Applied Psychologist (Development Role)

NHS; Hereford; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A health and care organization in Hereford is seeking an HCPC-registered Applied Psychologist for inpatient services focusing on older adults. This full-time role offers the potential for movement to Band 8a over 18 months. Candidates should have a relevant doctorate and experience in complex mental health interventions. The organization values psychological insights in patient care and provides excellent supervision opportunities. Flexibility in working patterns is available to support work-life balance.

Benefits

27 days leave plus bank holidays

Generous NHS pension

Flexible working opportunities

Supportive staff networks

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist is mandatory.
• Experience in multi-agency and multi-disciplinary working is essential.
• Experience of conducting clinically relevant research is required.

Responsibilities

• Provide assessments and interventions for older patients with complex health needs.
• Contribute to MDTs for care planning and case discussion.
• Develop leadership in psychological needs and support collaboration.

Skills

Clinical expertise

Psychometric assessments

Observational skills

Education

Post-graduate Doctorate in Psychology

BSc/BA Honours degree in Psychology

Job description

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

Applied Psychologist (Development Role)

The closing date is 21 January 2026

We have a great opportunity for an HCPC‑registered psychologist to work in our inpatient services in Older Adult Mental Health. This is a development post appointed at Band 7 where you could gain experience to move to a Band 8a over 18 months. We would support someone from a different speciality who has a passion to work with older people. We have up to full‑time hours and can be flexible about working patterns. The post is in Hereford at the Stonebow unit but there could be flexibility about working in Bromsgrove at our other inpatient facility. We have two wards in each county, one supporting people with dementia and the other with people over 65 with mental health needs. Psychology is highly valued, both in terms of complex client work, as well as supporting teams in formulating care, delivering training and leading service development. We would provide excellent supervision. To find out more please contact [e-mail]. Psychological Lead for Older Adult inpatients.

This is a full‑time position and we are willing to consider applicants wanting part‑time hours.

Main duties of the job

Providing assessments and interventions for older people with complex health needs, including neuropsychological assessment. Interventions may involve family members and carers and include liaison and consultation.

Active contribution to MDTs: providing case discussion and care planning with an emphasis on sharing formulations and evidence‑based care.

Providing clinical expertise and developing leadership in the psychological needs of older people and their families and contributing to a culture of support and collaboration both in the service and with partner agencies.

About us

At Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, we are working together to deliver outstanding care. We run community hospitals and community health services across Worcestershire and provide mental health and learning disability services across both Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Our people (all 4500+ of them) provide services for people of all ages, experiencing both physical and/or mental health conditions from over 100 sites.

We will support you to thrive; offer flexible working options for a great work‑life balance, help you fulfil your ambitions, and empower you to make positive changes within your team or service. We value diversity and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities.

What we offer;

• 27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service
• Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when you work unsocial hours
• Flexible and agile working opportunities
• Great maternity, paternity, and adoption support
• Wide range of supportive staff networks
• Health and wellbeing opportunities

If you would like to know more, please visit our website.

We encourage you to read the attached applicant guidance notes.

Sharing your data - As a data controller we may sometimes need to process your data to pursue our legitimate business interests, for example to request a survey from you (optional), to support the Trust’s understanding of where you gained interest in working for the Trust.

Job responsibilities

For full details of the duties and criteria for the role please refer to the job description and person specification attached.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience required specific to the role and clinical area.
• Experience of multi‑agency and multi‑disciplinary working.
• Experience of conducting clinically relevant research.
• Significant experience of supervised practice including working with families and care organisations.
• Experience of assessing and providing a wide range of psychological interventions to a wide range of patients presenting with a full range of clinical severity.
• Experience of exercising clinical responsibility for a patient's psychological care and treatment.

Additional Criteria

• Able to meet the travel requirements of the post.

Skills & Abilities

• Skills in administering standardised questionnaires and psychometric assessments, highly developed observational skills.

Qualifications

• BSc/BA Honours degree at 2:2 or above in Psychology.
• Post‑graduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling/Forensic/Health Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
• Evidence of regular continuing professional development through further professional training and experience, as required by the HCPC and the BPS.
• Eligible for registration as a Chartered Psychologist by the BPS.
• Registered with HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist.
• I understand that I will be asked to provide original certificates to verify my qualifications at point of offer.

Knowledge

• Knowledge required specific to the role and clinical area.

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.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust

£47,810 to £54,710 a year pro rata for part time