Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist (Preceptorship Post Available)


Location
Beckenham, England
Salary
£66,274 - £73,496 per annum Incl. of HCAs
Profession
Psychologist
Grade
Band 8
Deadline
13 Oct 2026
Contract Type
Permanent: Post is available as a Band 7 -8a Preceptorship Post
Posted Date
29 Sep 2026
Medical Protection — the side of locally employed doctors from £83

Job requirements

Essential

20 listed

Requirements the employer expects applicants to meet.

  • Skills

    To 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.

  • Skills

    To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers (and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews where appropriate).

  • Skills

    To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials.

  • Skills

    To plan allocation of tasks to assistants/trainees as appropriates.

  • Abilities

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

  • Abilities

    Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.

  • Abilities

    Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings

  • Abilities

    Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these.

  • Knowledge

    Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment for people with learning disabilities.

  • Knowledge

    Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment, therapy and clinical psychometrics.

  • Knowledge

    Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.

  • Knowledge

    Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.

  • Experience

    Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in services for people with learning disabilities.

  • Experience

    Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with learning disabilities with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.

  • Experience

    Experience of supervising assistant and trainees having completed the relevant training.

  • Experience

    Experience of providing teaching and training to psychologists or other professional groups.

  • Qualifications

    Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession 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.

  • Qualifications

    Additional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice (specify options required by the post) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice–based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a registered body and/or an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher

  • Qualifications

    Completed training course in clinical supervision and/or accredited to supervised qualified psychological practitioners in relevant discipline.

  • Qualifications

    Registered with professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP/ADMP-UK.

Desirable

1 listed

Additional qualities the employer would prefer.

  • Experience

    The Trust encourages and welcomes applications from people with lived experience of mental health challenges. We see this as valuable and recognise the positive impact this experience can have on the work we do.

Job overview

We are seeking an experienced, motivated and forward-thinking Clinical Psychologist to join The Lewisham Mental Health of Learning Disabilities Team. We will also consider applications from newly qualified and recently qualified Clinical Psychologists eligible to occupy the post at band 7 in a preceptorship role.

We are a specialist community service for adults with learning disabilities, covering the London boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, delivering a service to adults who have additional mental health difficulties and/or behaviour that challenges.

We have a full time permanent post in the Lewisham MHLD, based in central Catford, co-located with the CTLD health team. Those seeking full-time or part-time work are encouraged to apply.

As a Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist in MHLD, you will be a member of a borough team that is managed by a team leader, working jointly with Psychiatry and CPN colleagues. The team works in close partnership with local CTLD health teams as well as social care colleagues, with psychological and behavioural interventions delivered as part of a multidisciplinary care plan. You will be part of a well-established group of 18 Psychologists and Behavioural Support Practitioners, working across the three boroughs, with each borough led by a Consultant Clinical Psychologist.

Main duties of the job

You will be expected to work directly and indirectly with people with learning disabilities, families, carers and networks to provide a range of high quality, evidence-based, collaborative and person-centred psychological assessments and interventions. We are looking for someone that can bring a dynamic and creative approach to service delivery, aimed at improving the lives of people with learning disabilities who have additional mental health needs and/or behaviours that challenge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • To provide a highly specialist psychological interventions to adults with learning disabilities with additional mental health needs and/or behaviour which challenges, including specialist assessment, treatment, training to other staff, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.
  • To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
  • To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a lead specialist in MHLD.
  • To undertake service evaluation, audit and research and policy development.
  • To work as an autonomous professional within registration body guidelines and codes of conduct and 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.
  • To contribute psychological expertise within the wider multi-agency context.
  • To be active in the provision of staff support within their area, including but not limited to Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Resolve. To participate, as a recipient, in staff support work when appropriate

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

WhatsApp job alerts

Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 8 Psychology roles in Beckenham

Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.

Sign up for WhatsApp alerts

Applying for this NHS job

This advert is for Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist (Preceptorship Post Available) with South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in Beckenham, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Psychologist role. The advertised salary is £66,274 - £73,496 per annum Incl. of HCAs. The contract type is Permanent: Post is available as a Band 7 -8a Preceptorship Post. The application deadline is 13 Oct 2026.

Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (29 Sep 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHSjob search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.

For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.