South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Practitioner Psychologist, Psychotherapist & Psychological Therapist

The closing date is 21 October 2025

Job summary

We are looking to recruit an experienced or newly qualified Psychotherapist/Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to work therapeutically in our psychodynamic pathway. This post plays a pivotal role in delivering specialist psychological care to adults with complex mental health needs. The post is located in Lewisham Integrated Therapies team, Lewisham and works closely with community mental health teams.

Main duties of the job

To work under the supervision of a Senior Psychotherapist in the team, to deliver psychodynamic therapies to those presenting with complex emotional needs. To supervise trainees, honorary and other junior staff. To offer consultations and other input to community mental health teams.

About us

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.

We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide.

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.

Details

Date posted

07 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£56,276 to £63,176 a year per annum inclusive of HCAs

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

334-CLI-7378137

Job locations

The Lind Clinic

St James Lind House, Grove Street

London

SE8 3RA


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see The Job description document for a more detailed description of the roles and responsibilities.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see The Job description document for a more detailed description of the roles and responsibilities.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oTo have undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions, e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical/counselling 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.

Desirable

  • Further training in Psychodynamic models of therapy.

Experience

Essential

  • oExperience of assessment and treatment of clients with a range of a complex emotional needs using psychodynamic models of therapy
  • oExperience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience
  • oSignificant post-qualification/graduation experience including experience of individual and group therapy with people with complex mental health needs
  • oExperience of working with issues of risk and safety both physical and relational
  • oExperience of multi-disciplinary working and working with community mental health teams

Knowledge

Essential

  • oKnowledge of the theory of psychological therapy and it's therapeutic application for those presenting with complex emotional needs. Associated awareness of assessments
  • oKnowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities
  • oKnowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
  • oTo deliver psychological/psychotherapeutic therapy across cultural and other differences
  • oTo select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.

Skills

Essential

  • oTo 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
  • oConsultation 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
  • oTo plan allocation of tasks to assistants/trainees as appropriates. Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups
  • oTo select and administer specialist assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources

Abilities

Essential

  • oAbility to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
  • oAbility 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
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oTo have undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions, e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical/counselling 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.

Desirable

  • Further training in Psychodynamic models of therapy.

Experience

Essential

  • oExperience of assessment and treatment of clients with a range of a complex emotional needs using psychodynamic models of therapy
  • oExperience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience
  • oSignificant post-qualification/graduation experience including experience of individual and group therapy with people with complex mental health needs
  • oExperience of working with issues of risk and safety both physical and relational
  • oExperience of multi-disciplinary working and working with community mental health teams

Knowledge

Essential

  • oKnowledge of the theory of psychological therapy and it's therapeutic application for those presenting with complex emotional needs. Associated awareness of assessments
  • oKnowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities
  • oKnowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
  • oTo deliver psychological/psychotherapeutic therapy across cultural and other differences
  • oTo select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.

Skills

Essential

  • oTo 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
  • oConsultation 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
  • oTo plan allocation of tasks to assistants/trainees as appropriates. Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups
  • oTo select and administer specialist assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources

Abilities

Essential

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

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

The Lind Clinic

St James Lind House, Grove Street

London

SE8 3RA


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

The Lind Clinic

St James Lind House, Grove Street

London

SE8 3RA


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Lead

Rukeya Khanam

rukeya.khanam@slam.nhs.uk

02032881350

Details

Date posted

07 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£56,276 to £63,176 a year per annum inclusive of HCAs

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

334-CLI-7378137

Job locations

The Lind Clinic

St James Lind House, Grove Street

London

SE8 3RA


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)