8A Senior Applied Psychologist (7-8A Developmental Post Considered)

Black Country Healthcare Nhs Foundation Trust; Wolverhampton; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in Wolverhampton invites applications for a Senior Applied Psychologist (Band 8a). The post works within the MH Division to deliver psychological care in a trauma-informed framework, joining an MDT that includes clinical and counselling psychologists, CBT therapists and trainees.

The post offers opportunities to supervise trainees, contribute to team formulations, and progress from Band 7 to Band 8a with structured development.

Qualifications

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology accredited by the BPS.
• HCPC registration as an Applied Psychologist with Chartered Status is required.
• Demonstrated experience in clinical supervision and CPD.
• Ability to teach, train, consult and contribute to service evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for own professional practice delivering highly specialist psychological care to adults with complex mental health needs.
• Provide compassionate care to clients, carers and families.
• Promote a positive image of mental health and of the service.
• Exercise supervisory responsibility for other psychological therapists.
• Provide leadership in MDT training and development.
• Lead service audit and development initiatives.
• Lead in service evaluation and research activities.
• Ensure psychological perspectives inform MDT planning and service design.

Skills

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Clinical supervision

Risk management

Education

Post-graduate doctoral training in applied psychology

HCPC registered as Applied Psychologist

Experience in CPD

Job description

Job summary

As the largest clinical Division in the Trust, the MH Division houses community, urgent care, specialist and Physical Health Psychology. Our community services have been transforming, in line with the NHS Long Term Plan, and you would be joining us at the point where our CMHTs are formed and fully functioning and psychology is well integrated into the MDT, giving lots of opportunity to be involved in supporting the development of psychological thinking across the MDT. The successful applicant will join the local based team consisting of clinical and counselling psychologists, CBT psychotherapists, DBT practitioners and trainee clinical/counselling psychologists. The post holders will be supported and accountable to the team/service manager, and be professionally and clinically supervised within the psychology team. The successful applicant will be keen to apply their knowledge and skills in a new setting and will be flexible and adaptable in their approaches to psychological work. Excellent team working skills and an ability to accommodate differing professional models is essential. The post is offered at Band 8a Senior level; however, we warmly welcome applications from Band 7 psychologists, including those who are newly qualified. For the right candidate, we can offer a structured and supportive developmental post, providing opportunities to build the skills, experience and competencies needed to progress from Band 7 to Band 8a within the role.

Main duties of the job

As a Senior Applied Psychologist you will work alongside the rest of the psychology team and the Consultant Clinical Psychologist to deliver the psychological provision for the Wolverhampton North CMHT, adopting a trauma informed approach. You will hold a caseload of clients presenting with secondary care level needs, including complex presentations and often risk. Alongside your direct caseload you will offer consultation, supervision, reflective practice and support to the wider MDT and input and support with the development of team formulations, team risk formulation and improving general psychological thinking and understanding across the MDT. We are closely linked to local universities and provide placements for trainees, therefore there may be opportunities for supervising psychological trainees as well as Aston Psychology Degree Students on their placement year. Members of our wider psychology team have a range of therapeutic interests ranging from DBT, EMDR, psychodynamic, ACT, CFT and CBT. There is expertise in consultancy, supervision and training within the psychological professions in the Trust.

About us

In BCHFT we are keen to promote cohesiveness and wellbeing in our psychology staff group. There are a number of Trust initiatives that support this, ranging from an annual event that brings all psychological professionals together to 'enhance our connectedness', to regular opportunities to engage, learn and share good practice through 'special interest groups'. We value our staff groups and, as a leadership team, work hard to ensure that people feel valued for both their effort and delivered outcomes, and that this is reflected in regular feedback. We are pleased to be able to offer CPD to our staff through establishment of a dedicated budget, and we also utilise all Regional or National opportunities for training when they arise. Current training initiatives within community services include the National PT-SMHP framework, which has allowed several of our staff to undertake post graduate diploma training in NICE based therapies.

Job responsibilities

• Accountable for own professional practice in the delivery of highly specialist psychological care to adults with highly complex mental health difficulties which may include risk and challenges.
• To be compassionate in meeting the needs of clients, their carers and families.
• To promote at all times a positive image of mental health difficulties.
• To promote at all times a positive image of the service and the wider Trust.
• Exercise supervisory responsibility for other psychological therapists
• Provide leadership in multi-disciplinary training and development
• Provide leadership in service audit and development
• Provide leadership in service evaluation and research
• Ensure that a psychological perspective is brought to the wider MDT including service design and change

Essential

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied Psychology (or its equivalent) as accredited by the BPS including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
• Post-qualification training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
• HCPC registration as An Applied Psychologist with Chartered Status
• Experience in clinical supervision
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Working as a qualified applied psychologist, working with a variety of client groups, and a range of clinical severity across a range of care settings
• Experience of teaching, training, consultancy and clinical supervision
• Experience of quality and service improvement and evaluation
• Knowledge of Evidence-based practice relevant to the role, risk assessment and risk management, Clinical governance, Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health, Audit and research methodology
• Able to communicate highly sensitive information to a wide range of people, work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, liaise with multiple agencies, demonstrate effective multimedia skills
• Able to work in accordance with the Trust Values and Behaviours

Desirable

• BABCP Accreditation
• Experience of joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies
• Formal Training in Clinical Supervision

Closing date: 29 October 2026

Reference number: 285-8814B-MH

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.