Highly Specialist [Applied] Psychologist | Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Milton Keynes is seeking a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to provide specialized services to clients experiencing first episode psychosis. The role requires a commitment to patient-centered care and offers opportunities for professional development. Ideal candidates will have experience in Early Intervention Psychosis and demonstrate independent practice within a supportive multi-disciplinary team environment. This position promotes leadership in psychological therapies and offers access to specialist training.

Benefits

Access to funded specialist training

Preceptorship program for new practitioners

Opportunities for research

Qualifications

• Passionate about working with service users with psychosis.
• Experience providing psychological interventions and support.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Provide highly specialist psychology service for clients with first episode psychosis.
• Contribute to creating a psychologically safe environment.
• Provide clinical supervision and consultation.

Skills

Independent practitioner

Commitment to patient-focused care

Experience in Early Intervention Psychosis

Education

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent

Job description

Band 8a or Band 7-8a Preceptorship Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Are you a clinician passionate about working with service users with psychosis?

Do you enjoy working with carers and families?

Are you an independent practitioner who can promote psychology in a small team?

We are looking for applications from highly motivated and enthusiastic Senior Clinical or Counselling Psychologists who are committed to delivering patient-focused care and treatment.

We are keen to invest in the development of new practitioners joining our service to enhance their knowledge, skills, clinical practice, leadership, and confidence in working in this area. We are therefore looking for applicants who either have experience in Early Intervention Psychosis (EIP) or have a good foundation of transferable skills and an interest to develop in this area.

There is a strong sense of camaraderie within the Milton Keynes EIP team and a strong partnership between operational and clinical staff. There are opportunities to access funded specialist training in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for psychosis and family interventions. There may also be an opportunity to spend one clinic session per week in another team/specialty to maintain additional skills.

The Milton Keynes Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Service is a multi-disciplinary team providing treatment and support for people experiencing first-time psychosis symptoms and during the first three years following a first episode. The service focuses on psychological interventions alongside care-coordination, help, advice, and support. The team helps service users make sense of their experiences, provides treatment and interventions to enable them to return to or continue with work or study, and liaises with other services to address benefits, finances, and housing issues.

A key part of the role will be acting as liaison and Principal Investigator for research trials (e.g., virtual reality CBT) from different universities.

Our staff demonstrate a high level of service for service users and carers and have an interest in service development. We seek motivated and committed clinical or counselling psychologists eager to lead the development of psychological therapies and pathways within our service.

Applicants who are newly qualified will join a well-established preceptorship programme to ensure they meet the competencies required for an 8a post before progression.

Click here to find out more about working at CNWL!CNWL Psychological Professions

Hear directly from our leaders about their vision for psychological professions in the Trust here.

Learn more about working in Milton Keynes by following the link below.

Welcome to Psychological Therapies at Milton Keynes Mental Health Services :: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (cnwl.nhs.uk)

At CNWL, we encourage our psychological professions staff to pursue leadership opportunities in senior roles. Various prominent leadership roles within the Trust are held by psychologists, including: Director of Strategy and Integration, Chief Information Officer, and Clinical Directors. We aim to facilitate the development of our psychological professions staff across all areas.

• To provide a highly specialist psychology service to clients with first episode psychosis, including assessment, treatment, planning, and monitoring outcomes.
• To contribute to enabling staff, service users, and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by creating a psychologically safe environment.
• To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a lead specialist in EIP.
• To undertake service evaluation, audit, and research.
• To work as an autonomous professional within BPS and HCPC guidelines and codes of conduct, interpreting policies within defined parameters.
• To agree outcomes with the clinical/professional lead and decide how they are best achieved.

This advert closes on Monday 28 Jul 2025.