Practitioner Psychologist, Psychotherapist & Psychological Therapist

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Practitioner Psychologist, Psychotherapist & Psychological Therapist The closing date is 16 December 2025

Main duties of the job

• To provide a highly specialist psychotherapy/psychological therapy assessment service to patients with PTSD, complex PTSD and dissociative disorders as well as associated psychological difficulties. This includes specialist assessment, second opinion assessments, outreach assessments, care planning, implementation and producing assessment reports.
• To co facilitate Sensorimotor Groups.
• To offer individual therapy (using a variety of therapeutic models as required by the service).
• 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 BACP/UKCP/BPC/APC/HCPC/BABCP guidelines and codes of conduct and be guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.
• To agree outcomes/results with clinical/professional lead and to decide how they are best achieved.

About us The staff are based at the Maudsley Hospital with some remote working. The staff team consists of a Consultant Psychiatrist, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Honorary Therapists, Business Manager and administrator.

Job responsibilities

• KR 1 Clinical and Client Care To provide highly specialist psychotherapy/psychological therapy assessments, second opinions, and group/individual therapy for clients in the PTSD/Trauma pathway nationally including NICE recommended therapies and other relevant interventions. This may include psychological stabilisation, EMDR, Tf CBT, Sensorimotor Therapy, experience of relational based therapies appropriate for complex PTSD, experience of individual and group work. To provide culturally appropriate psychological or psychotherapeutic interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required. To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans. To provide reports, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, service users and their families. To select and deliver evidence based specialist therapeutic interventions, drawing from a spectrum of ideas and models, monitoring outcome and modifying and adapting interventions as necessary, based on the highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, couple, family or group. To promote psychological support for carers (or families as appropriate) of referred clients. To act as the keyworker taking responsibility for initiating planning and reviewing care plans as appropriate.
• KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning To contribute to the effective working of the team or service and to a psychotherapeutically informed framework for the service. To contribute to the team or services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities. To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services. To advise other members of the service on specialist psychotherapeutic care of patients. To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans. To utilise theory, evidence based literature and research to support evidence based practice and/or currently understood best practice based evidence, in individual work and work with other team members. To liaise with the service/s MDT and other professionals.
• KR 3 Policy and service development To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes. To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects. To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.
• KR 4 Care or management of resources To take care of, and use carefully, the Trusts equipment and physical resources. To ensure that the post holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed. To ensure the cleanliness and safe functioning and use of equipment that will be used by clients or other persons. To monitor and advise clients on the safe use of materials and processes. To ensure adequate confidential and safe storage for artefacts produced during the therapy process in line with professional guidelines. To be responsible for obtaining, storing and maintaining all materials and equipment for the provision of therapy in work setting within budgetary constraints. To identify any aspects of the service within own service area, which need to be improved and to advise service and professional managers accordingly. To authorise client travel expenses (if required).
• KR 5 Management and supervision To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of more junior psychological practitioners with support from a more senior practitioner when necessary. To supervise trainee psychological practitioners within own area of specialism having completed the relevant Supervision Training when necessary. To contribute to the appraisal of more junior psychological practitioners as appropriate. To contribute to the recruitment of more junior psychological practitioners as appropriate. Consultation as required by service need, such as phone call advice to potential referrers or other enquiries to the service.
• KR 6 Teaching and Training To undertake occasional teaching and training of pre and post qualification psychological practitioners, and specialised training to other professions as appropriate. To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within the service by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychological therapy and by implementing knowledge gained in practice. To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.
• KR 7 Record keeping and Information Governance To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures. To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
• KR 8 Research and development To initiate, undertake, support and supervise regular complex service evaluation and audits. To provide expertise in a specialist research area which will contribute to the pathway for PTSD/Trauma. To initiate and implement the development of outcome measurement and assessment and assist other staff in the implementation of same.
• KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychotherapist/psychological therapist according to BACP/UKCP/APC/BPC/HCPC/BABCP and Trust guidelines. To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BACP/UKCP/APC/BPC/HPCP/BABCP and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements. To maintain an up to date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies. To comply with BACP/UKCP/APC/BPC/HCPC/BABCP Standards of Ethics and Proficiency, and ensure professional development in line with these. To adhere to the BACP/UKCP/APC/BPC/HCPC/BABCP Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.
• KR10 General To travel to Trust premises for service meetings, training, home visits as appropriate and when required. To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow Trust policies relating to its management. To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations and to support others involved in such situations.

Person Specification Qualifications

• Post graduate qualification in either psychology or psychotherapy. (A/I) Doctoral level qualification in Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology or equivalent qualification in psychotherapy or CCST in medical psychotherapy or equivalent relevant experience. (A/I) Registered with the HCPC as practitioner psychologist or accepted psychotherapy body. (A/I)
• Post doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice. (A/I)

Experience

• Substantive experience in working with trauma/dissociation at a secondary/tertiary trauma service or equivalent. (A/I) Experience in assessing patients with complex needs suffering from complex trauma, dissociative disorder and or personality disorders. (A/I) Significant post qualification experience of working with complex PTSD and symptoms of dissociation. (A/I) Experience of racial awareness/diversity training (A/I) Psychological and or psychodynamic therapy: appropriate level of competence in treating patients offering time limited therapy with a range of patients with complex mental health problems. (A/I)
• Experience of working with Personality Disorders (A/I) Experience of working with individuals with dissociative disorders. (A/I)

Knowledge

• Knowledge theoretical and evidence base for them. (A/I/References) Awareness of racial and diversity issues through attendance of relevant training . click apply for full job details