CAMHS Principal Clinical Psychologist (N&S SCAAND)

Job summary

National and Specialist CAMHS present an exciting opportunity to recruit a highly motivated and experienced clinician to a full-time band 8b Principal Clinical Psychologist post within the multi-disciplinary Service for Complex Autism and Associated Neurodevelopmental Disorders (SCAAND) based at the Michael Rutter Centre.

SCAAND provides a number of streams of mental health care for autistic young people and young people with intellectual disability and other neurodevelopmental conditions. This post will primarily contribute to the care of young people with intellectual disability, including providing input to the Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) pathway.

SCAAND has excellent links with KCL and Clinical Psychology training courses, and staff benefit from excellent team support and professional development opportunities. Clinical work in the team is diverse, collaborative, evidence-based and truly multi-disciplinary, and includes an interesting mix of direct and indirect intervention and consultation to clinicians in local teams. The role offers a range of service development, supervision, teaching, clinical leadership and research opportunities, and SCAAND clinicians have access to a range of CPD and training both within and outside of SLAM NHS Trust.

Main duties of the job

The postholder will work as a Principal Clinical Psychologist in the SCAAND multi-disciplinary team. Clinical Psychology work in the team includes contributing to comprehensive MDT assessments, providing specialist psychological and cognitive assessment, formulation and interventions for children, young people and parents/carers, and providing consultation, training and support to local CAMHs clinicians and multi-agency networks.

The role also includes providing supervision, line management and support within the team. Supporting the psychological aspects of case formulation and planning within the multi-disciplinary team is also a key component of the role, and highly valued within the team in both regular meetings and joint working. There are also opportunities for developing and delivering teaching and training internally within the service, to local training programmes, including KCL DClinPsy, and to external services and other agencies.The post holder will work closely with other clinical psychologists in SCAAND and MDT colleagues. They will work with service and pathway leads in SCAAND to support the clinical governance and service development work of the team, including audits, research, service evaluation and quality improvement projects. There will be opportunities to lead on aspects of service development, relevant to the post-holder's specialisms, within the team and the wider SCAAND service.

About us

About our locations:SCAAND is based at the Michael Rutter Centre for Children and Young People, Denmark Hill in South London. The role will require travel to clients in the community e.g. home visits, schools or community bases as appropriate and across the Trust and nationally when required.Maudsley Hospital (headquarters)Our Trust headquarters is located at Denmark Hill less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2) and is within walking distance from the beautiful green spaces of Ruskin Park and the vibrant high-street that offers great shopping opportunities and with a wide range of restaurants. (Due to move to the Pears Maudsley Children and Young People (PMCYP) at the Maudsley Hospital in late 2025/early 2026)

Flexible working:As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. This may include working early mornings, later evenings or Saturdays as part of the core working hours/working pattern for this post)

Details

Date posted

25 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£72,921 to £83,362 a year per annum inclusive of HCAs

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-CLI-7467330

Job locations

Michael Rutter Centre

De Crespigny Park

London

SE5 8AZ

Job description

Job responsibilities

To develop, co-ordinate and ensure the systematic provision of a psychological assessment and therapy service to National Specialist CAMHS SCAAND, particularly focused on working with young people with Intellectual Disability and personally provide highly specialist clinical input. 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 intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental conditions more generally. To ensure that systems are in place and working effectively for the clinical and professional supervision and support of other psychological practitioners particularly in relation to intellectual Disability To promote service evaluation, audit, 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 support the coordination of staff support within their area, working closely with Corporate Psychology and Psychotherapy to support colleagues and ensure all staff in SLaM have access to evidence-based support. To participate, as a recipient, in staff support work when appropriate.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To develop, co-ordinate and ensure the systematic provision of a psychological assessment and therapy service to National Specialist CAMHS SCAAND, particularly focused on working with young people with Intellectual Disability and personally provide highly specialist clinical input. 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 intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental conditions more generally. To ensure that systems are in place and working effectively for the clinical and professional supervision and support of other psychological practitioners particularly in relation to intellectual Disability To promote service evaluation, audit, 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 support the coordination of staff support within their area, working closely with Corporate Psychology and Psychotherapy to support colleagues and ensure all staff in SLaM have access to evidence-based support. To participate, as a recipient, in staff support work when appropriate.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration. (A/I)

Desirable

• Training and/ or expertise in autism specific assessments (eg ADOS-2, ADI-R) (A/I)
• Additional post graduate training in one or more relevant psychological models (Positive Behaviour Support, DBT, etc) (A/I)
• Management qualification, management training course completion or line management experience

Experience

Essential

• Substantial experience of having worked as a clinical specialist in a CAMHS setting with young people with intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental conditions with significant complexity (A/I)
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in children and adolescence with neurodevelopmental conditions or intellectual disabilities. (A/I)
• Experience of proposing and implementing service development projects within own service area. (A/I)

Knowledge

Essential

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment for young people with Intellectual disability, autistic young people and young people with other neurodevelopmental presentations. (A/I/R)
• Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care. (A/I/R)
• To select and administer specialist psychological assessments including standardised cognitive assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources. (A/I/R)

Desirable

• Demonstrated understanding of consultation and clinical supervision of psychologists and non-psychologists related to intellectual disabilities, mental health and safeguarding (A/I)

Skills

Essential

• Advanced selection and administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials). (A/I/R)
• Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups and sensitively managing, a number of people's needs simultaneously within the context of therapeutic work/consultation. (A/I/R)
• Advanced skills in working with a number of clients and systems together, managing the highly complex emotional relationships within and between the component parts of the systems in ways, which maximise the potential for therapeutic outcomes (A/I/R)

Desirable

• Specialist practitioner skills in working with individuals with behaviour that challenges such as self-injurious behaviour (A/I/R/E)

Abilities

Essential

• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles. (A/I/R)

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration. (A/I)

Desirable

• Training and/ or expertise in autism specific assessments (eg ADOS-2, ADI-R) (A/I)
• Additional post graduate training in one or more relevant psychological models (Positive Behaviour Support, DBT, etc) (A/I)
• Management qualification, management training course completion or line management experience

Experience

Essential

• Substantial experience of having worked as a clinical specialist in a CAMHS setting with young people with intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental conditions with significant complexity (A/I)
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in children and adolescence with neurodevelopmental conditions or intellectual disabilities. (A/I)
• Experience of proposing and implementing service development projects within own service area. (A/I)

Knowledge

Essential

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment for young people with Intellectual disability, autistic young people and young people with other neurodevelopmental presentations. (A/I/R)
• Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care. (A/I/R)
• To select and administer specialist psychological assessments including standardised cognitive assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources. (A/I/R)

Desirable

• Demonstrated understanding of consultation and clinical supervision of psychologists and non-psychologists related to intellectual disabilities, mental health and safeguarding (A/I)

Skills

Essential

• Advanced selection and administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials). (A/I/R)
• Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups and sensitively managing, a number of people's needs simultaneously within the context of therapeutic work/consultation. (A/I/R)
• Advanced skills in working with a number of clients and systems together, managing the highly complex emotional relationships within and between the component parts of the systems in ways, which maximise the potential for therapeutic outcomes (A/I/R)

Desirable

• Specialist practitioner skills in working with individuals with behaviour that challenges such as self-injurious behaviour (A/I/R/E)

Abilities

Essential

• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles. (A/I/R)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Michael Rutter Centre

De Crespigny Park

London

SE5 8AZ

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Michael Rutter Centre

De Crespigny Park

London

SE5 8AZ

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)