Job requirements
Requirements from the employer’s person specification. These describe the role, not your personal match.
Essential
22 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Skills
To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
- Skills
To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
- Skills
To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPAs and case reviews
- Skills
To plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists.
- Skills
Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
- 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 manage verbal aggression and hostility directed at self
- Knowledge
Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for people with mental health problems and substance use issue
- Knowledge
Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use issues.
- Knowledge
Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics for people with mental health and substance use issues
- Knowledge
Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
- Knowledge
Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis
- Experience
Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in Addiction
- Experience
Experience in specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with complex mental health and co-occurring substance misuse needs
- Experience
Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists having completed the relevant training
- Experience
Experience of carrying out post-doctoral research, audit or service evaluation projects
- Qualifications
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent
- Qualifications
Additional training in a specialised area of psychological practice relevant to addictions
- Qualifications
Completed training course in clinical supervision
- Qualifications
Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
4 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Skills
Skills in training staff in substance use specific interventions
- Knowledge
Knowledge of policy and commissioning structures for people with co-occurring mental health and substance use issue
- Experience
Experience of working in a specialist addictions service or in a role with a specific focus on working with clients with co-occurring mental health and substance use issue
- Qualifications
Training in Motivational Interviewing and CBT for Addiction
Job overview
We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Practitioner Psychologist to join the Lambeth Community Drug and Alcohol Service (LCDAS), a multidisciplinary service providing specialist support to adults experiencing substance use difficulties and co-occurring mental health needs. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in delivering and developing psychologically informed addiction services within a highly regarded NHS and third-sector partnership.
The post holder will provide highly specialist psychological assessment, formulation and intervention for individuals with complex substance use and mental health presentations. They will contribute to service development, clinical leadership, research, supervision and training, helping to ensure that psychological thinking is embedded throughout the service. The successful candidate will work autonomously within professional guidelines while receiving support and supervision from the Consultant Psychologist.
This post is offered on a fixed-term basis (up to one year) to provide maternity leave cover in another service and presents an excellent opportunity for an experienced practitioner to develop their specialist expertise in addictions and co-occurring mental health difficulties within a well-established multidisciplinary team.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will deliver highly specialist psychological assessments and evidence-based interventions for adults with substance use problems and co-occurring mental health difficulties. They will act as a lead practitioner for complex cases, contributing to care planning, risk assessment and multidisciplinary decision-making.
Key responsibilities include:
- Providing specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment.
- Offering consultation and psychological advice to multidisciplinary colleagues.
- Leading and contributing to service development initiatives, including group programmes and psychological treatment pathways.
- Supervising assistant psychologists, trainee psychologists and other staff as appropriate.
- Delivering training and reflective practice sessions to multidisciplinary teams.
- Supporting service evaluation, audit and research activity.
- Promoting psychologically informed and culturally competent approaches to care across the service.
- Maintaining high standards of clinical record keeping and governance.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder will provide highly specialist psychological services within LCDAS, including assessment, formulation, intervention, consultation and risk management for adults with complex substance use and mental health presentations.
They will contribute to the development and delivery of psychologically informed services by supporting colleagues, promoting evidence-based practice and helping to shape treatment pathways. The role includes responsibility for supervising assistant and trainee psychologists, contributing to staff development, and supporting multidisciplinary team functioning.
The successful candidate will play an active role in service evaluation, quality improvement, audit and research, helping to ensure that clinical practice reflects current evidence and professional standards. They will also contribute to training programmes across the service and support the development of psychological skills within the wider workforce.
The post holder will work autonomously within HCPC, BPS and Trust guidelines, maintaining high standards of clinical governance, record keeping and professional practice. They will contribute to promoting accessible, inclusive and culturally responsive services that meet the needs of the diverse communities served by the London Borough of Lambeth.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Practitioner Psychologist 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 inclusive of HCAS (Inner). The contract type is Secondment: 12 months. The application deadline is 10 Sep 2026.
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