Neurodevelopmental Clinical Lead - Children and Young People
Job title: Neurodevelopmental Clinical Lead
Hours: 37.5 FTE, part-time and compressed hours considered
Advert closes: 30th September 2025
Interview dates: 1st stage interviews on 8th and 9th October 2025; 2nd stage interviews on 14th and 15th October 2025.
About us: Oakdale was established nearly twenty-five years ago and is a professional therapy provider. We are a not-for-profit community-based organisation committed to flexible, bespoke, evidence-based, high-quality clinical services to meet client needs and commissioners’ requirements for appropriate, collaborative, value-for-money services. The Oakdale Group provides a wide range of specialist assessments (including autism, ADHD, and developmental trauma) and psychological therapies for children, young people, and adults. Services are commissioned by the NHS, Local Authorities, and schools, and include services for NHS staff; others are accessed privately, through medical insurance, or through our charitable arm.
The role: The Clinical Lead for the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Pathway is responsible for leading and overseeing the delivery of comprehensive, high-quality clinical services for clients accessing assessments for autism and ADHD. The clinical lead ensures effective clinical governance, leadership of clinicians, and service development, working within a multidisciplinary leadership team to meet client needs and neurodevelopmental service objectives.
They will provide strategic leadership for the clinical management, supervision, and delivery of neurodevelopmental assessments, ensuring high-quality patient care and implementing best practice guidelines to maintain clinical standards.
The Clinical Lead is jointly responsible with the Neurodevelopmental Service Operational Lead for delivering high-quality, responsive and accessible neurodevelopmental assessment services. This role will oversee clinical governance, ethos, values, and service delivery across the pathway.
The Clinical Lead will work as part of the wider Neurodevelopmental Service Leadership Team to plan services to meet clients’ needs, using their clinical expertise to shape new service models.
The Clinical Lead will also support training, recruitment, clinical audits, and lead complex multi-disciplinary team (MDT) case reviews, ensuring the pathway operates effectively, safely, and in line with best practices.
Key Responsibilities
* Clinical Leadership and Service Delivery: Provide strategic clinical leadership to the neurodevelopmental service, ensuring it operates in line with best practices, clinical guidelines, and organisational objectives.
* Lead and manage the clinical aspects of the neurodevelopmental assessment pathway, ensuring the delivery of high-quality care for individuals assessed for autism and/or ADHD and related conditions.
* Ensure effective delivery of assessments, diagnostics, treatment, and therapeutic interventions for clients.
* Oversee high-risk cases to ensure appropriate support, recommendations, and signposting.
* Oversee clinical caseload management to ensure timely and appropriate care.
* Adhere to relevant guidelines, evidence-based practices, and ethical standards.
* Collaborate with the Neurodevelopmental Service Leadership team to contribute to service development and expansion initiatives; lead initiatives where appropriate.
* Carry out enhanced reviews of clinical diagnostic decisions as required, providing feedback to support learning and development.
* Build capability within the clinical team through supervision and coaching to improve diagnostic decision-making.
* Clinical Governance and Quality Assurance: Ensure adherence to clinical governance frameworks, risk management, safeguarding, and patient safety protocols. Monitor and audit quality of care, implementing improvements where necessary. Maintain accurate clinical documentation in line with data protection regulations.
* Lead development and implementation of clinical policies and pathways specific to neurodevelopmental conditions; integrate into pathways with the Operational Lead.
* Support planning and conduct of clinical audits, identifying areas for improvement and implementing evidence-based changes. Advise on safeguarding, information governance, and related matters as required.
* Monitor and report on clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction; ensure KPIs are met or exceeded. Drive continuous quality improvement and ensure regulatory standards, including CQC, are met.
* Supervision and Support: Supervise, mentor, and support senior clinical staff; promote CPD. Oversee staff well-being and professional development through appraisals and CPD opportunities. Support recruitment, training, and induction of new staff. Foster a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment that promotes best practice and innovation.
* Service Development and Improvement: Drive development and expansion of the neurodevelopmental service, addressing patient needs, service demand, and advances in research; work to reduce waiting times and improve patient flow. Lead initiatives to improve efficiency, patient experience, and outcomes; liaise with external agencies to establish integrated care pathways. Represent the service in meetings with management, commissioners, and partners. Identify and implement innovative approaches to service provision, including new models of care and digital solutions.
* Client and Family Engagement: Ensure patient-centred care and involve patients and families in decision-making and care planning. Support clinicians to work with families and carers, and manage complex or challenging cases with expert advice. Handle complaints with governance leads within required timeframes.
* Multi-Disciplinary Team Leadership: Lead MDT case discussions and reviews; facilitate cross-disciplinary communication; address clinical challenges or disputes within the MDT.
* Training and Recruitment: Oversee recruitment, induction, and retention of clinical staff; develop training programs and ensure staff stay up-to-date with neurodevelopmental knowledge, tools, and legal frameworks.
* Ethos, Values, and Professional Standards: Promote compassionate, patient-centred care aligned with Oakdale values, inclusivity, and continuous improvement. Adhere to ethical and professional standards as defined by relevant bodies (e.g., BPS, HCPC). Maintain confidential records and safeguarding compliance. Ensure practice aligns with safeguarding policies and procedures.
* Person Specification: Qualifications and Experience: Professional registration in a relevant field (e.g., Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy); current registration with the appropriate body (GMC, HCPC, NMC); significant experience in neurodevelopmental assessments and complex cases; leadership or management experience; knowledge of governance, safeguarding, risk management; training and experience in ADOS, ADI-R, DIVA/Young DIVA.
* Skills and Competencies: In-depth knowledge of neurodevelopmental disorders and evidence-based interventions; strong leadership and communication; risk assessment and complex case management; time-management and organisational skills; ability to influence and work in a team; knowledge of guidelines and best practices; driving licence preferred.
* Qualities and Values: Positive, proactive, collaborative, inclusive, accountable, empathetic, commitment to professional development, and patient-centred care; postgraduate qualifications or specialist training; experience in designing pathways, audits, and digital tools; research and teaching experience.
Apply for This Job
If you would like to apply for this position, please fill in the information below and submit it for consideration.
First Name(s) *
Last Name *
Email Address *
Hours: What hours and days are you available for work with Oakdale? We require a minimum of 22.5 hours per week. Are you flexible with days, or do you need set days?
Salary: Can you share your current salary and your salary expectations?
DBS: Do you currently have a DBS in place and is it on the update system?
References: Are you able to provide references if requested?
The report will be handled by the HR Partner support team.
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