Principal Psychologist and Clinical Lead Croydon IST - NHS South West London Recruitment Hub

Principal Psychologist and Clinical Lead Croydon IST at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust.

Salary: £70,396 to £80,837

There's something special about joining a service right at the beginning - you'll have scope to innovate, influence and shape our newly established Croydon Intensive Support Team (IST).
Our service supports autistic adults and adults with intellectual disabilities who may be experiencing significant distress, behaviours of concern, or an increased risk of hospital admission.
In this role, you'll lead a skilled multidisciplinary team including an assistant psychologist, behaviour specialist, specialist speech and language therapist, Transforming Care nurse, Autism peer support worker, and an advanced practitioner. Together, you'll help people stay safe, connected to their communities, and supported in ways that reduce the need for crisis-driven or restrictive interventions. Above all, you'll ensure every person receives compassionate, personalised care shaped by what matters most to them.

This is also an exciting time to join a service helping shape the future of autism health provision. The Croydon Adult Autism IST is working with NHS England to contribute to an updated national service specification for autism health service models, and our service will feature in the new guidance, showcasing neurodivergent-affirming practice. In 2026, we will also be conducting and publishing research into the impact of the service model, strengthening the evidence base for adult autism health provision.

We're looking for someone who cares as much as we do, and we particularly welcome applications from candidates with lived experience.

Main duties of the job

Clinical

• Lead the delivery of specialist psychological care that empowers people to overcome challenge.
• Work closely with individuals and their families to co-create care plans that reflect their strengths, preferences, and aspirations.
• Use your expertise in Positive Behaviour Support and systemic practice to develop approaches that reduce risk and enhance quality of life.

Team leadership and collaboration

• Support, guide, and inspire your team, fostering a culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to contribute.
• Provide expert clinical supervision and consultation, helping colleagues and local providers build confidence and capability

Driving innovation

• Evaluate and evolve the service as needs change, ensuring we remain responsive and forward-thinking.
• Use data, feedback, and lived experience to shape how we grow, keeping the voices of the people we support at the heart of every decision.
• Lead projects that strengthen community-based support, enabling more people to thrive closer to home.

Research

• Contribute to research , including collaboration with NHS England on autism prioritisation, as well as the chance to shape crisis-intervention pathways for two distinct populations.
• Publish research locally, regionally, and strategically, helping to influence practice beyond Croydon.

About us

You'll be based in our modern offices at Bernard Weatherill House in Croydon, with opportunities to work across community sites throughout the borough. Our service is co-located with adult social care colleagues, and we work closely with the Croydon Mental Health in Learning Disabilities Service -- creating strong, integrated partnerships.

From day one, we'll invest in your development. Whether you want to deepen your existing expertise or explore new areas of interest, we'll support you to grow. We actively encourage CPD, with funding available for external courses and specialist training that aligns with your goals.

Our approach to one-to-ones focuses on you - your development, goals, and ambitions, not just the tasks at hand. Through hands-on experience, formal training, and even learning from the occasional misstep, you'll discover your strengths and continue to grow.
We're committed to helping you develop both personally and professionally, so you can bring your unique perspective and expertise to improve the lives of those we support.

Staff benefits include:

• 27 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with length of service
• NHS pension scheme, with generous employer contributions
• Exclusive discounts across the high street, travel, dining and leisure
• Free or discounted fitness and exercise classes to support your wellbeing

Apply now and help us build something exceptional.

Please note:

To be considered for this role, applicants must hold one of the following qualifications:

• Applied Psychologist: A recognised postgraduate qualification in applied psychology that meets HCPC requirements for registration (e.g. a professional doctorate or equivalent postgraduate training).
• Clinical Psychologist: A Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or an equivalent qualification).