Clinical/Counselling Psychologist,Early Intervention in Psychosis

Integrated Care System; Welwyn Garden City; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 65,000; Part time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity for a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist with a strong interest in psychosis. The role involves working within a multi-disciplinary team to provide high-quality psychological care, assessment, and therapy for patients experiencing their first episode of psychosis. Candidates should have relevant training and experience in CBT and Family Intervention, along with the drive to develop skills further in this specialist field.

Qualifications

• Doctoral/Masters level training in clinical/counselling psychology with HCPC registration.
• Experience in psychological assessment and treatment across various care settings.
• Knowledge of evidence-based therapies like CBT or Family Intervention.

Responsibilities

• Provide assessment, therapy, supervision, and consultation for individuals with psychosis.
• Participate in a multi-disciplinary team, working collaboratively in care planning.
• Conduct effective data collection to demonstrate treatment efficacy.

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Problem Solving

Education

Doctoral/Masters level training in clinical/counselling psychology

Job description

Go back Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical/Counselling Psychologist,Early Intervention in Psychosis

The closing date is 04 August 2025

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist within the PATH (Psychosis: Prevention, Assessment and Treatment in Hertfordshire) Service. PATH is a specialist service for those experiencing a first episode of psychosis in Hertfordshire.

We are implementing the Access and Waiting Time Standard for early intervention in psychosis (EIP), which is a clear national priority for the NHS. This standard will make a major difference to the quality of care received by those with First Episode Psychosis (FEP) and greatly improve their ability to recover. This is the start of our journey in ensuring our service users receive the right treatment at the right time from an EIP service and can go on to lead full, hopeful and productive lives. Do you want to be part of this exciting journey?

This development post is suitable for newly qualified Band 7 Clinical or Counselling Psychologist who has keen interest in psychosis and wants to develop skills and knowledge to the level of an 8a clinician. Clinical or Counselling Psychologist with experience working with individuals with psychosis, including having relevant training in CBT for Psychosis and/or Family Intervention can be appointed directly into Band 8a.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be part of a multi-disciplinary team and be skilled in working with recovery based, trauma informed and collaborative approaches to care planning, assessment, therapy, supervision and consultation - working flexibly and creatively with people in order to achieve their individual goals.

We are very keen to offer a bespoke professional development plan with opportunities to further develop the skills of the post holder. Psychologists would be encouraged to apply for HEE funded Family Intervention for Psychosis training and CBTp training as necessary. Regarding specialist professional development, PATH has close links with other Early Intervention services. The team is part of the East of England Early Intervention in Psychosis Clinical Network. Hence, there are opportunities to meet other EIP professionals outside of the Trust and attend CPD sessions run by the group. For applicants who are keen in wider professional development such as teaching, supervising and conducting research, there will also be such opportunities available. We have established good links with University of Hertfordshire DClinPsy course and are in the process of establishing links with King's College London, Early Intervention in Psychosis MSc programme.

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trustare one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from theCare Quality Commission

Our family of over 4,000 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

About us - Hertfordshire NHS Partnership Trust

Heard. Respected. Included. Together, we help people with mental ill-health, learning disabilities and autism to live life to the fullest. We work throughout Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Norfolk...https://www.hertsnhsgreattogether.co.uk/

Job responsibilities

Main responsibilities include good governance of psychological therapies for people with psychosis, providing assessment, therapy, supervision and consultation. An important part of this role is effective data collection to evidence the efficacy of psychological interventions. It is anticipated that this post holder will work with people accessing service within East and South East Hertfordshire, but there may be a requirement to work more widely across Hertfordshire to develop and deliver the service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Doctoral/Masters level training in clinical/counselling psychology, including specific models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, as accredited by the BPS and current registration with HCPC
• Professional qualification degree level, which should include knowledge and application of research methodology
• Additional specialist knowledge or training in psychological therapies including CBTp and Family Intervention

Experience

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings, clinical experience working in adult mental health
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life span's presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
• Knowledge of whole life span development and the impact on emotional, psychological and mental wellbeing
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of at least one evidence based psychological therapy (i.e. CBT, Family Intervention or CFT) relevant to the treatment of adults with complex problems and their families
• Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
• Experience of multi-disciplinary team working and inter-agency collaboration
• Ability to provide consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
• Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
• Ability to take the appropriate action to address any issues or risks
• Awareness of Child and Adult Safeguarding Procedures
• Awareness of current NHS initiatives and Developments
• Knowledge of legislation and the national agenda in relation to Adult Mental Health
• Knowledge and awareness of specific clinical practices and issues relating to clients with mental health problems
• Ability to work autonomously as well as part of a team
• Experience of working in a community mental health setting
• Experience of service quality monitoring e.g. clinical audit, evaluative research, etc.
• Experience of teaching, training and/or offering supervision
• Experience of service development/project management

Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to communicate orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
• Ability to work and communicate therapeutically with clients and their families consistent with their level of understanding, culture, background and preferred ways of communicating
• Ability to work and communicate as a responsible participating member of a multi- disciplinary team and the ability to respect and value other members' contributions and to encourage participation of all involved
• Ability to keep accurate and complete records of activities and communications consistent with legislation, policies and procedures.
• Ability to alert line manager / team when direction, policies and strategies are adversely affecting users of services or the public
• Ability to time manage effectively and to work under pressure and to prioritise a clinical workload
• Positive problem solving approach
• Ability to critically evaluate and review developments made by others to determine if and how they could be applied within own area of work
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships and boundaries with clients from diverse backgrounds
• Ability to apply psychology in different cultural contexts
• Ability to recognise and report behaviour that undermines equality and diversity
• Car driver (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which prevents you from driving)
• IT Skills; including the use of Microsoft Office and Outlook, entering data onto electronic patient records
• Ability to travel and work flexibly across different sites in Hertfordshire
• Ability to deliver complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
• Ability to recognise signs of stress and seek the appropriate support
• Ability to work with people whose behaviour is personally challenging
• Ability to comply with BPS/HCPC/BABCP professional standards and current developments in the field of mental health and well-being
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate to support and maintain clinical practice
• Flexible and positive approach to changing circumstances
• Ability to identify own developmental needs and takes responsibility for personal development
• Ability to act consistently with legislation, policies, procedures and other quality approaches and the ability to encourage and develop others to do so

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.

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

£50,008 to £64,880 a yearper annum, pro rata (Inclusive of 5% HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

367-ACMS-9555

Job locations