Adult ADHD Clinical Nurse Specialist - NMP
The closing date is 19 May 2026
The post holder will be a member of the local non-complex Adult ADHD service. This service already has nurse prescribers, ongoing research and teaching in the rapidly expanding field of neurodevelopmental disorders. We are seeking good team players with excellent communication skills to join the multidisciplinary team, primarily serving the population of Lambeth and Lewisham.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work autonomously as an experienced independent professional within the specialist adult ADHD service. Within their professional boundaries they will undertake assessment using specialist diagnostic tools, provide reviews for clients with an established diagnosis, act as a non‑medical prescriber, and be skilled in the diagnostic assessment and, if a diagnosis is given, initiate treatment and titrate patients to the optimum dose of medication. They will demonstrate safe clinical decision‑making and expert care planning, work with a multidisciplinary team, and take full responsibility for their own work. They will work closely with internal and external stakeholders to deliver an effective service to those referred to the 3‑Borough Adult ADHD and Autism Service.
About us
Come and join our small team of friendly practitioners who strive to put our service users at the heart of all they do.
We have an active Service User and Carer Advisory Group who support us in making service improvements.
We are one of the first Trusts to work collaboratively with our commissioners and NHS partners in providing a single point of access for all adult ADHD assessment referrals. This service offers triage of all referrals into the adult ADHD services across South East London.
We are currently piloting AI to support our clinicians on the diagnostic pathway, reducing the impact of report writing and ensuring neuro‑affirmative ways of gathering background information. We also plan to be one of the host test sites for a future multicentre NIHR project looking at ADHD treatment outcomes and contribute to the ADHD Pan London Reference Group which seeks to share best practice across all London NHS Trusts.
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
* Assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate interventions/treatments and care for service users.
* Complete a thorough risk assessment of the service users to ensure that any risk is minimised as per Trust policy.
* Administer and interpret diagnostic questionnaires e.g. DIVA.
* Work as a non‑medical prescriber and titrate and initiate patients diagnosed with ADHD onto clinically appropriate medication.
* Provide follow‑up appointments, face to face or via remote consultation.
* Liaise with patients, referrers, Clinical Commissioning Groups and carers.
* Provide advice and guidance to colleagues within the Trust and externally via various communication methods, e.g. Consultant Connect.
* Support the admin staff with clinical enquiries re ADHD referrals.
* Maintain relevant clinical and pharmaceutical knowledge, critically appraise and apply information to practice.
* Screen all referrals for clinical appropriateness within the agreed time scale.
* Support service users to adopt recovery strategies that promote their wellbeing, healthy lifestyle, independence and self‑care.
* Support the facilitation of post‑diagnostic psychoeducation workshops when required.
* Promote the involvement of families in care, reflecting their diversity, equality and rights to ensure their needs are met.
* Be responsible for maintaining accurate and timely clinical records in accordance with Trust Policy, collating relevant data, quality assurance and timely submission of clinical update reports working closely with the Clinic Lead/Senior Clinical Nurse Specialists and MDT.
* Respond to complaints and/or compliments within the allocated time frame.
* Work with the Lead/Senior Clinical Nurse Specialists and MDT to ensure that systems and processes are in place to support marketing activities.
* Be capable of being an independent prescriber, where trained and registered with the NMC, and within the Adult ADHD Service the role would include writing prescriptions for off‑label controlled drugs and other medications where appropriate.
* Independently assess suitability for pharmacological treatment, discuss treatment options, side‑effects and risks, and provide treatment initiation and titration until a maintenance dose is achieved and prescribing handed over to local services; joint working with a Consultant Psychiatrist may be required in highly complex cases.
Communication
* Communicate the patient’s health status using appropriate terminology, format and technology.
* Use expert communication skills to provide accurate information to service users and their families and carers in a sensitive and professional manner.
* Use and demonstrate sensitive communication strategies to ensure that service users are fully informed and consent to care/treatment.
* Act as an advocate for service users.
* Establish effective communication and actively promote health education, including providing alternative materials to support service users and carers in making decisions regarding their care and treatment.
* Liaise and communicate effectively with multidisciplinary team, CCG and G.P.s across health and social boundaries.
* Make accurate and effective hand‑overs to medical/nursing staff.
* Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records of health assessment, implementation and evaluation of management and therapeutic interventions.
Clinical Leadership
* Demonstrate positive role‑modelling of the profession.
* Provide the highest standard of professional and expert clinical leadership that influences advanced level of nursing practice in mental health and demonstrates positive role‑modelling within the profession.
* Support staff development within their clinical and professional competencies and provide supervision to staff and students as required.
* Encourage other staff to self‑assess their knowledge and skills and challenge actions that are not in the interest of service users or the public.
* Evaluate and review service provisions and innovations and contextualise against contemporary healthcare policy relevant to the clinical area, and that impact on healthcare providers and local communities.
* Contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and developing service.
* Contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of evidence‑based policies, procedures and guidelines relevant to the care of people with mental health conditions.
* Encourage staff members to utilise resources to attain and maintain high levels of medical and nursing care.
* Promote and develop the public health and wellbeing role of mental health nursing.
* Participate in CAG and organisational decision‑making, interpret variations in outcome data and information systems to improve quality in practice.
* Have current knowledge of the CAG financing system and its impact on the delivery of care.
* Participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the directorate clinical governance committee.
* Lead the development of advanced mental health nursing practice in line with local and national agendas.
Professional
* Work in accordance with our Code of Conduct and ensure that standards of practice are upheld.
* Receive regular clinical and managerial supervision.
* Maintain and develop own professional knowledge and competence by keeping informed of advances and research pertaining to mental health care, ADHD and Autism.
* Participate in clinical and managerial supervision of junior clinical staff.
* Engage in self‑reflection, audit and quality initiatives to contribute to the development and improvement of the clinical services.
* Initiate training and assessment of competencies for appropriate members of staff.
* Contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of evidence‑based policies, procedures and guidelines relevant to the care of people with mental health needs, autism and ADHD.
Audit / Research
* Disseminate information, research and audit findings and lead on developments of advancing best practice at local and national level.
* Participate in legislative and policy‑making activities that influence health services/practices.
* Work with the MDT to develop outcome measures that demonstrate improvements in the delivery of healthcare programmes.
* Act as a role model in the observance and delivery of equality and diversity of good practice; advocate for quality and cost‑effective healthcare.
* Promote implements and evaluate effective evidence‑based practice.
* Support or initiate, participate and disseminate clinical research and audit results through presentation to professional groups and publication.
Policies
* Adhere to Trust policies and procedures.
* Maintain a safe environment for yourself and others, taking reasonable care to avoid injury.
* Co‑operate with the Trust to meet statutory requirements.
* Provide statements regarding untoward incidents, as requested by line manager.
* Ensure all staff attend Trust mandatory training annually.
* Maintain registration and competencies and comply with Code of Professional Conduct and related documents.
* Sustain and improve own professional development by personal study, work‑based learning activities and by using opportunities provided by the Trust.
* Keep up to date with legal matters that may arise during the course of duty.
Training
* The role will also be required to take on specific roles within the team based on their particular interests, expertise and training. This may include psycho‑education, or further education and/or training.
* Demonstrable skills in communication and with hard to engage service users and other patients.
* Ability to work in a trauma‑informed, recovery‑focussed way.
* Ability to assess the patient motivation and health literacy, for learning and maintenance of health‑related activities using principles of change and stages of behaviour change.
Person Specification
* Qualified Mental Health or Learning Disability Nurse with V300 Non‑Medical Prescriber qualification.
* Active registration with the NMC.
* Educated to Master’s level or equivalent and/or significant post‑qualification experience working within community‑based mental health.
Experience
* Experience of safe prescribing of ADHD treatments from the current formulary.
* Experience of working with service users from diverse cultural backgrounds.
* Experience of quality, standard setting and audit.
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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
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