Psychology and Psychotherapy Careers

We offer our psychology and psychotherapy staff with training, wellbeing support and career development. 

Welcome to Psychology and Psychotherapy

Thank you for your interest in Psychology & Psychotherapy at South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. We are immensely proud of our Psychology & Psychotherapy workforce which compromises over 20 different Psychological Professions and over 1200 staff. These professionals work across all of the different services and teams offered with the Trust delivering high quality, evidence-based and trauma-informed psychological therapies for some of the most diverse communities in the country. We know the importance of understanding our service users and work with them in partnership to meet their needs. 

In order to do this, we need a workforce that is well trained and supported. These pages outline some of the ways in which we aim to ensure this by offering staff excellent supervision, job planning, training, wellbeing support and career development. 

Therapies Strategy 2023-2026

We are delighted to share our first Therapies Strategy. This strategy sets out the priorities for our Psychological Professions, Allied Health Professions, Social Workers and Peer Support staff, to maximise their potential and step up to lead change within our Trust.

In setting out this strategy, we held a number of engagement events to ensure we were listening to our servicer users, carers, and staff whilst appreciating the unique contribution of our Therapies staff, who comprise over a quarter of our total workforce. This strategy is not intended to create professional barriers but recognises in order to continue supporting our Therapies staff to thrive and deliver outstanding care, we must address some of the key challenges faced by the profession and provide specific support.

The strategy focuses on three main areas, providing a framework for action with a series of ambitions underpinning each:

  • Patient Care – delivering outstanding patient care: connecting with all our communities
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – the Trust Strategy includes being an anti-racist organisation, aimed at reducing disparities faced by people from Black, Asian and other minoritised ethnic communities who form a significant proportion of the people we employ and who use our services
  • Workforce – developing a valued, engaged, adaptable, skilled and diverse Therapies workforce who are enabled to fulfil their potential

Read the full Therapies Strategy 2023-2026 here: Therapies Strategy 2023-2026.pdf 14MB

Who we are:

Within South London and Maudsley’s Psychology and Psychotherapy, there are three broad categories of psychological professionals differentiated broadly on the basis of level of qualification and the interventions provided. These are: 

  • Psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat the psychological problems and the behavioural dysfunctions resulting from, or related to physical and mental health
  • Psychological Practitioners usually provide brief or low intensity interventions to support people with common mental health problems to manage their recovery
  • Psychological Therapists provide psychological therapies to help people overcome stress, emotional and relationship problems or troublesome habits.

For more information on the specific psychological professions listed below, please visit  PPN - Career map for the Psychological Professions 

 

Psychologists

Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychologists work with a wide range of psychological difficulties in mental and physical health. They are trained in a number of applications of psychology and contribute to the evidence-based research as well as using evidence-based interventions and formulations with clients. As trainees they are typically employed at Band 6 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 7.

Qualifications:

  • BPS accredited undergraduate degree in psychology or an undergraduate degree in a different subjected followed by a Master’s level Psychology conversion course
  • BPS accredited doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology
  • Accreditation via the Health and Care Professions Council

Counselling Psychologist

Counselling Psychologists use psychological and psychotherapeutic theory, along with research, to support clients with a range of mental and physical health conditions. As trainees they are typically employed at Band 6 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 7.

Qualifications:

  • BPS accredited undergraduate degree in psychology or an undergraduate degree in a different subjected followed by a Master’s level Psychology conversion course
  • BPS accredited doctoral degree in Counselling Psychology
  • Accreditation via the Health and Care Professions Council

Educational Psychologist

Educational Psychologists work with children and young people and specialise in child development to help achieve the young person’s full potential. They can work in schools, social care, with families, carers, and other care services to support those with learning difficulties, social and emotional difficulties. As trainees they are typically employed at Band 6 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 7. 

Qualifications:

  • BPS accredited undergraduate degree in psychology or an undergraduate degree in a different subjected followed by a Master’s level Psychology conversion course
  • An accredited doctoral degree in Educational Psychology
  • Accreditation via the Health and Care Professions Council

Forensic Psychologist

Forensic Psychologists apply psychological theory to help understand criminal behaviour. They tend to work alongside people who have committed offences or are victims of offences. As trainees they are typically employed at a Band 6 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 7.

Qualifications:

  • BPS accredited undergraduate degree in psychology or an undergraduate degree in a different subjected followed by a Master’s level psychology conversion course
  • HCPC approved Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology
  • Either complete minimum 3 years of evidenced supervised practice or an accredited doctoral programme.
  • Accreditation via the Health and Care Professions Council

Health Psychologist

Health Psychologists are trained to understand experiences of health and illness. They use specialist knowledge and their advanced understanding of psychological theory to help change behaviour and promote health and wellbeing. As trainees they are typically employed at a Band 6 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 7.

Qualifications:

  • BPS accredited undergraduate degree  in psychology or an undergraduate degree in a different subjected followed by a Master’s level psychology conversion course
  • BPS accredited Master’s degree in Health Psychology
  • Either BPS Qualification in Health Psychology stage 2 (QHP Stage 2) or BPS accredited doctoral degree in Health Psychology
  • Accreditation via the Health and Care Professions Council

Clinical Associate Psychologist

Clinical Associate Psychologists are specialist mental health professionals whose duties include assessing, formulating, and treating clients within specified ranges of conditions and age, either in primary care/adult mental health settings or in a range of areas involving children, young people, and their families.

Unlike individuals who hold a full Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, Clinical Associate Psychologists can operate only within certain specialised areas and are required to work under the supervision of a fully qualified Practitioner Psychologist. As trainees they are typically employed at a Band 5 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 6.

Qualifications:

  • BPS accredited undergraduate degree in psychology or an undergraduate degree in a different subjected followed by a Master’s level psychology conversion course
  • Level 7 apprenticeship leading to Master’s qualification in either Psychological Therapies in Primary Care or Applied Psychology for Children and Young People

 

Assistant Psychologist

Assistant Psychologists support clinical services to enhance the contribution of qualified staff in supporting people with mental health difficulties. Under supervision, they carry out research, audit and service evaluation, clinical assessment and report writing (amongst other tasks). They are typically employed at a Band 4/Band 5 on the NHS AfC pay scales.

Qualifications:

  • BPS accredited undergraduate degree in psychology or an undergraduate degree in a different subjected followed by a Master’s level psychology conversion course

Psychological Practitioners

Behaviour Support Practitioner

Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is a framework to understand reasons for behaviours that challenge and develop ways to support the person and their networks, for example, by teaching new skills and changing the environment. Behaviour Support Practitioners have specialist skills and knowledge in PBS and applied behavioural analysis. They work in specialist services for children, young people and adults with learning disabilities and autism, assessing the function of behaviours that challenge and developing individualised proactive and reactive strategies to reduce these behaviours and improve quality of life. They do this as part of the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) and in partnership with the individual, family carers and support staff, with co-production being a core value. They also have an important role in helping to develop PBS competencies locally, through training and consultation.   They are typically employed at a Band 6 or Band 7 on the NHS AfC pay scales.

Qualifications:

  • Training routes into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) include completion of a PG Diploma in Applied Behaviour Analysis
  • Bachelor’s degree followed by PG Diploma in Applied Behaviour Analysis, or Analysis and Intervention in Intellectual Disabilities, or equivalent PG Diploma

Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner

Children’s Wellbeing Practitioners (CWP) work with children, young people and their parents/carers to ensure they have access to support from community services and evidence-based interventions including guided self-help and behavioural activation for low mood. As trainees they are typically employed at a Band 4 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 5.

Qualifications:  

  • Completion of a graduate or postgraduate certificate in Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner training commissioned by Health Education England

 

Counsellor

Counsellors work with people struggling with a variety of challenges and psychological difficulties to provide a supportive space to talk. They can draw on several models, including person-centred, cognitive-behavioural, humanistic and more. They are typically employed at a Band 5, Band 6 or Band 7 on the NHS AfC pay scales.

Qualifications:

  • Either a vocational diploma at minimum level 4, a degree or Master’s level training in Counselling

Education Mental Health Practitioner

Educational Mental Health Practitioners assess and support children and young people with common mental health difficulties. They do this through short-term, low-intensity interventions that can be in schools/colleges or with mental health teams. As trainees they are typically employed at a Band 4 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified, they can progress to a Band 5. 

Qualifications:

  • Completion of a graduate or postgraduate diploma in Education Mental Health
  • Accreditation via the British Psychological Society or the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies

Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner

Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners use psychologically informed interventions to focus on wellbeing and coordinate care plans for adults with severe mental health problems. This role focuses on the provision of low-intensity interventions. As trainees they are typically employed at Band 4 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 5.

Qualifications:

  • Completion of a graduate or postgraduate certificate in Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner training 

Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner

Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to assess and support people with common mental health problems for example depression and anxiety disorders. They are there to guide people with their recovery by using principles of low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy. As trainees they are typically employed at Band 4 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 5. 

Qualifications: 

  • Completion of a BPS-accredited Association for Psychological Therapies training course
  • Completion of a graduate-level qualification, postgraduate certificate, or level 6 apprenticeship
  • Accreditation via the BPS or British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 

Youth Intensive Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner

Youth Intensive Psychological Practitioners provide psychological assessments and informed interventions to support young people (aged 13-17 years) with severe mental health difficulties. They support young people in recovery and creating a meaningful life. As trainees they are typically employed at Band 4 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 5. 

Qualifications:

  • BPS accredited undergraduate degree in psychology or an undergraduate degree in a different subjected followed by a Master’s level psychology conversion course
  • Postgraduate certificate in Youth Intensive Psychological Practitioner training 

Psychological Therapists

Adult Psychotherapist

Adult Psychotherapists may draw on a range of psychotherapeutic models, though many will use a psychoanalytic approach. As trainees they are typically employed at a Band 6 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 7. 

Qualifications:

  • An undergraduate degree and professional qualification. Some modalities will also require a core profession. 
  • Accreditation via e.g. the UK Council for Psychotherapy, British Psychoanalytic Council or British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy

Art, Drama or Music Therapist

These Therapists use psychotherapy in the form of art, drama and music as its main mode of expression and communication.  They use these different creative methods to address emotional issues which may be confusing and distressing and to facilitate communication and understanding. They are typically employed at Band 6 or Band 7 on the NHS AfC pay scales.

Qualifications:

  • An undergraduate degree in art, music, drama or a relevant subject
  • A Master’s degree in art therapy, music therapy or drama therapy
  • Accreditation via the Health and Care Professions Council

Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist

Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists work with children and young people up to age 25, their families and carers to assess and treat a wide range of psychological problems. As trainees they are typically employed at a Band 6 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 7.

Qualifications:

  • A professional doctorate in psychotherapy with children, adolescents and families recognised by the Accreditation via the Association of Child Psychotherapists 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapist

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; a talking therapy that aims to help people manage their difficulties by changing the way they think and behave. It is most commonly used to treat anxiety and depression, but it can be used for other mental health problems like psychosis, or physical health problems such as chronic pain. As trainees they are typically employed at a Band 6 on the NHS AfC pay scales and once qualified they can progress to a Band 7. 

Qualifications:

  • An undergraduate degree in a health and social care subject such as mental health nursing, social work or psychology
  • Completion of a postgraduate certificate, postgraduate diploma, or Masters’ degree in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy 

Family and Systemic Psychotherapist

Family and Systemic Psychotherapists can work with individuals or families and work with a range of psychological and relationship difficulties. They are trained in multiple systemic therapeutic approaches to create formulations and interventions. Newly qualified family and systemic psychotherapists are typically employed at a Band 7 on the NHS AfC pay scales and can progress to a Band 8a following a preceptorship.

Qualifications: 

  • Clinical training and qualification such as clinical psychology, social work, psychiatry or mental health
  • Completion of a taught Master’s degree or doctorate course in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy recognised by the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice
  • Accreditation via the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy

Medical Psychotherapist

Consultant Medical Psychotherapists provide psychological assessment and evidence-based therapeutic interventions to people with complex mental, psychological and psychosomatic disorders. They support the holistic psychotherapeutic understanding of patients and develop reflective practice. They lead medical education within psychiatry and medicine to create and manage a psychologically-minded medical workforce and deliver psychotherapy training.  They develop and evaluate new psychotherapeutic treatments and the integration of psychotherapeutic thinking in psychiatry. They help develop services for people with complex needs and personality disorders and provide clinical leadership in acute psychiatric services and emergency cover. During foundation training they are typically employed at a Band 6 on the NHS AfC pay scale. Once they start specialty training, they are typically employed at a Band 7 on the NHS AfC pay scale.

Qualifications: 

  • Completion of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in Medicine followed by foundation training and then specialty training in medical psychotherapy
  • Accredited by the General Medical Council as well as professional bodies like United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy, British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, and British Psychological Society

Why work for us? 

Career benefits:

Psychology & Psychotherapy Continuing Professional Development Opportunities

Whilst you are employed at our Trust you will have access to a wide range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities such as:

  • Free access to Bespoke Mental Health, an online training and CPD event platform that offers workshops and webinars in evidence-based psychological approaches for mental health problems
  • Over 80 Learning Events held throughout the year that are only accessible to psychology and psychotherapy staff. Previous events include Art Therapies workshops, a Trauma-Informed Care conference, workshops on anti-racism and cultural humility, working with refugees and asylum seekers and many more
  • Funding for short training courses to support group training from a small number of staff groups
  • Regular Trust-wide Schwartz Rounds where clinical and non-clinical staff, come together to discuss the emotional and social aspects of working in healthcare
  • Access to a mentoring and leadership programme for staff from ethnic minority backgrounds through funding from NHS England
  • Joining a Special Interest Groups (SIGs). SIGs are for Trust psychology and psychotherapy staff with shared interests and expertise whereby they promote a forum for discussion, support with learning and disseminate information. There is a number of SIGs currently in place, such as: 
      • Adult Acute, Crisis and Complex Care Group
      • Art Therapies Group, 
      • ASD CAMHS Network
      • Borough-Specific CAMHS EDI Network
      • Lambeth Inpatient Therapies Shared Forum
      • Mindfulness Staff Practice Sessions Network
      • Open Dialogue Steering Group
  • Trust-wide staff networks including Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Network, Women’s Network, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Network, Lived Experience Network, Diverse-Ability Network
  • A programme for newly qualified Clinical Psychologists (recent to 2 years) who receive tailored CPD talks and group reflective practice on a monthly basis
  • Weekly Trust-wide Journal Club for Psychiatrists - a reflective space where staff members come together a discuss journal articles relating to healthcare

To explore the full range of CPD opportunities available, please visit Training and Development - South London and Maudsley (slam.nhs.uk)

Research

Our close working relationship with King’s College London University, the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) and the King’s Health Partnership provides opportunities for our staff to get involved in a range of academic research and work alongside world leaders in the field. Additionally, if you have a potential research project or an area of research interest, you will have the opportunity to supervise a Trainee Clinical Psychologist from Salomon’s Institute for Applied Psychology in undertaking this project. To explore the scope of research opportunities available. 

Find out more

Corporate Psychology and Psychotherapy

Corporate Psychology and Psychotherapy (P&P) influences the entirety of our Trust as we focus on improving patient care through how we support all our staff. Within this department there are three different teams: 

  • Workforce Development
  • Staff Support
  • Staff Counselling and Wellbeing

We have two Psychological Workforce Leads, Julie (Clinical Psychologist) who works with our qualified psychologist and psychotherapist workforce and Claire (Clinical Psychologist) who works with our pre-qualified and aspiring psychologist and psychotherapist workforce. Our Staff Support and Staff Counselling and Wellbeing services oversee the governance and systematic provision of psychological support, reflective spaces, post-incident support, workshops, and resources for all Trust staff. 

Workforce Development

The Psychological Workforce are responsible for a number of projects supporting psychology and psychotherapy staff at all levels of their career including recruitment, retention, and professional development. This includes engaging in projects aimed at diversifying our workforce to help us meet our ambition to become more representative of the communities we serve and ensuring we achieve our vision in becoming a transparent, responsive, decent and equitable organisation that is a leader in fighting racism. 

Read our anti-racism plan

Early Career Pathway - Aspiring Psychological Professionals

The early career pathway is focused on initiatives that support and develop aspiring and pre-qualified psychologists and psychotherapists across the Trust and beyond. Our work includes outreach and engagement with our local schools and universities, hosting workshops and webinars, and providing placement experiences for psychology graduates.

If you are an Aspiring Psychological Professional and are interested in working in the Trust, please search and apply for vacancies: Vacancies - South London and Maudsley All applications must be submitted online and we do not accept CV’s submitted via email.

Please find further detailed information on opportunities available, depending on what stage of your career development, below: 

The early career pathway is focused on initiatives that support and develop aspiring and pre-qualified psychologists and psychotherapists across the Trust and beyond. Our work includes outreach and engagement with our local schools and universities, hosting workshops and webinars, and providing placement experiences for psychology graduates.

If you are an Aspiring Psychological Professional and are interested in joining us, search and apply for vacancies. All applications must be submitted online and we do not accept CV’s submitted via email.

Our Vacancies

    

Volunteering

Volunteering opportunities are available to anyone aged 16 and over. 

Find out more

Sixth Form Students

The Trust currently offers a five-day Work Experience placement for students aged between 16 to 18 years old interested in gaining work experience in clinical and non-clinical roles across the Trust. This is the only scheme available within our Trust for school attendees.   

Find out more

Psychology Graduates

External candidates

If you have completed your psychology degree (or MSc conversion degree) and are looking for ways to enter the field, we have two relevant schemes that may be of interest:  

Internal candidates – for those currently working in the Trust  

As a staff member there are various networks you can access. Within your first two months of joining, you will be added to the Psychology and Psychotherapy (P&P) mailing list and Microsoft Teams channel. These channels are regularly used to share information about a wide range of opportunities available for staff including, CPD talks, Psychological Professions Network newsletters, training opportunities and learning events.

As an aspiring psychological professional there is also an internal Aspiring Psychological Professionals Network available for all staff members to join. The peer led network offers a space for aspiring psychological professionals such as Assistant Psychologists, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners and roles alike to connect, reflect and support each other in topics (including CPD) relevant to where they are in their career journey. 

Non-Psychology Graduates

Our Trust provides a small range of Apprenticeship programmes for Level 5 graduates from non-psychology programmes. These include roles such as Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner and Clinical Associate in Psychology.

For more information about these roles, please visit https://www.ppn.nhs.uk/resources-url/careers-map

Psychology Undergraduates/Postgraduate MSc Psychology Conversion Students

If you are currently completing your undergraduate or a postgraduate MSc psychology conversion and are interested in obtaining voluntary work experience within the Trust, please visit https://slam.nhs.uk/volunteering

Unfortunately, we do not centrally co-ordinate undergraduate or postgraduate MSc psychology and psychotherapy placements/internships. 

For more information on Trust offers for Aspiring Psychological Professionals, including invites to webinars, relevant vacancies within our schemes and other offers, join our mailing list

Join our mailing list

Qualified and Later Career Pathway

The qualified and later career pathway is concerned with initiatives that aim to improve the experience of qualified psychologists and psychotherapists and supports the psychological workforce in its core task of meeting the needs of our diverse communities (inclusive of our service users, carers and colleagues).

It involves identifying workforce challenges/needs and in collaboration with stakeholders, devising and implementing measurable solutions. Within this broad project, the training plan and conferences for psychologists and psychotherapists are coordinated and implemented in liaison with the Heads of our Psychology and Psychotherapy services and Trust Psychotherapy Advisors.

Vacancies

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust provides the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK. We serve a local population of 1.3million people in south London and each year we provide inpatient care for over 5,000 people and treat more than 40,000 patients in the community in Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Croydon. Our work is divided across six operational directorates in these four boroughs, and we provide more than 240 services to local people, as well as over 50 specialist services for children and adults across the UK and beyond.

View our current vacancies