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Job summary

Main area
Applied Psychology
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8b
Contract
Fixed term: 30 months (Role is based within the Wellcome-funded AVATAR project and is for a period of 30 months with the end date no later than the project end date (31st August 2029))
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
334-CLI-8313291
Employer
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
PICuP (Psychological Interventions Clinic for outpatients with Psychosis)/ Psychology (KCL)
Town
London
Salary
£75,328 - £86,114 per annum inclusive of HCAS (Inner)
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
27/10/2026 23:59

Employer heading

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust logo

Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or Psychotherapist

NHS AfC: Band 8b

 

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives  in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology  to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone’s potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust. 

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I’m going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you’ll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

This post is for an 8b SLaM AVATAR therapy Training Lead for a new Wellcome funded study, AVATAR-RWE (Real World Evidence). The successful candidate will work as part of an NHS implementation study of AVATAR therapy, a blended digital intervention for distressing voices in psychosis.  Having tested efficacy in rigorous randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and with replication emerging from independent research groups, our focus is on national and international implementation of AVATAR therapy. In March 2024 AVATAR therapy received a NICE-Early Value Assessment recommendation for deployment in the NHS for the purpose of real-world evidence generation.

 

Main duties of the job

Key Responsibilities:

The post holder will:

·        Lead on training and supervision of therapists in SLaM.

·        Supervise the Assistant Psychologist, to support data collection to a high standard, in line with study protocols.

·        Oversee reporting and transfer of research data to project leads, in line with research governance approvals.

·        Support the optimisation of AVATAR therapy software and training resources

·        Support the KCL-based Researchers in development of study materials.

·        The post holder may be asked to contribute to training and supervision beyond SLaM (i.e. other trusts/ clinical settings) to support the wider roll-out of AVATAR therapy

 The post holder will support Dr Tom Ward and Dr Clem Edwards in the delivery of these aims. The job purpose will focus on leadership in the training and supervision of AVATAR therapy delivered within SLaM alongside the real-world data collection.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Working for our organisation

About South London and Maudsley:

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.

SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.

 

 

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This post is for an 8b SLaM AVATAR therapy Training Lead for a new Wellcome funded study, AVATAR-RWE (Real World Evidence). The successful candidate will work as part of an NHS implementation study of AVATAR therapy, a blended digital intervention for distressing voices in psychosis.  Please see attached Job description for further information

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • • Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology, or equivalent, and HCPC registered. (A)
Desirable criteria
  • • Post-qualification Postgraduate Diploma in CBT for psychosis/Severe Mental Illness (SMI) or equivalent specialist experience. (A)

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Post qualification experience of working in adult mental health services with people with psychosis.
Desirable criteria
  • Training, supervision, or delivery of digitally supported therapies for severe mental health problems.
  • Training and experience in AVATAR therapy delivery and supervision

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Knowledge, experience and interest in AVATAR or relevant relational therapies for psychosis (A/I)
  • Knowledge and skills in CBT for psychosis. (A/I)
  • Knowledge and skills in supervision and training of other mental health professionals. (A/I)
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge and skills in digitally supported therapies for severe mental health problems. (A/I)
  • Training and supervision of psychological practitioners to deliver psychological interventions for psychosis (A/I)

Employer certification / accreditation badges

London Healthy workplaceCapital Nurse, LondonNo smoking policyLondon Living Wage is a voluntary commitment made by employers, who can become accredited with the Living Wage FoundationImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Stonewall Silver 2022Disability confident employerCare Leaver CovenantStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Armed Forces Covenant Bronze AwardHappy to Talk Flexible WorkingArmed Forces Covenant

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.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr Thomas Ward
Job title
Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology
Email address
[email protected]
Additional information

SLaM email: [email protected]

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