Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust; Bournemouth; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading NHS Foundation Trust in Bournemouth is seeking a part-time highly specialist practitioner psychologist to join the liaison psychiatry team at Royal Bournemouth Hospital. The role involves managing a specialist psychology service for older individuals, providing advice and clinical supervision to teams, and ensuring effective treatment and discharge processes for clients. Candidates should have extensive experience in mental health, excellent communication skills, and a doctoral qualification in Clinical Psychology. A generous relocation package and professional development opportunities are offered.

Benefits

Generous relocation package up to £10,000

Flexible working opportunities

Professional development support

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years work experience following a Clinical Psychology Doctorate qualification or equivalent.
• Experience in engaging with teams to promote psychological understanding.
• Further post‑graduate training in relevant areas of psychology.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop specialist psychology service for older people in Dorset.
• Provide expertise and advice to professionals regarding client treatment.
• Responsible for the clinical supervision of psychologists and assistants.

Skills

High‑level communication skills (written and verbal)

Experience with adults with mental health difficulties

Skills in complex psychological assessment methods

Ability to work in emotive settings

Knowledge of psychological therapies

Education

Post‑graduate doctoral level training in Clinical or Counselling Psychology

Job description

Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist

The closing date is 21 December 2025

Are you a highly specialist practitioner psychologist looking to work within the acute hospital setting with the liaison psychiatry team? Liaison psychiatry is looking for a part‑time highly specialist practitioner psychologist based primarily at Royal Bournemouth Hospital with cross cover at Poole Hospital as and when required.

In this role you will manage and develop the specialist psychology service for older people in Dorset, providing expertise and specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals, contributing directly to clients’ formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan. You will be responsible for the day‑to‑day line management and clinical supervision of psychologists and assistant psychologists working in the Liaison psychiatry service.

You will formulate plans for the formal psychological assessment and management of clients’ mental health and implement a range of interventions. You will make evaluations and decisions about treatment options and exercise full responsibility and autonomy for the treatment and discharge of clients. Professional development opportunities, including training, research support and supervision within the wider Trust psychology services and network, are provided.

For more information and further conversation, please contact Paul Hutchings, Liaison Psychiatry Matron; [e-mail]

Main duties of the job

We offer a generous relocation package of up to £10,000 if you are interested in moving to Dorset. We are committed to flexible working and would welcome a discussion as to how this could be achieved for you.

A major requirement of the role is to act as a highly specialist resource to the wider professional community and to carry out audit, policy and service development and research activities and/or programmes as may be required by the Crisis and Acute Community Services Manager.

Undertake research and development activities including teaching, clinical and professional supervision and support of other psychologists, assistants and trainee clinical psychologists, exercising responsibility for psychological practice within Dorset ensuring systems are in place and working effectively.

To provide advice and consultancy to patients and professionals within Dorset for which the post holder has designated professional responsibility, including clear systems for effective recruitment, professional appraisal, and the identification of CPD needs across Dorset in line with the overall strategy for the service.

The post requires frequent driving throughout Dorset in the process of service delivery.

Minimum of at least 5 years work experience following a Clinical Psychology Doctorate qualification or equivalent.

About us

At Dorset HealthCare we’re on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined‑up healthcare services. We’re a dynamic, forward‑looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people.

We do things differently here – it’s one of the reasons the CQC rated us “outstanding” in 2019. It’s also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference.

Our 7,000‑strong workforce is at the heart of what we do, and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We build a workplace for the future, believing in equal opportunities and celebrating diversity. We’re an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we encourage everyone to be the best version of themselves.

Working with us you’ll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don’t know. You’ll also be working towards our vision to create healthier lives, empowered citizens and thriving communities.

Job responsibilities

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

We understand that using AI can be a useful and supportive tool when completing your application. However, we have also seen an increase in the over‑reliance of AI tools which is negatively impacting applications as they remove candidates’ individuality, and it becomes much harder to get a sense of who you are and your authentic experience. If you do use AI, it should be used to enhance your application and not to create your supporting statement in its entirety. If we suspect you have used AI to create your supporting statement and this does not match your experience, we may withdraw your application.

As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact [e-mail].

Applications from candidates that require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are unfortunately ineligible to apply for this position.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience of working with adults with mental health difficulties (2)
• High‑level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive
• Skills in the use of complex and highly specialist methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• Experience of working with teams and professionals to promote psychological understanding and working
• Further post‑graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis

Knowledge, skills and training

• Post‑graduate doctoral level training in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (or its equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, (conferring eligibility for graduate membership) including specific models of psychopathology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
• Eligibility for Membership of Divisions of Clinical Psychology
• Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, medically unexplained symptoms and people with severely challenging behaviours etc.). This could include but is not limited to models such as Cognitive Analytic Therapy, EMDR, DBT.
• Post‑doctoral training in one or more additional specialised area of psychological practice

Personal Qualities

• An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines. An ability to interact warmly with people with mental health problems or disabilities
• An ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals
• A high level of interpersonal skills, self‑awareness, sensitivity, tact and empathy in all communications
• Awareness of personal and professional boundaries
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance
• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context

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.

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Bournemouth and Poole Hospital – University hospital Dorset