Job summary

We are seeking to employ and support a Band 6 Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP)/ Senior Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner (SMHWP). The CAP/ SMHWP will be already trained in the delivery of low-medium intensity psychological formulation, assessment and treatment in Adult Secondary Care Health or Secondary Care Mental Health settings. The post holder will sit within the new innovative TUNE-UP MDT to support delivery of behavioural and psychological components of a 12-month group weight management intervention for people with severe mental illness (mainly schizophrenia-spectrum and bipolar). This adapts an approach offered for the general population. As part of the 12-month programme, patients will receive a set number of dietetic, physiotherapy, and psychology sessions +/- endocrinology/psychiatry support as necessary (eg if a weight loss medication is indicated, or a change in psychiatric medication is indicated).

Applications are welcome from qualified, experienced and accredited practitioners - Clinical Associates in Psychology and Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners.

This role would be a great step into working in the expanding Long Term Health Conditions/ Mental Health space.

The post holder will need an interest in physical health, and in working with people with SMI.

The post holder will work a normal shift pattern of Monday- Friday 9:00-17:00.

Main duties of the job

They will deliver a high quality and structured psychological pyscho education and treatment approach. This will be primarily as part of a small group programme, but also involve some individual programmes around weight loss and management.

The work undertaken will be supervised regularly by a Senior Specialist Psychologist who will provide governance for the clinical work carried out.

The TUNE-UP (Treating Unmet NEeds in Psychiatry) clinic is a specialist Maudsley Hospital pilot service designed to provide gold-standard weight-loss interventions--including GLP-1 weight-loss injections--for patients with severe mental illnesses like psychosis and obesity.

About us

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.

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.

By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care.

You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field. SLaM delivered more than 14,000 training experiences in 2014: providing an extensive range of learning opportunities for staff at all levels.

In addition, our working relationship with King's Health Partners allows those working at the Trust to get involved in academic research.

Details

Date posted

29 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£47,951 to £56,863 a year per annum inclusive of HCAs (inner) pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

334-CLI-8327619

Job locations

Maudsley Hospital

Denmark Hill,

Camberwell, London

SE5 8AZ

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Working with multi disciplinary colleagues as part of a team delivering the programme.

This is not intended to be a traditional specialist psychotherapy post. Rather, the role is focused on supporting behaviour change, engagement, psychoeducation, and psychologically informed lifestyle interventions within a physical health service model, including support around emotional and behavioural relationships with food, motivation for change, and adjustment to lifestyle interventions. Some sessions will be delivered to small groups, and some will be online. The postholder would work within structured care pathways and under structured senior supervision.

The characteristics of the core population receiving direct services are people with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) who may have experienced adverse life events and socio-economic disadvantages.

The TUNE UP service users will have their general mental health care provided separately, for example through a CMHT.

there will be regular senior psychology supervision from the Guy's & St Thomas (GSTT) Tier 3 weight management service, including weekly Band 8 psychology input.

Job description Job responsibilities Working with multi disciplinary colleagues as part of a team delivering the programme. This is not intended to be a traditional specialist psychotherapy post. Rather, the role is focused on supporting behaviour change, engagement, psychoeducation, and psychologically informed lifestyle interventions within a physical health service model, including support around emotional and behavioural relationships with food, motivation for change, and adjustment to lifestyle interventions. Some sessions will be delivered to small groups, and some will be online. The postholder would work within structured care pathways and under structured senior supervision. The characteristics of the core population receiving direct services are people with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) who may have experienced adverse life events and socio-economic disadvantages. The TUNE UP service users will have their general mental health care provided separately, for example through a CMHT. there will be regular senior psychology supervision from the Guy's & St Thomas (GSTT) Tier 3 weight management service, including weekly Band 8 psychology input.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Completed BPS [British Psychological Society] accredited CAP or MHWP apprenticeship training programme including EPA to IFA standards.
• Registered as a CAP or MHWP with either the BPS or BABCP.

Desirable

• Post registration qualification in specialty
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Training in SCM or other evidence-based intervention for this client group
• Post-registration qualification/ accreditation relevant to the post

Experience

Essential

• Experience of delivering group psychological work
• Experience of delivering individual psychological treatment work
• Ability to engage with a variety of services and community partners and stakeholders, and to expand existing networks, and to nurture and maintain strong working relationships with stakeholders
• Understand how to analyse and appraise key theoretical concepts of psychological models of treatment both at individual and group level recognised in evidence-based national guidelines
• Communicate effectively, share information and check understanding using clear language and appropriate, written materials, making reasonable adjustments where appropriate in order to optimise people's understanding

Desirable

• At least one-year post-qualification experience
• Lived experience of using services, and/or being a carer for someone
• Experience of psychological work with people with SMI

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• To be able to facilitate a group programme
• To able to work therapeutically with people with SMI
• To be able to assess and formulate someone's experiences drawing on a range of psychological models and theory
• Awareness of diversity of cultural norms across the borough, and being able to respond to this appropriately
• Understand the principles of clinical supervision using them to provide a safe and supportive environment to reflect, review and discuss personal and professional responses to work

Desirable

• Experience of working closely experts-by-experience, local communities, Community and Voluntary and Social Enterprises, to co-produce and co-develop services
• Knowledge and implementation of local, regional and national policy
• Able to understand and critically appraise best evidence and existing practice to inform clinical decision making where there is no agreed consensus on treatment protocols and evaluate outcome
• Understand and utilise learning styles, tools and techniques that can be used to support learning
• Experienced in using a range of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies relevant to situation and service context that draw on specialist psychological tools to collect data to evaluate own practice as well as to enhance service delivery

Person Specification Qualifications Essential Completed BPS [British Psychological Society] accredited CAP or MHWP apprenticeship training programme including EPA to IFA standards. Registered as a CAP or MHWP with either the BPS or BABCP. Desirable Post registration qualification in specialty Evidence of continuing professional development Training in SCM or other evidence-based intervention for this client group Post-registration qualification/ accreditation relevant to the post Experience Essential Experience of delivering group psychological work Experience of delivering individual psychological treatment work Ability to engage with a variety of services and community partners and stakeholders, and to expand existing networks, and to nurture and maintain strong working relationships with stakeholders Understand how to analyse and appraise key theoretical concepts of psychological models of treatment both at individual and group level recognised in evidence-based national guidelines Communicate effectively, share information and check understanding using clear language and appropriate, written materials, making reasonable adjustments where appropriate in order to optimise people's understanding Desirable At least one-year post-qualification experience Lived experience of using services, and/or being a carer for someone Experience of psychological work with people with SMI Knowledge and Skills Essential To be able to facilitate a group programme To able to work therapeutically with people with SMI To be able to assess and formulate someone's experiences drawing on a range of psychological models and theory Awareness of diversity of cultural norms across the borough, and being able to respond to this appropriately Understand the principles of clinical supervision using them to provide a safe and supportive environment to reflect, review and discuss personal and professional responses to work Desirable Experience of working closely experts-by-experience, local communities, Community and Voluntary and Social Enterprises, to co-produce and co-develop services Knowledge and implementation of local, regional and national policy Able to understand and critically appraise best evidence and existing practice to inform clinical decision making where there is no agreed consensus on treatment protocols and evaluate outcome Understand and utilise learning styles, tools and techniques that can be used to support learning Experienced in using a range of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies relevant to situation and service context that draw on specialist psychological tools to collect data to evaluate own practice as well as to enhance service delivery

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

Maudsley Hospital

Denmark Hill,

Camberwell, London

SE5 8AZ

United Kingdom

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

Maudsley Hospital

Denmark Hill,

Camberwell, London

SE5 8AZ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

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