Lead Practitioner Psychologist (equivalent NHS AFC band 8b)

NHS; Greater London; On-site; GBP 81,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare organization in Greater London is seeking a Lead Practitioner Psychologist to provide clinical supervision and develop psychological services across drug and alcohol support. This role includes direct leadership, creating a positive culture, and overseeing high-quality psychological assessments. Ideal candidates will possess a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and relevant experience in supervision, assessment, and treatment in a multidisciplinary team. Competitive salary up to £80,837 per annum, including London Weighting.

Qualifications

• Accredited Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology with HCPC registration.
• Experience with psychological assessment of substance use and mental health issues.
• Sound understanding of safeguarding and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical supervision across drug and alcohol services.
• Shape service culture and ensure person-centered care.
• Oversee delivery of psychological assessments and interventions.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Psychological assessments

Training and supervision

Consultancy

Education

Postgraduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Lead Practitioner Psychologist (equivalent NHS AFC band 8b)

This is an exciting opportunity to join a fast-paced and growing organisation.

We are looking for a Lead Practitioner Psychologist (equivalent NHS AFC band 8b) to provide clinical supervision to a range of our drug and alcohol services. This will also include focused support to our Kingston service where you will provide consultancy, supervision, training, and supporting our group programme.

This well-supported post is ideal for practitioners seeking to step into a leadership position whilst continuing to grow diverse skills that contribute to trauma-informed working.

Main duties of the job

This role will provide clinical supervision to our services that do not yet have a dedicated in-service psychological professional, including our young people services (supervision can be online where geographically challenging). Up to four days a week of this post willbe dedicated to providingsupervision to these services. One day a week, the postholder will be embedded in our Kingston service, playing a key role in shaping culture and processes. As part of a multi-disciplinary team, the post holder will help ensure that psychological thinking is a golden thread throughout our work, supporting development through consultancy, reflective practice, supervision, training,supporting our group programme,and clinical case management.The role will support other psychological professionals todevelop andoversee the delivery ofhigh qualitypsychological assessments and interventions.

About us

At Via, our mission isto provide the best health and wellbeing support to as many people as possible, helping them to change their lives for the better.

Last year, we supported over 11,000 people across the UK affected by alcohol and drug use.

Everything we do is driven by our values:

Care.Care for people is at the heart of everything we do.

Be human.We are accessible,genuineand humble. Always learning.

Do the right thing.Wereopen,honestand inclusive. We get things done.

We want to recruit thevery besttalent. We believe in nurturing a positive workplace culture where our colleagues feel valued, recognised, empowered, and supported.

Job responsibilities

Role Purpose

To provide strong clinical leadership across designated Via services, developing therole of psychology, supported by central Via Clinical Department (including clinicalsupervision).

To play a key role in shaping service culture and processes, ensuring person-centredcare, partnership working, inclusivity, and culture of learning.

To support staff development through consultancy, reflective practice, supervision,training, and clinical case management.

To oversee the delivery of high quality psychological assessment and interventions, aspart of a multi-disciplinary team.

Be responsible for the designated services less experiencedPsychologists/Psychological Professionals, associated training placements, andAssistant Psychologists/Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners (MHWPs).Key duties and activities of the roleClinical:

Provide highly specialist psychological assessments drawing on complex data from avariety of sources.

Formulate and implement plans involving specialist psychological treatment and/ormanagement of problems, utilising joint working where appropriate.

Champion the application of psychological principles in care delivery, using theory,evidence-based literature and research.

Undertake risk assessment and management relating to psychological interventions,and provide highly specialist advice on psychological aspects of risk, ensuringappropriate action in accordance with legislation, professional and organisationalrequirements and best practice guidance.

Record, monitor and report on highly complex clinical work and communicate (inaccordance with organisational requirements), in a skilled and sensitive manner, clinicalinformation (including assessment, formulation, treatment plans and progress) to avariety of recipients (e.g. people who use services, their significant others, otherprofessionals, formal panels, statutory and voluntary organisations) orally, in writing andelectronically.Leadership:

Provide highly specialist psychological guidance, consultation and training to otherprofessionals.

Provide supervision and facilitate reflective practice sessions for recovery practitioners,less experienced psychological professionals, trainees (as appropriate withprofessional registration), assistant psychologists, and other team members whereappropriate.

To be responsible for the continued development of less experiencedPsychologists/Psychological Professionals, associated training placements, andAssistant Psychologists/MHWPsPsychologist (Band 8b) JDPage 2 of 4

Lead on development, implementation and local quality assurance of evidence basedpsychological interventions and pathways, e.g. our group work programme, talkingtherapies offer.

Ensure that the needs of people using our services are communicated tocommissioners and partner agencies, advocating and representing the service inappropriate forums.

Utilise research skills for evaluation, policy and service development, as well as widerresearch.

Facilitate relevant audits/performance indicators and implementation of associatedrecommendations/action plans.

Lead in appropriate multi-disciplinary/project meetings, advising on issues of serviceand policy development for the psychological care of service users, as well as wideroperational and strategic issues.

Provide line management to less experienced Psychologists/PsychologicalProfessionals, and Assistant Psychologists/Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners(MHWPs).

Contribute to recruitment processes and the wider strategic plans regardingpsychology, as appropriate.

Work collaboratively with partner agencies to improve our psychology provision (e.g.universities, commissioners), developing and facilitating pathways into wider servicessuch as mental health teams and social services.

Provide teaching/supervision/practice assessment for relevant educational providers.

Contribute to the reporting of incidents, complaints and disciplinary matters to reducethe risk of recurrence.General:

Work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of theteams policies and procedures.

Manage the emotional demands of working with individuals with complex needs,including behaviours that the service can find challenging to manage.

Develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.Work alongside management and their direct reports to effectively support a one teamapproach.Person specification for the role

Accredited Postgraduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychology (or itsequivalent) as accredited by the BPS and registered with the HCPC as a PractitionerPsychologist.

Additional psychological training (or willingness to undertake) in relevant therapeuticmodality (e.g. compassion focussed approaches, CBT, DBT, AMBIT, EMDR).

Experience in the psychological assessment and treatment of people with co-occurringsubstance use and mental health problems, of varying severity, using formulation toinform complex decision making.

Experience in the psychological assessment and treatment of young people strugglingwith substance use.

Sound and demonstrable knowledge of psychological issues relating to problematicsubstance use, including safeguarding and risk management.

Sound and demonstrable knowledge of psychological issues experienced by youngpeople, including safeguarding and risk management.Psychologist (Band 8b) JDPage 3 of 4

Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients psychological care andtreatment, within the context of an MDT

Experience of facilitating partnership working

Experience of managing and supervising trainees, assistant psychologists/MHWPs,and qualified psychological practitioners.

Experience of providing supervision, teaching, training and consultation to otherprofessional/non-professional groups on complex psychological issues and risk.

Experience of leading in clinical practice, service development or project work.Able to plan, prioritise and organise own clinical work.Demonstrable leadership skills, team working, communication and interpersonal skills.

Experience of applying doctoral level knowledge of research methodology withinpractice, e.g. through routine outcome monitoring, audit and clinically related research.

Skills in the effective communication of highly technical and/or clinically sensitiveinformation to a wide variety of recipients in a range of settings, including the ability toproduce comprehensive and coherent letters, reports and associated documentation.

A demonstrable understanding of Health and Social Care regulatory requirementsincluding the CQC, NICE and any other relevant bodies.Good IT skills including use of Microsoft Office programs, digital meeting platforms andCase Management Systems.Solution-focused, with an inclusive and innovative approach to service development.The ability to work calmly under pressure, ensuring that deadlines are met, and ensureall information is recorded in a timely manner.

The ability to communicate effectively, across mediums, settings, and audiences,information which may be highly emotive, complex and sensitive.

A demonstrable commitment to working in partnership with other professionals such ascriminal justice agencies, primary care, secondary care, commissioners, communitygroups and other stakeholders to achieve good outcomes for people who use ourservices.Responsibilities for all Via staff

To work within Via values and ethos, supportively collaborating with all colleagues, anddemonstrating active engagement with the wider organisation.

To promote and deliver positive, inclusive and anti-discriminatory practices in line withVia policies, professional and sector requirements, and legislative frameworks.

To act on all Safeguarding concerns so that all statutory and organisationalSafeguarding responsibilities are met and that all learning is shared.

To observe professional integrity and candour at all times and with all people.

To comply with all organisational policies and procedures including GDPR and allHealth and Safety policy and guidance, taking responsibility for your own safety andcontributing to that of colleagues and others as applicable.

To regularly participate in one-to-one / supervision sessions, objective setting andreview, training, practice and learning forums.A commitment to learning and to continuously improve everyones knowledge and skills.

To work flexibly to enable the delivery of effective services. This may include flexibilityacross sites or flexible hours, and any other duties that may reasonably be required ofyou within your role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Accredited Postgraduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychology (or its
• equivalent) as accredited by the BPS and registered with the HCPC as a Practitioner
• Additional psychological training (or willingness to undertake) in relevant therapeutic
• modality (e.g. compassion focussed approaches, CBT, DBT, AMBIT, EMDR).
• Experience in the psychological assessment and treatment of people with co-occurring
• substance use and mental health problems, of varying severity, using formulation to
• inform complex decision making.
• Experience in the psychological assessment and treatment of young people struggling
• with substance use.
• Sound and demonstrable knowledge of psychological issues relating to problematic
• substance use, including safeguarding and risk management.
• Sound and demonstrable knowledge of psychological issues experienced by young
• people, including safeguarding and risk management.
• Psychologist (Band 8b) JD
• Page 3 of 4
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients psychological care and
• treatment, within the context of an MDT
• Experience of facilitating partnership working
• Experience of managing and supervising trainees, assistant psychologists/MHWPs,
• and qualified psychological practitioners.
• Experience of providing supervision, teaching, training and consultation to other
• professional/non-professional groups on complex psychological issues and risk.
• Experience of leading in clinical practice, service development or project work.
• Able to plan, prioritise and organise own clinical work.
• Demonstrable leadership skills, team working, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience of applying doctoral level knowledge of research methodology within
• practice, e.g. through routine outcome monitoring, audit and clinically related research.
• Skills in the effective communication of highly technical and/or clinically sensitive
• information to a wide variety of recipients in a range of settings, including the ability to
• produce comprehensive and coherent letters, reports and associated documentation.
• A demonstrable understanding of Health and Social Care regulatory requirements
• including the CQC, NICE and any other relevant bodies.
• Good IT skills including use of Microsoft Office programs, digital meeting platforms and
• Case Management Systems.
• Solution-focused, with an inclusive and innovative approach to service development.
• The ability to work calmly under pressure, ensuring that deadlines are met, and ensure
• all information is recorded in a timely manner.
• The ability to communicate effectively, across mediums, settings, and audiences,
• information which may be highly emotive, complex and sensitive.
• A demonstrable commitment to working in partnership with other professionals such as
• criminal justice agencies, primary care, secondary care, commissioners, community
• groups and other stakeholders to achieve good outcomes for people who use our
• services.

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.

Depending on experienceSalary up to £80,837 per annum including London Weighting