# Head of Psychology & Psychotherapy (Neurodevelopmental Services) > NHS job listing from Job Clerk for South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. ## Canonical URLs - **HTML:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/head-of-psychology-and-psychotherapy-neurodevelopmental-services/036465a6-abd3-468a-b3e7-257d5fe435d3 - **Markdown:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/head-of-psychology-and-psychotherapy-neurodevelopmental-services/036465a6-abd3-468a-b3e7-257d5fe435d3.md ## Summary - **Status:** Archived / closed - **Employer:** South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust - **Town:** London - **Region:** London - **Country:** England - **Profession:** Mental health professionals - **Grade:** Band 8 - **Salary:** £99,808 - £113,803 per annum inclusive of HCAs pro rata - **Contract type:** Permanent - **Employment type:** Part time - 22.5 hours per week - **Closing date:** 2026-01-11T23:59:00.000Z - **Posted:** 2025-12-22T09:32:50.860Z - **Source information URL:** https://www.healthjobsuk.com/job/UK/London/London/South_London_Maudsley_NHS_Foundation_Trust/Applied_Psychology/Applied_Psychology-v7666827 - **Application URL:** https://apps.trac.jobs/job-advert/7666827?ShowJobAdvert=&feedid=9002 - **Employer website:** https://www.slam.nhs.uk ## Job Content ### Job overview We’re seeking an exceptional leader to become Head of Psychology & Psychotherapy for Neurodevelopmental Services at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (Mental Health & Learning Disabilities and Specialist Neurodevelopmental Services). This role offers the opportunity to influence care across a range of community settings, including National & Specialist Services and local services, as well as inpatient settings.  The role will guide and lead a diverse and expert team of psychological professionals. You’ll drive clinical excellence, workforce development, and strategic innovation across the services that include Mental Health & Learning Disabilities (MHLD) covering the London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, and Specialist Neurodevelopmental Services, made up of an in-patient National & Specialist Autism ward at the Bethlem Royal Hospital (NAU), National Adult ADHD and Autism Psychology Service (NAAAPS), the Transforming Care Autism Service (TCA), and the Three-Borough Service (Croydon, Lewisham, Lambeth). As a key member of the Trust-wide Psychology & Psychotherapy leadership group you will help shape policy, governance, and quality standards across the organisation. We offer a unique environment where care, research, and education intersect - partnering with King’s College London and King’s Health Partners. Join us to lead meaningful change, support individualised care, and contribute to nationally recognised service development. ### Main duties of the job To work with operational managers and senior clinical leaders to ensure all service users, families, carers, and partner organisations of the Neurodevelopmental Services (NDS) have appropriate access to psychology or psychotherapy as an element in their pathway to recovery. To provide strategic neurodevelopmental psychology and psychotherapy leadership, encapsulating service development; workforce development; implementation and development of psychology and psychotherapy guidance and policy; and development of psychology and psychotherapy protocols specific to the NDS. To lead, manage and plan the delivery of a highly specialist psychology and psychotherapy service, in conjunction with clinical and managerial service leads, and personally provide expert direct clinical input. The postholder will ensure the conduct of research, service evaluation and audits relevant to evidence-based practice in the services.  This will link with establishing training needs and ensure good communication and liaison with the Trust Director of Psychology & Psychotherapy, Trust advisors and the Education and Training Department, in partnership with the Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology (IoPPN). ### Detailed job description and main responsibilities The role covers a wide range of services as outlined above.  The P&P staffing complement is currently in excess of 50 individuals and this is growing with current service developments. The team work together to deliver individualised care in a range of therapy modalities, in direct and indirect interventions, group interventions, and support for carers and other partner agencies.  The service has recently benefitted from the inclusion of peer support work, and the service development continues to grow this aspect.  The implementation of the Patient & Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) has been a priority of the Trust in its aspirations to implement the Trust’s Anti-Racism Action Plan and the postholder will support these developments across the NDS. ## Job Details We’re seeking an exceptional leader to become Head of Psychology & Psychotherapy for Neurodevelopmental Services at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (Mental Health & Learning Disabilities and Specialist Neurodevelopmental Services). This role offers the opportunity to influence care across a range of community settings, including National & Specialist Services and local services, as well as inpatient settings.  The role will guide and lead a diverse and expert team of psychological professionals. You’ll drive clinical excellence, workforce development, and strategic innovation across the services that include Mental Health & Learning Disabilities (MHLD) covering the London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, and Specialist Neurodevelopmental Services, made up of an in-patient National & Specialist Autism ward at the Bethlem Royal Hospital (NAU), National Adult ADHD and Autism Psychology Service (NAAAPS), the Transforming Care Autism Service (TCA), and the Three-Borough Service (Croydon, Lewisham, Lambeth). As a key member of the Trust-wide Psychology & Psychotherapy leadership group you will help shape policy, governance, and quality standards across the organisation. We offer a unique environment where care, research, and education intersect - partnering with King’s College London and King’s Health Partners. Join us to lead meaningful change, support individualised care, and contribute to nationally recognised service development. ## Job Description To work with operational managers and senior clinical leaders to ensure all service users, families, carers, and partner organisations of the Neurodevelopmental Services (NDS) have appropriate access to psychology or psychotherapy as an element in their pathway to recovery. To provide strategic neurodevelopmental psychology and psychotherapy leadership, encapsulating service development; workforce development; implementation and development of psychology and psychotherapy guidance and policy; and development of psychology and psychotherapy protocols specific to the NDS. To lead, manage and plan the delivery of a highly specialist psychology and psychotherapy service, in conjunction with clinical and managerial service leads, and personally provide expert direct clinical input. The postholder will ensure the conduct of research, service evaluation and audits relevant to evidence-based practice in the services.  This will link with establishing training needs and ensure good communication and liaison with the Trust Director of Psychology & Psychotherapy, Trust advisors and the Education and Training Department, in partnership with the Institute of Psychiatry and Psychology (IoPPN). ## Responsibilities The role covers a wide range of services as outlined above.  The P&P staffing complement is currently in excess of 50 individuals and this is growing with current service developments. The team work together to deliver individualised care in a range of therapy modalities, in direct and indirect interventions, group interventions, and support for carers and other partner agencies.  The service has recently benefitted from the inclusion of peer support work, and the service development continues to grow this aspect.  The implementation of the Patient & Carer Race Equality Framework (PCREF) has been a priority of the Trust in its aspirations to implement the Trust’s Anti-Racism Action Plan and the postholder will support these developments across the NDS. ## Person Specification ### Knowledge **Essential** - Knowledge of the theory and practice of management and leadership. - Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment (specify for the post if necessary). - Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care for people with learning disabilities or neurodiverse conditions. - Knowledge of a range of therapeutic ideas/approaches/models in assessment and treatment relevant to discipline - To deliver psychological / psychotherapeutic therapy across cultural and other differences. **Desirable** - To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources according to discipline (specify if knowledge needed in a specialist area ### Experience **Essential** - Extensive experience in professional leadership of psychologists and / or psychotherapists such as in a directorate type structure - Experience of leading and managing a psychology and/or psychotherapy service in Neurodevelopmental Services - Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for the psychological care and treatment with clients with complex needs. - Experience of providing teaching and training to psychologists and/or other professional groups - Experience of professional and clinical management of qualified and pre-qualified psychologists and/or psychotherapists. **Desirable** - Record of publications in either peer reviewed, academic or professional journals/books ### Qualifications **Essential** - Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration. (A/I) For Psychologists: · Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration. (A/I) For Family / Systemic Psychotherapists: Post-graduate qualification in relevant mental health/social welfare profession and demonstrable practice in this field (A/I) PLUS Masters level qualification in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy or equivalent qualification, accredited by UKCP (A/I) For Psychotherapists: Entry-level qualification in Psychotherapy that has been accepted by the APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP (specify which, according to nature of post) for purposes of professional registration. (A/I) (for a job requiring specific professional qualification(s), change this point to specify the required qualification(s). For Arts Therapists: Masters Degree (or equivalent) in Arts Therapy or Dance Movement Therapy. (or specify Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Dramatherapy or Dance Movement Therapy) - Additional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice (LD and Neurodevelopmental Conditions) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), - OR a combination of specialist short courses and/or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice–based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a BPS National Assessor and an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher - Registered with / accredited by professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP/ADMP-UK/BPS. (A/I) · Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the professional body. - Completed training course in clinical supervision and/or accredited to supervise qualified psychological practitioners in relevant discipline ## Documents - [slam staff benefits (pdf, 1.1mb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=2341) - [happy to talk flexible working (pdf, 680.1kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?ddoc=1723) - [job description and person specification (pdf, 584.5kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=9934533) - [job description and person specification (pdf, 656.5kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=9934532) ## Agent Notes - This Markdown page is generated from the same Job Clerk job record as the HTML job detail page. - Use the canonical HTML URL for user-facing references. - Use the application URL when the user wants to apply on the source NHS site.