8A Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist (Obesity)- Fixed Term

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 61,000 - 69,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist within the NHS at Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital. This role focuses on delivering psychologically informed care for individuals living with obesity, emphasizing experience in diverse patient groups. The successful candidate will lead assessments and therapies, contributing significantly to patient outcomes in the South East London Healthy Weight Service.

Qualifications

• Experience of delivering behaviour change interventions to groups.
• Experience working with Black African and Black Caribbean communities.
• Understanding of weight bias and stigma in healthcare.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation, and therapy.
• Supervise and manage the SEL Healthy Weight Psychology Team.
• Develop holistic and patient-centered care plans.

Skills

Behaviour change interventions

Communication

Research

Education

BSc (Hons) in Psychology

Doctorate level qualification in Psychology

Job description

Job summary

8a Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist (Obesity) - Fixed term (12 months until August 2026) 0.8WTE

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an ambitious person to join our weight management team at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. The Our Healthier South East London ICS commissions us to provide a Tier 3 Weight Management Service in Lambeth, Bromley, Bexley, Lewisham and Southwark.

The successful candidate will join our valued and growing South East London (SEL) Healthy Weight Psychology and Psychotherapy team (Tier 3) to support in the development and delivery of psychologically informed care for people living with obesity. In addition to working with a health psychologist, psychotherapist, and assistant psychologists, the successful candidate will also work alongside our wider multidisciplinary SEL Healthy Weight Team.

We are seeking a passionate and enthusiastic candidate who has experience of delivering behaviour change interventions to groups of patients living with complex obesity. The successful candidate should have experience of delivering interventions to people from the Black African and Black Caribbean communities, and must have a developed understanding of weight bias and stigma in both healthcare and everyday life.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion within our team, and very much welcome applications from those from Asian, Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, and those living with disability.

Main duties of the job

The role offers an exciting opportunity for the successful candidate to enhance the care of patients within the South East London Healthy Weight Service.

The 8a Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist will be expected to provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and therapy to patients as part of the SEL Healthy Weight Psychology and Psychotherapy Service. The successful candidate will also play a vital role in holding a psychological perspective within the SEL Healthy Weight multidisciplinary team, working with the patient and healthcare team to develop holistic and patient-centred care plans.

The post holder will be expected to have a strong research background and an enthusiasm for audit, policy, service development and research.

The post holder will be responsible for the supervision and management of the SEL Healthy Weight Psychology Team, as appropriate, in addition to providing supervision, training and support to the wider SEL Healthy Weight Team.

The post will involve working remotely from home for some of the time and from the hospital, delivering the online interventions, as well as delivering face-to-face groups at community sites across South East London. While exact working hours will be established upon starting with the service, the post will include some evening and/or weekend working.

About us

We are the largest Dietetics Department in the UK, employing over 150 dietitians, dietetic assistants, psychologists, nutrition nurses, administrators, pathway coordinators, project managers and operational leads.

We actively encourage and support learning and development. We have an active health and wellbeing team, and a working group developing sustainability across our range of functions and services.

Details Date posted

05 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£61,927 to £68,676 a year p.a. inc. Inner London HCA

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

196-LIS9602

Job locations

Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital

Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Guy's Hospital

London

SE1 9RT

Job description Job responsibilities

See attached documents for full details of main responsibilities, job description, person specification and functional requirements

Job description Job responsibilities

See attached documents for full details of main responsibilities, job description, person specification and functional requirements

Person Specification Additional Information Essential

• The post holder will be required to travel between sites and work remotely

Skills/Knowledge/Ability Essential

• Ability to cope with challenging caseloads
• Ability to communicate at a high level with both written and oral level
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS
• Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner with appropriate supervision
• Proficient research and service development skills

Desirable

• Experience of teaching or training

Previous Experience Essential

• Experience of conducting specialist psychological assessments of patients with physical health problems and a range of psychological needs
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups and presentations
• Experience using a range of evidence based group and individual psychological interventions
• Experience of working in an MDT
• Experience supervising and managing trainee and graduate psychology staff
• Experience of working with individuals from Black African and Black Caribbean communities
• Experience of assessing and monitoring risk

Education/Qualifications Essential

• BSc (Hons) in Psychology
• Doctorate level qualification in Psychology with eligibility for HCPC registration as Practitioner Psychologist

Person Specification Additional Information Essential

• The post holder will be required to travel between sites and work remotely

Skills/Knowledge/Ability Essential

• Ability to cope with challenging caseloads
• Ability to communicate at a high level with both written and oral level
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS
• Ability to work as an autonomous practitioner with appropriate supervision
• Proficient research and service development skills

Desirable

• Experience of teaching or training

Previous Experience Essential

• Experience of conducting specialist psychological assessments of patients with physical health problems and a range of psychological needs
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups and presentations
• Experience using a range of evidence based group and individual psychological interventions
• Experience of working in an MDT
• Experience supervising and managing trainee and graduate psychology staff
• Experience of working with individuals from Black African and Black Caribbean communities
• Experience of assessing and monitoring risk

Education/Qualifications Essential

• BSc (Hons) in Psychology
• Doctorate level qualification in Psychology with eligibility for HCPC registration as Practitioner Psychologist

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

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital

Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Guy's Hospital

London

SE1 9RT

Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital

Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Guy's Hospital

London

SE1 9RT

Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)