Principal High Intensity CBT Therapist (Step 2 Clinical Lead)

NHS Jobs

London, UK

Cognitive Behavioural Therapist

Full time

£72,921 - £83,362 per year

Job summary

A fixed term opportunity has arisen to cover the Step 2 Clinical Lead role at Lambeth NHS Talking Therapies for a fixed-term period of 13 months in order to provide maternity cover.

The primary purpose of this role is to contribute to the continued development and provision of a very high quality therapy service to meet the needs of people with common mental health problems in Lambeth. The Step 2 Clinical Lead will be an experienced psychological therapist with extensive experience working within a NHS Talking Therapies service (formerly knows as IAPT), and will be part of the management team and work closely with the service lead and deputy service lead, playing a key role in supporting, inspiring and guiding the clinical work of their team, with a focus on continuing service improvement

Main duties of the job

Develop the strategy to enable the Step 2 team to meet the nationally set targets around reliable recovery and reliable improvement
Plan and manage treatment capacity and demand to ensure that the nationally set targets around completed treatments and waiting times are met
To line manage the Step 2 8a Team Leads, and the Step 2 team, supporting their well-being and development and managing their performance
Lead on recruitment for qualified and trainee PWPs
Lead with the help of the 8a Step 2 Team Leads the monthly step 2 meetings and LI supervisors meetings
Liaise with UCL about the Croydon & Lambeth London training cohort
To work collaboratively with the service lead to plan the future development of the service, and to lead specific service developments and new initiatives
To work with service users, referrers and other providers to improve existing services to clients and to develop new care pathways and services
To support the service lead in maintaining a strong, committed and motivated team
To work autonomously as a Senior Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures.
To provide high quality specialist CBT supervision

About us

The post-holder will work within the Lambeth NHS Talking Therapies Service. The service consists of approximately 120 WTE clinical and administration staff providing a service across Lambeth. The main service bases are Dalbury House in Brixton, Stockwell Gardens, Palace Rd Streatham. This is a borough of high social and psychological needs with considerable cultural diversity. The service sees clients with a wide range of common mental health problems and varying levels of severity. Many clients present with multiple problems including social, housing and employment issues. The postholder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities.

We operate a stepped care service model offering on-line CBT, guided self-help, groups and workshops as well as individual therapy (CBT and a range of other approaches) and offer treatment to Lambeth residents suffering from long term conditions. We offer clinical services on week days from 8am until 8pm. We have close links with our sister IAPT services within SLaM, with the IAPT training courses at the Institute of Psychiatry and University College London (UCL) and CADAT.

Details

Date posted

24 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

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

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

13 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

334-CLI-7427825

Job locations

Lambeth NHS Talking Therapies

1a Dalbury House, Ferndale Rd

London

SW9 8AP

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

PLANNING, MANAGING AND EVALUATING THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES WITHIN LAMBETH TALKING THERAPIES
Assessing the service need for a service area, and current and future capacity requirements
Planning and managing the recruitment process to meet this need
Monitoring and evaluating service activity and outcomes
Ensuring the effective use of resources through the design and refinement of efficient systems and processes of service delivery and the ongoing adoption of new ways of delivering care
Designing and implementing new care pathways in collaboration with referrers and other services
Developing and updating policies and procedures for the delivery of high quality clinical services
Commissioning and monitoring external provision of services as agreed

TEAM MANAGEMENT

To agree job plans, performance targets and development goals with your team through the appraisal process, and monitor and support staff in their achievement
To foster a supportive and performance focussed team ethos through your interaction and communication with the team, your own behaviour, team meetings and supervision
To take responsibility for the wellbeing of your team, setting up formal and informal systems to identify issues and addressing them
To induct new team members, agreeing job plans, and ensuring that they are trained and supported to do their jobs, and meeting them regularly to support their development and performance
To ensure a programme of clinical training and development is in place for your team and regularly reviewed and refreshed
Ensure good two-way communication between your staff and the service management
To lead team meetings

SERVICE LEADERSHIP

To share responsibility for the direction and development of the service, taking an active role in the monthly service management meeting, leading team and whole team meetings
To provide regular reports on the activity and performance of your service area, and any issues that need attention
To identify aspects of the service which could be improved and initiate and implement service development projects.
To be proactive in challenging discrimination and to support the development of culturally competent services.
To keep abreast of local and national developments in mental health services and to lead proactive responses in LTT
To take the lead in agreed areas of development and service delivery
To lead in the recruitment process of CBT therapists, PWPs, administration staff, assistant psychologists and trainees
To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and developing services.
To listen and respond to, and appropriately manage patient complaints
To participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the directorate clinical governance committee.
Contribute to the development of a culture within the team that values the use of outcome measures and service user involvement as ways of improving clinical practice

CLINICAL

To provide expertise in a highly specialist clinical area which will contribute to the treatment of clients presenting with anxiety disorders or depression within an IAPT framework.

To deliver NICE recommended, formulation driven psychological interventions for depression and anxiety disorders, adapting interventions for the specific needs and clinical setting. Assess and integrate issues surrounding social support, voluntary work and employment into therapy.
To provide highly specialist assessment and clinical formulation to clients with complex mental health needs, including personality disorders, addiction and trauma.
To provide psychological reports, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, service users.
To select and deliver highly specialist evidence based psychological treatments, monitoring outcomes and modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical models.
To collect and enter clinical outcome data on a sessional basis; select and interpret outcome measures to inform treatment planning
To work as an autonomous professional within BPS/BABCP/HCPC guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking full responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.
To travel to community settings as appropriate and across the Trust when required.
To contribute to the effective working of the team and to a psychologically informed framework for the service area, taking on specific roles or duties as agreed.
To communicate skilfully and sensitively highly complex and sensitive information with clients, carers, colleagues and other professionals taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication.
To keep clear, accurate and up to date records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols.
To confidently assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans
To confidently advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of clients.
To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations such as distressed clients or abusive behaviour and to support others involved in such situations.
To provide information and signposting for patients who do not meet the services eligibility criteria.
To refer people with more severe common mental health problems to the secondary care psychological therapies service
Work closely with other members of the IAPT team to ensure that patients referred on to the IAPT service have a clear referral pathway.
Maintain a clinical caseload in line with activity targets agreed with line manager.

5) TEACHING, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION:

To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist/psychotherpist according to BABCP/BPS/HCPC and Trust guidelines.
To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within Lambeth IAPT by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology, CBT, IAPT and by implementing knowledge gained in practice.
To provide professional managerial, and clinical supervision to HI CBT therapists, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, trainees, assistant psychologist and other junior staff members for all aspects of their work. This must include live supervision of therapists work.
To deliver and promote outcome-focussed supervision, directly to supervised staff, and through participation in the LI and HI supervisors groups
To provide service level risk management, taking part in the on-call risk rota, and developing and recording risk management plans
To provide specialist training to other professions as appropriate.
To plan and undertake teaching and training of pre and post- qualification psychologists and specialised training to other professions as appropriate.

To provide supervision for the psychological work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate.

6) RESEARCH and SERVICE DEVELOPMENT:

Assist in the development and maintenance of a strong research culture that values the use of outcome measures as a way of improving clinical practice.
Encourage the critical evaluation of practice, and undertake research

Use theory and literature to support evidence-based practice in clinical work, supervision, teaching and consultations
Communicate and disseminate research and service evaluation information so that clinical practice is appropriately informed

To contribute to the development of services through initiating, undertaking and supervising service evaluation and audit.

To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.

7) PROFESSIONAL:

Work as an autonomous professional and maintain standards of practice adhering to HPC or BABCP guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.
To ensure Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS/BABCP/UKCP and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements.
Be aware of advances in CBT, other psychological therapies and the IAPT programme.
Work in accordance with the principles of CBT and within the parameters of good practice, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Clinical Governance Framework.

8) GENERAL:

To participate in business and professional meetings within the IAPT service and Lambeth Directorate.
To lead investigations into Serious Untoward Events in other SLAM services as required
To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations (such as challenging behaviour or abuse etc) and to support others involved in such situations.
To travel to the GP practices, service meetings and other meetings as appropriate.
To regularly work one evening and do Saturday work (on occasion) as required

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

PLANNING, MANAGING AND EVALUATING THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES WITHIN LAMBETH TALKING THERAPIES
Assessing the service need for a service area, and current and future capacity requirements
Planning and managing the recruitment process to meet this need
Monitoring and evaluating service activity and outcomes
Ensuring the effective use of resources through the design and refinement of efficient systems and processes of service delivery and the ongoing adoption of new ways of delivering care
Designing and implementing new care pathways in collaboration with referrers and other services
Developing and updating policies and procedures for the delivery of high quality clinical services
Commissioning and monitoring external provision of services as agreed

TEAM MANAGEMENT

To agree job plans, performance targets and development goals with your team through the appraisal process, and monitor and support staff in their achievement
To foster a supportive and performance focussed team ethos through your interaction and communication with the team, your own behaviour, team meetings and supervision
To take responsibility for the wellbeing of your team, setting up formal and informal systems to identify issues and addressing them
To induct new team members, agreeing job plans, and ensuring that they are trained and supported to do their jobs, and meeting them regularly to support their development and performance
To ensure a programme of clinical training and development is in place for your team and regularly reviewed and refreshed
Ensure good two-way communication between your staff and the service management
To lead team meetings

SERVICE LEADERSHIP

To share responsibility for the direction and development of the service, taking an active role in the monthly service management meeting, leading team and whole team meetings
To provide regular reports on the activity and performance of your service area, and any issues that need attention
To identify aspects of the service which could be improved and initiate and implement service development projects.
To be proactive in challenging discrimination and to support the development of culturally competent services.
To keep abreast of local and national developments in mental health services and to lead proactive responses in LTT
To take the lead in agreed areas of development and service delivery
To lead in the recruitment process of CBT therapists, PWPs, administration staff, assistant psychologists and trainees
To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and developing services.
To listen and respond to, and appropriately manage patient complaints
To participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the directorate clinical governance committee.
Contribute to the development of a culture within the team that values the use of outcome measures and service user involvement as ways of improving clinical practice

CLINICAL

To provide expertise in a highly specialist clinical area which will contribute to the treatment of clients presenting with anxiety disorders or depression within an IAPT framework.

To deliver NICE recommended, formulation driven psychological interventions for depression and anxiety disorders, adapting interventions for the specific needs and clinical setting. Assess and integrate issues surrounding social support, voluntary work and employment into therapy.
To provide highly specialist assessment and clinical formulation to clients with complex mental health needs, including personality disorders, addiction and trauma.
To provide psychological reports, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, service users.
To select and deliver highly specialist evidence based psychological treatments, monitoring outcomes and modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical models.
To collect and enter clinical outcome data on a sessional basis; select and interpret outcome measures to inform treatment planning
To work as an autonomous professional within BPS/BABCP/HCPC guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking full responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.
To travel to community settings as appropriate and across the Trust when required.
To contribute to the effective working of the team and to a psychologically informed framework for the service area, taking on specific roles or duties as agreed.
To communicate skilfully and sensitively highly complex and sensitive information with clients, carers, colleagues and other professionals taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication.
To keep clear, accurate and up to date records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols.
To confidently assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans
To confidently advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of clients.
To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations such as distressed clients or abusive behaviour and to support others involved in such situations.
To provide information and signposting for patients who do not meet the services eligibility criteria.
To refer people with more severe common mental health problems to the secondary care psychological therapies service
Work closely with other members of the IAPT team to ensure that patients referred on to the IAPT service have a clear referral pathway.
Maintain a clinical caseload in line with activity targets agreed with line manager.

5) TEACHING, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION:

To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist/psychotherpist according to BABCP/BPS/HCPC and Trust guidelines.
To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within Lambeth IAPT by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology, CBT, IAPT and by implementing knowledge gained in practice.
To provide professional managerial, and clinical supervision to HI CBT therapists, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, trainees, assistant psychologist and other junior staff members for all aspects of their work. This must include live supervision of therapists work.
To deliver and promote outcome-focussed supervision, directly to supervised staff, and through participation in the LI and HI supervisors groups
To provide service level risk management, taking part in the on-call risk rota, and developing and recording risk management plans
To provide specialist training to other professions as appropriate.
To plan and undertake teaching and training of pre and post- qualification psychologists and specialised training to other professions as appropriate.

To provide supervision for the psychological work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate.

6) RESEARCH and SERVICE DEVELOPMENT:

Assist in the development and maintenance of a strong research culture that values the use of outcome measures as a way of improving clinical practice.
Encourage the critical evaluation of practice, and undertake research

Use theory and literature to support evidence-based practice in clinical work, supervision, teaching and consultations
Communicate and disseminate research and service evaluation information so that clinical practice is appropriately informed

To contribute to the development of services through initiating, undertaking and supervising service evaluation and audit.

To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.

7) PROFESSIONAL:

Work as an autonomous professional and maintain standards of practice adhering to HPC or BABCP guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.
To ensure Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS/BABCP/UKCP and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements.
Be aware of advances in CBT, other psychological therapies and the IAPT programme.
Work in accordance with the principles of CBT and within the parameters of good practice, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Clinical Governance Framework.

8) GENERAL:

To participate in business and professional meetings within the IAPT service and Lambeth Directorate.
To lead investigations into Serious Untoward Events in other SLAM services as required
To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations (such as challenging behaviour or abuse etc) and to support others involved in such situations.
To travel to the GP practices, service meetings and other meetings as appropriate.
To regularly work one evening and do Saturday work (on occasion) as required

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Qualified therapist in CBT from an IAPT-approved High Intensity training at post-graduate diploma level or equivalent
Practitioner accreditation status with BABCP

Desirable

An additional therapy qualification eg EMDR; IPT; DIT; Couples/systemic

Experience

Essential

Significant experience in staff management including line management, performance management and appraisal
Experience of implementing major service improvements
Ability to support teams to achieve service targets
Experience of managing the day-to-day running and performance of a significant service or function within an NHS Talking Therapies service
Experience of clinically supervising psychological therapists including qualified PWP's and HIs

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of at least one NICE recommended model of therapy for IAPT
Have attended supervision training for PWP's and HIs
Advanced knowledge of disorder specific formulations and evidence based treatment interventions relevant to an IAPT service
Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment.

Desirable

Training in performance management
Training in performance management

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Qualified therapist in CBT from an IAPT-approved High Intensity training at post-graduate diploma level or equivalent
Practitioner accreditation status with BABCP

Desirable

An additional therapy qualification eg EMDR; IPT; DIT; Couples/systemic

Experience

Essential

Significant experience in staff management including line management, performance management and appraisal
Experience of implementing major service improvements
Ability to support teams to achieve service targets
Experience of managing the day-to-day running and performance of a significant service or function within an NHS Talking Therapies service
Experience of clinically supervising psychological therapists including qualified PWP's and HIs

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of at least one NICE recommended model of therapy for IAPT
Have attended supervision training for PWP's and HIs
Advanced knowledge of disorder specific formulations and evidence based treatment interventions relevant to an IAPT service
Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment.

Desirable

Training in performance management
Training in performance management

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

Certificate of Sponsorship

Salary range

£72,921 - £83,362 per year