Job summary
Shape the future of highly specialist mental health care by joining the UK's foremost OCD and BDD treatment centre. As a CBT practitioner within our expert team, you will deliver transformative care through both our specialist inpatient programme and intensive home-based therapy, working with patients who have complex needs and have not responded to previous treatments.
Based at our distinguished Seacole Ward--a 14-bed unit within Springfield University Hospital--you'll provide highly specialised psychological services for severe and profound OCD/BDD cases. This unique role offers opportunities to contribute to a nationally commissioned NHS England tier 6 service, work alongside BABCP Accredited therapists, participate in research, and develop advanced specialist skills through robust supervision.
We're looking for qualified mental health professionals who are either BABCP accredited (or working towards accreditation) or HCPC registered Clinical Psychologists. While experience with OCD and BDD is desirable, we primarily seek individuals passionate about developing expertise in this specialist area.
Join us in delivering innovative, evidence-based care at the forefront of OCD and BDD treatment.
Main duties of the job
As a Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist at our nationally-renowned service, you'll provide specialised mental health care at Springfield University Hospital, delivering expert cognitive behavioural therapy to individuals with severe OCD and BDD. Your clinical work will focus on evidence-based treatment approaches within both inpatient and community settings.
In this role, you'll have the opportunity to:
Collaborate with our multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive care through both our specialist inpatient programme and intensive home-based therapy
Develop treatment approaches for complex cases that haven't responded to previous interventions
Share your expertise through clinical supervision and contribute to the professional development of junior therapists
Contribute to service development and research initiatives
Our service combines intensive inpatient care with community outreach, enabling you to work flexibly across different care settings. You'll occasionally travel to support patients across the UK, but your primary base will be our purpose-designed facility at Springfield Hospital.
We're looking for someone who combines clinical expertise with the professional resilience needed to support individuals through challenging periods. If you have experience in specialist mental health care and want to work with a team dedicated to advancing OCD/BDD treatment, we want to hear from you.
About us
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'.
This is a great time to join us. 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 inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. 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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical Work
Deliver specialist psychological assessments and evidence-based CBT interventions to adult patients through both inpatient and intensive home-based services
Work autonomously while maintaining effective liaison with the National Team
Formulate and implement intensive psychological treatment plans based on complex patient needs
Utilize specialist assessment tools including structured interviews, questionnaires, and rating scales
Conduct thorough risk assessments and provide risk management guidance to other clinicians
Communicate complex clinical information sensitively to patients, families, and healthcare professionals
Make decisions about treatment options considering theoretical models and developmental factors
Supervision and Professional Development
Provide clinical supervision to junior therapists and trainees
Participate in regular clinical supervision to maintain and enhance professional practice
Engage in continuous professional development activities
Offer specialist guidance to other clinicians and non-statutory sector professionals
Contribute to the training of cognitive behavioural psychotherapists
Service Development and Research
Contribute to service evaluation and development through research and clinical audits
Help maintain and improve service standards through evidence-based practice
Participate in the development of NICE-compliant treatment models for refractory OCD/BDD
Support the evaluation and monitoring of service operational policies
Contribute to annual service reports and development initiatives
Professional Standards
Maintain comprehensive clinical records in line with professional standards
Keep up-to-date with current legislation and policies affecting clinical practice
Work within professional guidelines and Trust frameworks
Participate in mandatory training and professional development activities
Contribute to maintaining high professional standards across the service
Working Environment
Primary base at Springfield University Hospital's Seacole Ward, a specialist 14-bed inpatient unit
Occasional travel required for providing home-based therapy services
Collaborate with multidisciplinary team members and external healthcare providers
Work within a nationally commissioned NHS England tier 6 service
Manage complex clinical situations requiring careful judgment and limited specialist support
The role requires maintaining professional excellence while working with challenging clinical presentations and contributing to the service's position as a national leader in OCD/BDD treatment. You will need to balance direct patient care with service development responsibilities, ensuring both individual patient needs and broader service objectives are met effectively.
Your work will directly impact the lives of individuals with severe and treatment-resistant conditions, requiring both clinical expertise and the ability to innovate within established therapeutic frameworks. The position offers opportunities for professional growth while contributing to the advancement of specialised OCD/BDD treatment approaches.
The successful candidate will join a dedicated team of specialists committed to providing the highest standard of care within the NHS England commissioned service framework.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical Work
Deliver specialist psychological assessments and evidence-based CBT interventions to adult patients through both inpatient and intensive home-based services
Work autonomously while maintaining effective liaison with the National Team
Formulate and implement intensive psychological treatment plans based on complex patient needs
Utilize specialist assessment tools including structured interviews, questionnaires, and rating scales
Conduct thorough risk assessments and provide risk management guidance to other clinicians
Communicate complex clinical information sensitively to patients, families, and healthcare professionals
Make decisions about treatment options considering theoretical models and developmental factors
Supervision and Professional Development
Provide clinical supervision to junior therapists and trainees
Participate in regular clinical supervision to maintain and enhance professional practice
Engage in continuous professional development activities
Offer specialist guidance to other clinicians and non-statutory sector professionals
Contribute to the training of cognitive behavioural psychotherapists
Service Development and Research
Contribute to service evaluation and development through research and clinical audits
Help maintain and improve service standards through evidence-based practice
Participate in the development of NICE-compliant treatment models for refractory OCD/BDD
Support the evaluation and monitoring of service operational policies
Contribute to annual service reports and development initiatives
Professional Standards
Maintain comprehensive clinical records in line with professional standards
Keep up-to-date with current legislation and policies affecting clinical practice
Work within professional guidelines and Trust frameworks
Participate in mandatory training and professional development activities
Contribute to maintaining high professional standards across the service
Working Environment
Primary base at Springfield University Hospital's Seacole Ward, a specialist 14-bed inpatient unit
Occasional travel required for providing home-based therapy services
Collaborate with multidisciplinary team members and external healthcare providers
Work within a nationally commissioned NHS England tier 6 service
Manage complex clinical situations requiring careful judgment and limited specialist support
The role requires maintaining professional excellence while working with challenging clinical presentations and contributing to the service's position as a national leader in OCD/BDD treatment. You will need to balance direct patient care with service development responsibilities, ensuring both individual patient needs and broader service objectives are met effectively.
Your work will directly impact the lives of individuals with severe and treatment-resistant conditions, requiring both clinical expertise and the ability to innovate within established therapeutic frameworks. The position offers opportunities for professional growth while contributing to the advancement of specialised OCD/BDD treatment approaches.
The successful candidate will join a dedicated team of specialists committed to providing the highest standard of care within the NHS England commissioned service framework.
Person Specification
Training & Qualifications
Essential
- Qualification in a core graduate or post graduate mental health profession and registered with a professional body
- To be an accredited practitioner of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) with the British Association of Behavioural Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP)
- Evidence of regular post qualification development
- Evidence of continuing professional development formal training in supervision of other cognitive behaviour therapists and/or related clinicians
Desirable
- Advanced training in Behavioural Cognitive Psychotherapy
Experience
Essential
- Experience of assessment and treatment of people with a wide range of mental health problems, of varying severity and complexity
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal and physical abuse
- Demonstrate further specialist training/experience working as a specialist cognitive behaviour therapist over a minimum of 2 years, post accreditation
Desirable
- Experience of working in both primary and secondary mental health care, including multi-agency working
- Experience of mental health problems and the capacity to use that experience to the benefit of patient care
- Experience of CBT group work and in supervising/facilitating others practice in running therapeutic/psycho-educational groups
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge and therapeutic skills necessary to deliver psychological treatments in line with NICE guidelines as relevant to anxiety disorders in particular OCD/BDD
- Skills in the assessment and evaluation of risk associated with mental ill health and related psychopathology
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
Desirable
- Advanced practitioner skills in at least one model of psychological therapy
- High-level knowledge in the assessment and evaluation of the psychological therapies
Person Specification
Training & Qualifications
Essential
- Qualification in a core graduate or post graduate mental health profession and registered with a professional body
- To be an accredited practitioner of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) with the British Association of Behavioural Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP)
- Evidence of regular post qualification development
- Evidence of continuing professional development formal training in supervision of other cognitive behaviour therapists and/or related clinicians
Desirable
- Advanced training in Behavioural Cognitive Psychotherapy
Experience
Essential
- Experience of assessment and treatment of people with a wide range of mental health problems, of varying severity and complexity
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal and physical abuse
- Demonstrate further specialist training/experience working as a specialist cognitive behaviour therapist over a minimum of 2 years, post accreditation
Desirable
- Experience of working in both primary and secondary mental health care, including multi-agency working
- Experience of mental health problems and the capacity to use that experience to the benefit of patient care
- Experience of CBT group work and in supervising/facilitating others practice in running therapeutic/psycho-educational groups
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge and therapeutic skills necessary to deliver psychological treatments in line with NICE guidelines as relevant to anxiety disorders in particular OCD/BDD
- Skills in the assessment and evaluation of risk associated with mental ill health and related psychopathology
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
Desirable
- Advanced practitioner skills in at least one model of psychological therapy
- High-level knowledge in the assessment and evaluation of the psychological therapies
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
