Band 7/8a Preceptorship or Band 8a - Senior Practitioner Psychologist

Transformationunitgm; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading mental health service provider in Birmingham seeks a dedicated Practitioner Psychologist. This role involves delivering psychological care in an acute inpatient setting, with opportunities for professional growth and collaboration within a diverse team. Applicants are encouraged from various psychology disciplines, with a focus on making a meaningful impact in mental health care.

Benefits

CPD opportunities

Supportive supervision structures

Peer networks

Qualifications

• Minimum two years post qualification experience required.
• Experience of working therapeutically with complex mental health needs.

Responsibilities

• Undertaking psychological assessments and formulations.
• Delivering brief interventions.
• Consultation with the wider MDT.

Skills

Psychological assessment

Teaching

Consultation

Education

Postgraduate professional training

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Job description

Main area Acute Inpatients Grade Band 7/8a Contract Permanent: Full time post or part time is available. Hours

• Full time
• Part time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (Full time post. Part time will be considered.) Job ref 436-7010079

Employer Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site The Oleaster Centre Town Edgbaston Salary £53,755 - £60,504 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 02/06/2025 23:59 Interview date 19/06/2025

Band 7/8a Preceptorship or Band 8a - Senior Practitioner Psychologist

Band 7/8a

Please note that this post may close earlier than the indicated closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.

Job overview

Band 8A Senior Practitioner Psychologist (Band 7 Preceptorship considered)
1.0 WTE | Permanent | Part-Time working considered
Location: The Oleaster Centre, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Are you passionate about making a difference in acute mental health care? Would you like to work in a team that values compassion, inclusivity, and commitment?

We are seeking a dedicated and forward-thinking Practitioner Psychologist to join our dynamic Acute Inpatient Service based at The Oleaster Centre – a purpose-built mental health centre based on the medical campus in Edgbaston. This is a full-time permanent post, and we warmly welcome applicants seeking part-time or flexible working arrangements.

Applications are encouraged from Clinical, Counselling, or Forensic Psychology disciplines with a minimum of two year post qualification experience . For those early in their post-qualification journey, a Band 7 preceptorship may be considered, with structured support towards progression to Band 8A.

This is an exciting opportunity to deliver meaningful psychological care in a fast-paced, recovery-oriented environment, making a difference in the lives of individuals in need of support.

You’ll be joining a welcoming and diverse psychology team, where collaboration, creativity, and professional growth are actively encouraged.

Main duties of the job

Tasks include:

• Undertaking psychological assessments and formulations.
• Delivering brief interventions
• Consultation with the wider MDT
• Teaching and training within our local team, service, and local Universities
• Facilitating risk huddles with the wider MDT
• Supervision of Assistant Psychologists/Newly qualified practitioners

Our Commitment to You:

We’re passionate about creating an environment where psychologists can thrive. As part of our team, you will have access to:

• A variety of peer networks and supportive supervision structures
• Opportunities to shape service delivery and lead innovative projects
• A variety of CPD opportunities, including internal training, external courses, and leadership development.
• Active involvement in service evaluation, research, and initiatives to reduce health inequalities

We are currently leading several projects aimed at improving access to psychological care and tackling health inequalities in acute and urgent care mental health services. Your voice and ideas will be valued as we continually develop our service.

Working for our organisation

Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, as well as specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.

Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people’s lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.

Person specification

Experience

• Post qualification experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with complex difficulties across adult secondary or tertiary care settings.
• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
• Experience of working with people with acute care needs.
• Experience of working therapeutically with ‘difficult to reach’ clients with complex mental health and behavioural needs.

Training and qualifications

• Satisfactory completion of a Health and Care Professions Council/British Psychological Society accredited postgraduate professional training course allowing registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
• Pre-qualification training or additional qualifications in an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or other psychological therapy

Knowledge and skills

• Well developed theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of psychological theory and its application to formulation and intervention.
• Awareness and understanding of the differential needs of people from black and minority ethnic groups and of the service issues arising within a multicultural urban area.
• Skills in providing psychological advice and consultation to professionals and non professionals
• Ability to communicate complex clinical and or condition related information that is sensitive and challenging to service users, carers, families and colleagues and their families
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific ’difficult to treat’ groups (e.g. personality disorder, risk behaviours, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).
• High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and DoH policy and implementation guidelines in relation to mental health in general and the client group with which this post is concerned.

Personal

• Is a ‘team player’ and has demonstrated ability to work and deliver to team and organisational objectives
• Able to reflect on and manage own emotions and those others when faced by challenging behaviour, including frequent verbal abuse and occasional threatened physical abuse
• Able to work independently and reliably in accordance with trust policies, service principals and professional codes of practice
• Personal experience of mental health problems

Other

• Ability to accept and utilise supervision acceptably.

Our Trust is committed to treating individuals fairly and ensuring they have the same opportunities to fulfil their potential, even if this means doing things differently for different people sometimes. We are working hard to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity within Birmingham and Solihull and that our services meet the needs of all diverse service users and carers.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. As part of our safe recruitment practice pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. As part of the selection process you may be required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, however all cases of criminal record history are dealt with on a case by case basis.

Please note, if applicable for your role you will be required to cover the cost of your DBS certificate. This will be deducted from your salary over 3 months. You will also be required to sign up to the DBS Update Service before commencement with the Trust. The Trust will reimburse this. You will be contractually obliged to maintain your subscription.

All successful applicants will be required to complete the Trust’s induction programme. The Fundamental (Statutory and Mandatory) training will be in an e-learning format. You will be required to complete training modules online (approx. 9-14 hours depending on post) by the end of your second week with us.

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage of the recruitment process we may contact you via email to advise you of the interview details. Please ensure you access your email account from which you applied regularly once the position has closed.

Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom (UK) are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. However, please ensure that you check if this role meets the eligibility criteria for sponsorship. Non UK /Republic of Ireland candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here Browse: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) . The minimum salary threshold for a Health and Social Care is £25,000 and for the Skilled Worker route is £38,700. If the starting salary for this role is below this, we will not be able to provide sponsorship.

Relocation expenses may be reimbursed subject to eligibility. The policy provides for reimbursement up to £8,000.

Please note - if you are applying for a role within Police custody, due to Police Vetting requirements you must have been a UK resident for the last years.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.