North London NHS Foundation Trust

DBT Lead Barnet Complex Emotional Needs Pathway

The closing date is 24 July 2025

Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic and registered professional with a passion for service development and a clinical background of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. This new part-time (0.7WTE) role reflects an exciting expansion of the Barnet CEN Pathway. You would be working alongside the co DBT lead (0.4WTE), who is already in post.

The remit of the new DBT Service is to offer Barnet residents referred into the service a consistent, evidence-based therapeutic approach, to reduce inpatient admissions and to support the quick transitions of those in an inpatient service back into the community.

This new role will ensure the systematic provision of a high-quality specialist Dialectical Behaviour Therapy service and you will be supported by the Barne Adult Psychological Services and Complex Emotional Needs (CEN) pathway.

Main duties of the job

You will work closely with the Barnet CEN pathway team and the Barnet Adult Psychology service (BAP).

The role will include service development for this new service; agreeing pathways; governance; reporting on implementation and agreed outcomes, and supervising and supporting the screening, referrals, assessments and group or individual therapy provided by other clinical members of the DBT team.

To provide highly specialist DBT psychological assessments of clientsbased upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client's care.

To be responsible for implementing a range of DBT psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.

To ensure that all members of the treating team have access to DBT and psychologically based framework for understanding and care of clients of the service, through the provision of advice and consultation and the dissemination of psychological research and theory.

About us

The partnership betweenBarnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust (BEH)andCamden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust (C&I)is going from strength to strength since it was originally established in 2021 forming theNorth London Mental Health Partnership.

Why choose to join the Partnership?

  • We believe that by working together, our two Trusts can achieve more for the residents of North Central London and our patients than we can by working apart.
  • Deliver the best care using the most up-to-date practise in supporting those with mental health illnesses.
  • Transforming and creating a positive environment for our service users, staff and visitors.
  • Creating and working together to become a great place to work for all our staff.
  • We offer flexible working, a wide range of health and wellbeing initiatives, NHS Pension and so much more.
  • Generous Annual Leave Allowance
  • NHS Discounts in a large variety of retail stores and services.
  • We have excellent internal staff network support groups.

The postholder will need to be comfortable working in an environment of complex matrix management arrangements and will at all times behave and align with our Trusts' values and cultural pillars:

  • We are kind
  • We are respectful
  • We work together
  • We keep things simple
  • We empower
  • We are proudly diverse

Details

Date posted

10 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£59,490 to £66,239 a year Per annum Incl. Outer London HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

455-NLFT-0234

Job locations

CEN Pathway, Springwell Centre, Barnet Hospital

Wellhouse Lane

Barnet

EN5 3DJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information regarding this vacancy, please see the attached job description and person specification.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information regarding this vacancy, please see the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Qualification and Registration

Essential

  • oCore health professional qualification (Psychology, Nursing, Social work, Occupational Therapy) and registration with the appropriate professional body (HCPC, NMC, Social Work England)

Desirable

  • oBasic Training Certificate in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
  • oWorking towards Accredited Practitioner Status in DBT
  • oRecognised training in teaching, mentorship, supervision

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • oDelivery of DBT in a clinical setting
  • oMinimum of two years' experience of working directly with patients with Personality Disorder, including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
  • oExperience of supervising professionals from different clinical backgrounds other than own core profession.
  • oExperience of facilitating psychoeducational and psychotherapy groups for service users.
  • oExperience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care and treatment, both as a named/key worker and also within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan.
  • oExperience of multi-disciplinary team working and involvement in developing risk management plans and psychological treatment pathways

Desirable

  • oExperience of teaching, training and/or supervision
  • oExperience of service development or of a leadership role

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

  • oHigh level of knowledge of the theory and practice of DBT
  • oWell-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
  • oDegree level research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields
  • oEvidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the post-holder's professional body
  • oKnowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the patient group and mental health

Desirable

  • oEnthusiasm about evidence-based practice and about using patient feedback as well as team performance data to develop service as best suited for the needs of our patient population.
  • oSkills in running and setting up groups
  • oEnthusiasm about evidence-based practice and about using patient feedback as well as team performance data to develop service as best suited for the needs of our patient population.

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • oAn enthusiasm and commitment to the psychological treatment of Personality Disorder
  • oAbility to work independently, reliably, and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
  • oAbility to maintain professional boundaries and form positive therapeutic relationship with service users and carers

Desirable

  • oA commitment to the evaluation of services, enthusiasm for both multi-professional and uni-professional audit
  • oDesire to take up leadership in service development of psychological treatment services

Other Requirements

Essential

  • oAbility to identify provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situation and severely challenging behaviours
  • oAbility to identify, and employ, as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
  • oAbility to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
Person Specification

Qualification and Registration

Essential

  • oCore health professional qualification (Psychology, Nursing, Social work, Occupational Therapy) and registration with the appropriate professional body (HCPC, NMC, Social Work England)

Desirable

  • oBasic Training Certificate in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
  • oWorking towards Accredited Practitioner Status in DBT
  • oRecognised training in teaching, mentorship, supervision

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • oDelivery of DBT in a clinical setting
  • oMinimum of two years' experience of working directly with patients with Personality Disorder, including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
  • oExperience of supervising professionals from different clinical backgrounds other than own core profession.
  • oExperience of facilitating psychoeducational and psychotherapy groups for service users.
  • oExperience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care and treatment, both as a named/key worker and also within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan.
  • oExperience of multi-disciplinary team working and involvement in developing risk management plans and psychological treatment pathways

Desirable

  • oExperience of teaching, training and/or supervision
  • oExperience of service development or of a leadership role

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

  • oHigh level of knowledge of the theory and practice of DBT
  • oWell-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
  • oDegree level research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields
  • oEvidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the post-holder's professional body
  • oKnowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the patient group and mental health

Desirable

  • oEnthusiasm about evidence-based practice and about using patient feedback as well as team performance data to develop service as best suited for the needs of our patient population.
  • oSkills in running and setting up groups
  • oEnthusiasm about evidence-based practice and about using patient feedback as well as team performance data to develop service as best suited for the needs of our patient population.

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • oAn enthusiasm and commitment to the psychological treatment of Personality Disorder
  • oAbility to work independently, reliably, and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
  • oAbility to maintain professional boundaries and form positive therapeutic relationship with service users and carers

Desirable

  • oA commitment to the evaluation of services, enthusiasm for both multi-professional and uni-professional audit
  • oDesire to take up leadership in service development of psychological treatment services

Other Requirements

Essential

  • oAbility to identify provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situation and severely challenging behaviours
  • oAbility to identify, and employ, as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
  • oAbility to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.

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

North London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

CEN Pathway, Springwell Centre, Barnet Hospital

Wellhouse Lane

Barnet

EN5 3DJ


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

North London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

CEN Pathway, Springwell Centre, Barnet Hospital

Wellhouse Lane

Barnet

EN5 3DJ


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

DBT lead

Meghan Graham

meghan.graham3@nhs.net

02087024033

Details

Date posted

10 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£59,490 to £66,239 a year Per annum Incl. Outer London HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

455-NLFT-0234

Job locations

CEN Pathway, Springwell Centre, Barnet Hospital

Wellhouse Lane

Barnet

EN5 3DJ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

North London NHS Foundation Trust 's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)