community Teams or inpatient services. If postholders are interested there is the opportunity to carry out neuropsychological assessments of dementia within the Memory Assessment Services.


You will join an established group of psychologists working with older people across South West London & St Georges. You will be well supported within the psychology team, where continuing professional development and staff support are highly valued, and there is a strong focus on CPD. The service has strong links with the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training Program at the University of Surrey, where we regularly provide placements and contribute to teaching on the program.


For the clinical aspects of the role the post will be based within Sutton Older People's CMHT or on one of the inpatient wards, although there is flexibility within this and we are happy to discuss the location further with interested parties.
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.


We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.


We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services.


We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.


We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.


Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.
To ensure the systematic provision of a high-quality specialist psychological therapies service to clients under the care of the clinical team to which the post holder is attached, across all sectors of care.
To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the team and to ensure that systems are in place and working effectively for the clinical and professional supervision and support of all other psychological therapy staff within the team.
To support the Head of P& P for Cognition & Mental Health in Ageing in the systematic provision of high-quality specialist psychological therapy services across the service Line.
To supervise and support the psychological assessment and therapy provided by other qualified psychologists across the CMHA Service line in order to ensure high quality and evidence based psychological practices and be responsible for the governance of psychological practice within the cluster.
To provide professional supervision to other qualified psychologists across the CMHA Service line, supporting P& P staff to undertake continuing professional development.
To support the Professional Lead for P& P for Cognition & Mental Health in Ageing services in the systematic provision of high-quality specialist psychological services across the service Line.
To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the service area, working with the P& P lead to coordinate psychological assessment, treatment, and therapy resources across the teams.
To utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research.
To propose and implement policy changes within the area served by the Cognition & Mental Health in Ageing Teams.
To contribute to quality improvement initiatives and service developments within the CMHA service line, particularly in relation to the role of P& P.

Training and Qualifications
Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS/HCPC
Formal training in supervision of other psychologists / psychological therapists
To be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council under the appropriate domain specific title

Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice, preferably CBT or neuropsychological practice.
Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical / counselling psychologist for a minimum of six years, including at least 3 years post qualification experience with older adults in secondary care
Experience of working with a wide variety of clients and carers, presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, in-patient and residential care settings including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems.
Experience of delivering evidence-based psychological therapies to service users in secondary care settings
Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision

Experience of professional management of qualified and pre-qualified clinical / counselling psychologists
Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
Experience of assessing and treating clients across the full range of care settings
Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts

Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, and neuropsychology, and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
Knowledge of psychosocial interventions for people with dementia and their carers
Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology
Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health
Knowledge of our business and how it supports patient care
Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups

Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult-to-treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnosis)
High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two evidence based specialised psychological therapies
Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health

South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust
Springfield University Hospital