Practitioner Psychologist, Psychotherapist or Psychological Therapist
The closing date is 09 July 2026
An exciting opportunity for a band 8a Practitioner Psychologist or Psychotherapist to work with our STEP (Southwark Team for Early Psychosis) – an Early Interventions for Psychosis (EIP) service offering a psychological therapy service to patients and their networks. This fixed-term temporary position lasts 12 months.
We currently have two part-time vacancies (2 or 3 days per week) and welcome applications from staff looking to work part-time (one post) or full-time (both posts). One position covers a secondment and the other is a newly created role to reduce waiting times and create a more responsive psychological therapy service.
We are looking for a motivated clinician passionate about working in an early intervention service with people diagnosed with psychosis and with their families and networks. Successful applicants will have strong engagement skills, creative thinking, flexibility and collaboration skills. Southwark is a racially and ethnically diverse borough; we seek clinicians who practice with cultural humility and support our anti-racism agenda.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will contribute to the STEP team by providing direct and indirect psychological therapeutic interventions for patients, groups and families. Direct, evidence-based interventions include CBT for psychosis, trauma-focused CBT, EMDR, CBT-based family interventions, Open Dialogue, systemic family therapy and arts therapies. Our longest waiting times are for CBT and trauma-focused interventions (TF-CBT and EMDR), so applicants skilled in these approaches are especially welcome.
We offer psychological therapies on a stepped-care basis; group work and delivery of low-intensity interventions are also part of the role.
Job responsibilities
- Provide specialist psychological interventions for the STEP team, including assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and outcome monitoring.
- Support other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds, fostering a psychologically safe environment.
- Provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a specialist for the STEP team.
- Promote service evaluation, audit, research and policy development.
- Work as an autonomous professional within registration body guidelines and codes of conduct, interpreting policies within defined parameters.
- Agree outcomes with clinical/professional lead and decide how best to achieve them.
- Support staff initiatives within the area, working with senior colleagues and corporate psychology and psychotherapy teams to provide evidence-based support; participate in staff support when appropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions (psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, medicine, social work, occupational therapy) or equivalent experience demonstrating competence in the NHS mental health field.
- Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent, with demonstrable practice (professional doctorate or MSc + PG Diploma level or higher) accepted for professional registration.
- Additional training beyond entry-level in a specialised area of psychological practice, through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent) or a portfolio of supervised practice, assessed to a level equal to a postgrad diploma or higher.
- Registered with professional body as appropriate (HCPC/UKCP/BABCP).
Experience
- Evidence of work as a clinical specialist under supervision in services for people with psychosis and other complex mental health difficulties.
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with complex needs, including psychosis and substance misuse.
- Experience supervising assistants and trainees who have completed relevant training.
- Post-qualification experience supporting diversity within local communities.
Knowledge
- Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and evidence base for relevant treatments, notably CBT for psychosis and application to complex mental health difficulties and co-morbid substance misuse.
- Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
- Advanced knowledge of psychotherapy theory, therapeutic application, assessment and clinical psychometrics.
- Knowledge of various therapeutic approaches and systemic models relevant to discipline.
Skills and abilities
- Administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests requiring complex test material manipulation.
- Consultation skills to work with multi-professional teams or other professional groups whilst sensitively managing multiple needs.
- Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or severe self-harm or aggression.
- Ability to manage highly complex situations involving multiple difficulties and conflicting views, creating contexts that foster systemic engagement and harness strengths towards solutions.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Salary
£66,274 to £73,496 per annum inclusive of HCAs pro rata.
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