South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Senior CBT Therapist

The closing date is 15 October 2025

Job summary

An opportunity to take a leading role in Lewisham Talking Therapies programme of improvement has arisen. We are recruiting an 8b Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist to jointly lead our Step 2 team and take the lead on promoting service development in the step 2 team and across the service.

The primary purpose of this role is to contribute to the continued development and provision of a very high quality therapy service to meet the needs of people with common mental health problems in Lewisham. The Joint Step 2 & Service Development Clinical Lead will be an experienced psychological therapist with extensive experience working within NHS Talking Therapy/IAPT services , and will be part of the management team and work closely with the service lead , playing a key role in supporting, inspiring and guiding the clinical work of their team, with a focus on continuing service improvement

Main duties of the job

  • The postholder's key responsibilities, in close co-ordination with the joint lead, are:

    To manage the step 2 team, ensuring its efficient day-to-day running, anticipating and planning for future demands, and monitoring and managing its effective performance

    Develop and implement a strategy to enable the Step 2 team to meet the national targets around reliable recovery and reliable improvement

    Plan and manage treatment capacity to ensure that the South East London ICB targets around completed treatments and waiting times are met

    Lead the development and promotion of a Quality Improvement approach to service development across the whole service

    To hold overall line management responsibility for the Step 2 team, supporting their well-being and development and managing their performance

    Lead on recruitment for senior, qualified and trainee PWPs

    To work collaboratively with the service lead to plan the future development of the service, and to lead specific service developments and new initiatives

    To work autonomously as a Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures.

    To provide high quality specialist CBT supervision

About us

The post-holder will work within the Lewisham Talking Therapies Service. The LTT service consists of approximately 100 WTE clinical and administration staff providing a service across Lewisham. The main service bases are Catford Town Hall, the Lind Clinic, the Jenner Health Centre and Baring Rd clinic. This is a borough of high social and psychological needs with considerable cultural diversity and deprivation. The service sees clients with a wide range of common mental health problems and varying levels of severity. Many clients present with multiple problems including social, housing and employment issues. The postholder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.

We have close links with our sister TT services within SLaM, with the TT training courses at the Institute of Psychiatry and University College London (UCL). High-Intensity Therapists receive specialist CBT supervision and training delivered by the senior team (individually) and by the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma - a national centre of clinical excellence and research innovation within SLaM (for group supervision). Low-Intensity Therapists receive regular case management supervision and clinical skills group supervision facilitated by experienced Senior PWPs and CBT Therapists.

Details

Date posted

01 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£72,921 to £83,362 a year per annum Incl. of HCAs

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-CLI-7361154

Job locations

Lewisham NHS Talking Therapies

Lewisham Town Hall, Catford Rd

London

SE64RU


Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

1) PLANNING, MANAGING AND EVALUATING THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES WITHIN LEWISHAM TALKING THERAPIES

Assessing the service need for a service area, and current and future capacity requirements

Planning and managing the recruitment process to meet this need

Monitoring and evaluating service activity and outcomes

Ensuring the effective use of resources through the design and refinement of efficient systems and processes of service delivery and the ongoing adoption of new ways of delivering care

Designing and implementing new care pathways in collaboration with referrers and other services

Developing and updating policies and procedures for the delivery of high quality clinical services

Commissioning and monitoring external provision of services as agreed

2) TEAM MANAGEMENT

  • To agree job plans, performance targets and development goals with your team through the appraisal process, and monitor and support staff in their achievement
  • To foster a supportive and performance focussed team ethos through your interaction and communication with the team, your own behaviour, team meetings and supervision
  • To take responsibility for the wellbeing of your team, setting up formal and informal systems to identify issues and addressing them
  • To induct new team members, agreeing job plans, and ensuring that they are trained and supported to do their jobs, and meeting them regularly to support their development and performance
  • To ensure a programme of clinical training and development is in place for your team and regularly reviewed and refreshed
  • Ensure good two-way communication between your staff and the service management
  • To lead team meetings

3) SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

Leading the development and promotion of a Quality Improvement approach to service development across the whole service

Leading agreed service development projects, and providing advice and support to service development initiatives across the service

4) SERVICE LEADERSHIP

  • To share responsibility for the direction and development of the service, taking an active role in the monthly service management meeting, leading team and whole team meetings
  • To provide regular reports on the activity and performance of your service area, and any issues that need attention
  • To identify aspects of the service which could be improved and initiate and implement service development projects.
  • To be proactive in challenging discrimination and to support the development of culturally competent services.
  • To keep abreast of local and national developments in mental health services and to lead proactive responses in LTT
  • To take the lead in agreed areas of development and service delivery
  • To lead in the recruitment process of CBT therapists, PWPs, administration staff, assistant psychologists and trainees
  • To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and developing services.
  • To listen and respond to, and appropriately manage patient complaints
  • To participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the directorate clinical governance committee.
  • Contribute to the development of a culture within the team that values the use of outcome measures and service user involvement as ways of improving clinical practice

5) CLINICAL

To provide expertise in a highly specialist clinical area which will contribute to the treatment of clients presenting with anxiety disorders or depression within an TT framework.

  • To deliver NICE recommended, formulation driven psychological interventions for depression and anxiety disorders, adapting interventions for the specific needs and clinical setting. Assess and integrate issues surrounding social support, voluntary work and employment into therapy.
  • To provide highly specialist assessment and clinical formulation to clients with complex mental health needs, including personality disorders, addiction and trauma.
  • To provide psychological reports, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, service users.
  • To select and deliver highly specialist evidence based psychological treatments, monitoring outcomes and modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical models.
  • To collect and enter clinical outcome data on a sessional basis; select and interpret outcome measures to inform treatment planning
  • To work as an autonomous professional within BPS/BABCP/HCPC guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking full responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.
  • To travel to community settings as appropriate and across the Trust when required.
  • To contribute to the effective working of the team and to a psychologically informed framework for the service area, taking on specific roles or duties as agreed.
  • To communicate skilfully and sensitively highly complex and sensitive information with clients, carers, colleagues and other professionals taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication.
  • To keep clear, accurate and up to date records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols.
  • To confidently assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans
  • To confidently advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of clients.
  • To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations such as distressed clients or abusive behaviour and to support others involved in such situations.
  • To provide information and signposting for patients who do not meet the services eligibility criteria.
  • To refer people with more severe common mental health problems to the secondary care psychological therapies service
  • Work closely with other members of the TT team to ensure that patients referred on to the TT service have a clear referral pathway.
  • Maintain a clinical caseload in line with activity targets agreed with line manager.

6) TEACHING, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION:

  • To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist/psychotherpist according to BABCP/BPS/HCPC and Trust guidelines.
  • To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within LTT by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology, CBT, Counselling and by implementing knowledge gained in practice.
  • To provide professional managerial, and clinical supervision to HI CBT therapists, Counsellors, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, trainees, assistant psychologist and other junior staff members for all aspects of their work. This must include live supervision of therapists work.
  • To deliver and promote outcome-focussed supervision, directly to supervised staff, and through participation in the LI and HI supervisors groups
  • To provide service level risk management, taking part in the on-call risk rota, and developing and recording risk management plans
  • To provide specialist training to other professions as appropriate.
  • To plan and undertake teaching and training of pre and post- qualification psychologists and specialised training to other professions as appropriate.

To provide supervision for the psychological work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate.

7) RESEARCH:

  • Assist in the development and maintenance of a strong research culture that values the use of outcome measures as a way of improving clinical practice.
  • Encourage the critical evaluation of practice, and undertake research
  • Use theory and literature to support evidence-based practice in clinical work, supervision, teaching and consultations
  • Communicate and disseminate research and service evaluation information so that clinical practice is appropriately informed

To contribute to the development of services through initiating, undertaking and supervising service evaluation and audit.

  • To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.

8) PROFESSIONAL:

  • Work as an autonomous professional and maintain standards of practice adhering to HPC or BABCP guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.
  • To ensure Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS/BABCP/UKCP and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements.
  • Be aware of advances in CBT, other psychological therapies and the TT programme.
  • Work in accordance with the principles of CBT and within the parameters of good practice, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Clinical Governance Framework.

9) GENERAL:

  • To participate in business and professional meetings within the TT service and Lewisham Directorate.
  • To lead investigations into Serious Untoward Events in other SLAM services as required
  • To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations (such as challenging behaviour or abuse etc) and to support others involved in such situations.
  • To travel to the GP practices, service meetings and other meetings as appropriate.
  • To regularly work one evening and do Saturday work (on occasion) as required

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

1) PLANNING, MANAGING AND EVALUATING THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES WITHIN LEWISHAM TALKING THERAPIES

Assessing the service need for a service area, and current and future capacity requirements

Planning and managing the recruitment process to meet this need

Monitoring and evaluating service activity and outcomes

Ensuring the effective use of resources through the design and refinement of efficient systems and processes of service delivery and the ongoing adoption of new ways of delivering care

Designing and implementing new care pathways in collaboration with referrers and other services

Developing and updating policies and procedures for the delivery of high quality clinical services

Commissioning and monitoring external provision of services as agreed

2) TEAM MANAGEMENT

  • To agree job plans, performance targets and development goals with your team through the appraisal process, and monitor and support staff in their achievement
  • To foster a supportive and performance focussed team ethos through your interaction and communication with the team, your own behaviour, team meetings and supervision
  • To take responsibility for the wellbeing of your team, setting up formal and informal systems to identify issues and addressing them
  • To induct new team members, agreeing job plans, and ensuring that they are trained and supported to do their jobs, and meeting them regularly to support their development and performance
  • To ensure a programme of clinical training and development is in place for your team and regularly reviewed and refreshed
  • Ensure good two-way communication between your staff and the service management
  • To lead team meetings

3) SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

Leading the development and promotion of a Quality Improvement approach to service development across the whole service

Leading agreed service development projects, and providing advice and support to service development initiatives across the service

4) SERVICE LEADERSHIP

  • To share responsibility for the direction and development of the service, taking an active role in the monthly service management meeting, leading team and whole team meetings
  • To provide regular reports on the activity and performance of your service area, and any issues that need attention
  • To identify aspects of the service which could be improved and initiate and implement service development projects.
  • To be proactive in challenging discrimination and to support the development of culturally competent services.
  • To keep abreast of local and national developments in mental health services and to lead proactive responses in LTT
  • To take the lead in agreed areas of development and service delivery
  • To lead in the recruitment process of CBT therapists, PWPs, administration staff, assistant psychologists and trainees
  • To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and developing services.
  • To listen and respond to, and appropriately manage patient complaints
  • To participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the directorate clinical governance committee.
  • Contribute to the development of a culture within the team that values the use of outcome measures and service user involvement as ways of improving clinical practice

5) CLINICAL

To provide expertise in a highly specialist clinical area which will contribute to the treatment of clients presenting with anxiety disorders or depression within an TT framework.

  • To deliver NICE recommended, formulation driven psychological interventions for depression and anxiety disorders, adapting interventions for the specific needs and clinical setting. Assess and integrate issues surrounding social support, voluntary work and employment into therapy.
  • To provide highly specialist assessment and clinical formulation to clients with complex mental health needs, including personality disorders, addiction and trauma.
  • To provide psychological reports, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, service users.
  • To select and deliver highly specialist evidence based psychological treatments, monitoring outcomes and modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical models.
  • To collect and enter clinical outcome data on a sessional basis; select and interpret outcome measures to inform treatment planning
  • To work as an autonomous professional within BPS/BABCP/HCPC guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking full responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.
  • To travel to community settings as appropriate and across the Trust when required.
  • To contribute to the effective working of the team and to a psychologically informed framework for the service area, taking on specific roles or duties as agreed.
  • To communicate skilfully and sensitively highly complex and sensitive information with clients, carers, colleagues and other professionals taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication.
  • To keep clear, accurate and up to date records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols.
  • To confidently assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans
  • To confidently advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of clients.
  • To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations such as distressed clients or abusive behaviour and to support others involved in such situations.
  • To provide information and signposting for patients who do not meet the services eligibility criteria.
  • To refer people with more severe common mental health problems to the secondary care psychological therapies service
  • Work closely with other members of the TT team to ensure that patients referred on to the TT service have a clear referral pathway.
  • Maintain a clinical caseload in line with activity targets agreed with line manager.

6) TEACHING, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION:

  • To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist/psychotherpist according to BABCP/BPS/HCPC and Trust guidelines.
  • To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within LTT by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology, CBT, Counselling and by implementing knowledge gained in practice.
  • To provide professional managerial, and clinical supervision to HI CBT therapists, Counsellors, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, trainees, assistant psychologist and other junior staff members for all aspects of their work. This must include live supervision of therapists work.
  • To deliver and promote outcome-focussed supervision, directly to supervised staff, and through participation in the LI and HI supervisors groups
  • To provide service level risk management, taking part in the on-call risk rota, and developing and recording risk management plans
  • To provide specialist training to other professions as appropriate.
  • To plan and undertake teaching and training of pre and post- qualification psychologists and specialised training to other professions as appropriate.

To provide supervision for the psychological work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate.

7) RESEARCH:

  • Assist in the development and maintenance of a strong research culture that values the use of outcome measures as a way of improving clinical practice.
  • Encourage the critical evaluation of practice, and undertake research
  • Use theory and literature to support evidence-based practice in clinical work, supervision, teaching and consultations
  • Communicate and disseminate research and service evaluation information so that clinical practice is appropriately informed

To contribute to the development of services through initiating, undertaking and supervising service evaluation and audit.

  • To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.

8) PROFESSIONAL:

  • Work as an autonomous professional and maintain standards of practice adhering to HPC or BABCP guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.
  • To ensure Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS/BABCP/UKCP and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements.
  • Be aware of advances in CBT, other psychological therapies and the TT programme.
  • Work in accordance with the principles of CBT and within the parameters of good practice, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Clinical Governance Framework.

9) GENERAL:

  • To participate in business and professional meetings within the TT service and Lewisham Directorate.
  • To lead investigations into Serious Untoward Events in other SLAM services as required
  • To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations (such as challenging behaviour or abuse etc) and to support others involved in such situations.
  • To travel to the GP practices, service meetings and other meetings as appropriate.
  • To regularly work one evening and do Saturday work (on occasion) as required

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Qualified therapist in CBT from an IAPT-approved High Intensity training at post-graduate diploma level or equivalent
  • Practitioner accreditation status with BABCP
  • Have attended supervision training for HIs

Desirable

  • An additional therapy qualification eg EMDR; IPT; DIT; Couples/systemic
  • PWP qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience in staff management including line management, performance management and appraisal
  • Experience of implementing major service improvements
  • Ability to support teams to achieve service targets
  • At least 1 years experience as a team/service manager within an NHS Talking Therapies service
  • Experience of providing clinical supervision for HI therapists

Desirable

  • Worked as qualified PWP

Knowledge

Essential

  • Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of at least one NICE recommended model of therapy for TT
  • Have attended supervision training for HIs
  • Advanced knowledge of disorder specific formulations and evidence based treatment interventions relevant to an TT service
  • Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Qualified therapist in CBT from an IAPT-approved High Intensity training at post-graduate diploma level or equivalent
  • Practitioner accreditation status with BABCP
  • Have attended supervision training for HIs

Desirable

  • An additional therapy qualification eg EMDR; IPT; DIT; Couples/systemic
  • PWP qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience in staff management including line management, performance management and appraisal
  • Experience of implementing major service improvements
  • Ability to support teams to achieve service targets
  • At least 1 years experience as a team/service manager within an NHS Talking Therapies service
  • Experience of providing clinical supervision for HI therapists

Desirable

  • Worked as qualified PWP

Knowledge

Essential

  • Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of at least one NICE recommended model of therapy for TT
  • Have attended supervision training for HIs
  • Advanced knowledge of disorder specific formulations and evidence based treatment interventions relevant to an TT service
  • Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment.

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).

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.

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

Lewisham NHS Talking Therapies

Lewisham Town Hall, Catford Rd

London

SE64RU


Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Lewisham NHS Talking Therapies

Lewisham Town Hall, Catford Rd

London

SE64RU


Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Service Lead

Nick McNulty

nicholas.mcnulty@slam.nhs.uk

07738889495

Details

Date posted

01 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£72,921 to £83,362 a year per annum Incl. of HCAs

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-CLI-7361154

Job locations

Lewisham NHS Talking Therapies

Lewisham Town Hall, Catford Rd

London

SE64RU


Supporting documents

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