Clinical Lead MHST and Primary Care MH Team

Job Overview

The Clinical Lead will provide strategic and operational clinical leadership across Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) and the Primary Care Mental Health Team (PCMHT) within CAMHS Early Intervention Services. The postholder will be responsible for maintaining high standards of clinical practice, governance, quality, safety and workforce development across both services, ensuring children, young people and families receive timely, evidence-based and equitable mental health care.

Main duties of the job

Mental Health Support Teams are a key component of the national transformation programme for children and young people's mental health, delivering early intervention and preventative support within education settings. The Clinical Lead will retain overall clinical responsibility for the MHST model, including the development, supervision and professional leadership of Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs), the quality of CBT-informed interventions, and the implementation of national MHST priorities. Working in partnership with the Early Intervention Service Manager and Locality Service Leads, the postholder will support the continued growth, innovation and effectiveness of MHST provision across North West London.

Alongside this, the Clinical Lead will provide senior clinical oversight to the Primary Care Mental Health Team, supporting the delivery of accessible, community-based mental health interventions for children and young people presenting with mild to moderate difficulties. The postholder will lead on clinical governance, complex case consultation, service development, pathway integration and workforce capability, ensuring strong links between primary care, schools, specialist CAMHS and wider system partners.

Working for our organisation

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) is one of the largest and most diverse community and mental health Trusts in the country. We have received a rating of “good” from the CQC. We care for people across the life course, from preconception through to the end of life. We have a wide range of outstanding partners and work across vibrant and expansive geography. We combine the best NHS and public sector values with an appetite for innovation and commercial excellence.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

The Clinical Lead will work collaboratively with managers, clinicians, commissioners, education colleagues and wider stakeholders to shape service strategy, drive continuous improvement and support the development of an integrated early intervention model that improves outcomes for children and young people across North West London.

Please see attached recruitment pack for further information.

Person specification

Education And Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Degree level study or equivalent / Further post degree qualification
• Current Registration with appropriate professional body e.g. ACP/ HCPC / UKCP / NMC /Social Work England (SWE)
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Registration with BABCP
• For Art Therapies - Membership of Professional Body (BAMT, BADTh, ADMP, BAAT)
• For Occupational Therapy - Postgraduate qualification in Sensory Integration, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Neurodevelopmental Conditions or other relevant therapeutic modality
• Post qualification training relevant to CYP mental health and/or leadership
• Specific CBT therapeutic modality training and qualification
  
  

Previous Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of senior clinical leadership or clinical governance responsibilities
• Experience of leading or contributing to service development or transformation
• Substantive post-qualification experience of working within a multidisciplinary CYPMH
• Experience of working across organisational and system boundaries
• Substantive knowledge and skills in the use Evidenced based interventions for CYPMH
• Substantive knowledge of safeguarding, risk management and clinical governance frameworks.
• Well-developed skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups without holding a caseload
• Knowledge of national MHST policy, CYP mental health strategy and NICE guidance
• Demonstrable ability to provide strategic clinical leadership within complex services
• Ability to lead, motivate and support multidisciplinary teams
• Experience of supporting supervision frameworks and professional development Ability to influence senior stakeholders and contribute to system level decision making
• Proven ability to work effectively with education settings and partner organisations
• Experience of collaborative working with local authorities, CAMHS and wider systems
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Experience of MHST, early intervention or school based mental health services
• Supervised experience of evidence-based treatment (particularly CBT) in relation to children with mental health concerns.
• High level knowledge of the theory and practice Guided self help, drawing on CBT and behavioural therapy principles
  
  

Personal

Essential criteria

• Ability to communicate complex clinical issues clearly to a wide range of audiences
• Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to ‘hold’ the stress of others.
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in leadership and service delivery
• Understanding of health inequalities affecting children and young people
• Willingness to travel and work flexibly across the service footprint
• Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills.
• Treats service users with respect and dignity at all times
• Enthusiastic, flexible and confident approach to working.
• Able to prioritise own workload and meet performance requirements for the role.
• Willingness and ability to learn new skills and adapt to change.