Practitioner Psychologist

NHS; Bristol; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS trust is seeking compassionate and innovative Clinical Psychologists to join their pediatric health service. The role involves providing psychological assessments and interventions for children and young people, as well as contributing to service development in a multidisciplinary team environment.

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in clinical psychology required.
• Current registration with HCPC or relevant regulatory body.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychological services including assessment and implementation of interventions.
• Deliver services in ward-based and outpatient settings.
• Support development and evaluation of psychological services.

Skills

Empathy

Communication

Compassion

Education

Postgraduate qualification in clinical psychology

Current registration with HCPC

Job description

Job summary

We are looking for thoughtful, compassionate and innovative Clinical Psychologists, who are keen to be at the forefront of a new multi-professional service delivered in a paediatric health setting. Therapeutic staff working into the NHS Children and Young People Gender Service (South West) will work within Psychological Health Services. As part of an Multi-disciplinary team (MDT) they will develop, deliver and evaluate specified services provided by a range of clinicians and health professionals, including clinical services, research and quality improvement including dissemination, and training and consultation to other partner services and agencies. As well as providing services into the new clinical programme, all staff will have other clinical and professional roles depending on skills, interests and service demands. These may include Staff Support.

Psychological Health Services is an award-winning department, recognised for a commitment to leadership and the development of Trustwide psychological services. As a university teaching trust research and quality improvement forms part of UHBW's mission to support excellence in delivery of patient care, alongside education and applied research of the highest quality.

(Cont'd under Detailed job description and main responsibilities)

Main duties of the job

To provide therapeutic services into paediatric medical and or surgical specialties including CYP gender services, involving direct and indirect clinical work.

• To provide psychological services including assessment, formulation and implementation of psychological interventions for children/ young people, adults and their families
• To deliver these services in ward-based and out-patient settings as needed.
• Provision of psychological advice, consultation, training, and support for other professionals working across this care pathway as assigned.
• Support with development and evaluation of the services.
• To propose changes for service development, guidelines and protocols relevant to psychological health across these care pathways.

About us

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Details Date posted

20 Mai 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

387-WC2382-HN

Job locations

Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

Upper Maudlin Street

Bristol

BS2 8BJ

Job description Job responsibilities

(Job overview Cont.)

We are engaged in high profile national professional networks at a senior level across BPS, NHS and charitable sector organisations.

We have strong links to local and regional universities providing access to support research and clinical training with honorary appointment up to professorial level. Psychological Health Services has an expanding research portfolio and provide and support opportunities to develop this further.Psychological Health Services take pride in their commitment to providing high quality and accessible CPD and access to skilled clinical and peer supervision. Examples of current CPD opportunities include monthly Trustwide departmental CPD meetings, journal clubs and an ACT supervision group. Our commitment to clinical excellence is reflected in our annual cycle of quality outcomes related to a wide portfolio of activity.

We work together to grow and shape the department; we have a notice board style central point of communication to keep you up to date communicating via surveys about what matters to us all. Membership of departmental Service Delivery Groups (SDGs) give the opportunity to broaden skills and experiences and be involved in wider psychology initiatives.

As a large department Psychological Health Services provides clinical psychology services to a wide range of specialist multidisciplinary teams. Although the current recruitment is for a specific post, we welcome applications and enquiries from those who are interested in wider opportunities within our portfolio. We have a commitment in Paediatrics to collaborate with our colleagues as much as we can. This means we regularly offer advice and guidance to patients outside of our core patient group. This rewarding work is highly appreciated by the Trust.

As a way to support individual development, growth of expertise and service priorities, staff can benefit from opportunities to work into other clinical areas through discussion and planning with their line manager and head of service.This will be an element of the working lives of much of the staff group you would lead.

For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and person specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Job description Job responsibilities

(Job overview Cont.)

We are engaged in high profile national professional networks at a senior level across BPS, NHS and charitable sector organisations.

We have strong links to local and regional universities providing access to support research and clinical training with honorary appointment up to professorial level. Psychological Health Services has an expanding research portfolio and provide and support opportunities to develop this further.Psychological Health Services take pride in their commitment to providing high quality and accessible CPD and access to skilled clinical and peer supervision. Examples of current CPD opportunities include monthly Trustwide departmental CPD meetings, journal clubs and an ACT supervision group. Our commitment to clinical excellence is reflected in our annual cycle of quality outcomes related to a wide portfolio of activity.

We work together to grow and shape the department; we have a notice board style central point of communication to keep you up to date communicating via surveys about what matters to us all. Membership of departmental Service Delivery Groups (SDGs) give the opportunity to broaden skills and experiences and be involved in wider psychology initiatives.

As a large department Psychological Health Services provides clinical psychology services to a wide range of specialist multidisciplinary teams. Although the current recruitment is for a specific post, we welcome applications and enquiries from those who are interested in wider opportunities within our portfolio. We have a commitment in Paediatrics to collaborate with our colleagues as much as we can. This means we regularly offer advice and guidance to patients outside of our core patient group. This rewarding work is highly appreciated by the Trust.

As a way to support individual development, growth of expertise and service priorities, staff can benefit from opportunities to work into other clinical areas through discussion and planning with their line manager and head of service.This will be an element of the working lives of much of the staff group you would lead.

For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and person specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person Specification Qualifications and Training Essential

• Postgraduate qualification in clinical, counselling or Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, recognised for registration by the HCPC or other regulatory body
• Current registration with HCPC or other relevant regulatory body

Knowledge and Experience Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology.
• Experience of working with children/young people who have a physical health condition.
• Experience of working as a clinical psychologist undertaking consultation and service development work within a multi-disciplinary physical health setting
• Experience of working as a clinical psychologist providing psychological consultation, case management supervision and training to multi-professional and multi-agency teams.
• Formal teaching / presentation sessions to health and other professionals.
• Demonstrable knowledge of legislation and guidance pertaining to safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, consent, confidentiality and standards of psychological care within relevant NICE and other guidance.

Desirable

• Experience of clinical work within a health care setting, with individuals who have an acute/long-term medical conditions.
• Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues known to be present for populations presenting to gender services.
• Demonstrable consideration of the implications of acute and long term trajectories for children/young people who present to gender services
• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of mental health conditions common in young people with gender diversity.
• Experience of supervising qualified clinical psychologists.
• Accredited supervision training
• Experience of working with children/young people in a paediatric service

Aptitudes Essential

• Empathic
• Compassionate
• Excellent communication skills at all levels
• Manage competing demands

Skills and Abilities Essential

• Able to assess the psychological needs of children, young people, and adults, including the use of cognitive and developmental psychometric tests
• Able to generate systemic and individual formulations and interventions based on applying psychological theory to the complex information generated by the person, family, health and social care systems relating to individuals engaging in care pathways
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of the range of psychological implications of engagement with these care pathways for individuals and their families
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of the roles of a practitioner psychologist or therepeutic practitioner in relation to a patient, their family, the staff teams and the wider organisational systems around them
• Able to demonstrate successful use of strategies to prioritise and manage time when there are conflicting demands
• Advanced communication skills with the ability to provide and receive highly complex and sensitive information to and from young people/adults in a culturally appropriate manner in highly emotive situations. This will include the ability to provide complex psychological information to staff in an accessible manner
• Ability to access, record and manage information and data pertaining to the work undertaken in medical and psychology notes, data bases and electronic records as required
• Able to demonstrate a realistic awareness of the potential for work related stress and distress in this type of clinical work plus strategies to manage this
• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles
• Able to travel to regional clinics, meetings and community visits if required

Desirable

• To be proficient in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials

Person Specification Qualifications and Training Essential

• Postgraduate qualification in clinical, counselling or Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, recognised for registration by the HCPC or other regulatory body
• Current registration with HCPC or other relevant regulatory body

Knowledge and Experience Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology.
• Experience of working with children/young people who have a physical health condition.
• Experience of working as a clinical psychologist undertaking consultation and service development work within a multi-disciplinary physical health setting
• Experience of working as a clinical psychologist providing psychological consultation, case management supervision and training to multi-professional and multi-agency teams.
• Formal teaching / presentation sessions to health and other professionals.
• Demonstrable knowledge of legislation and guidance pertaining to safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, consent, confidentiality and standards of psychological care within relevant NICE and other guidance.

Desirable

• Experience of clinical work within a health care setting, with individuals who have an acute/long-term medical conditions.
• Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues known to be present for populations presenting to gender services.
• Demonstrable consideration of the implications of acute and long term trajectories for children/young people who present to gender services
• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of mental health conditions common in young people with gender diversity.
• Experience of supervising qualified clinical psychologists.
• Accredited supervision training
• Experience of working with children/young people in a paediatric service

Aptitudes Essential

• Empathic
• Compassionate
• Excellent communication skills at all levels
• Manage competing demands

Skills and Abilities Essential

• Able to assess the psychological needs of children, young people, and adults, including the use of cognitive and developmental psychometric tests
• Able to generate systemic and individual formulations and interventions based on applying psychological theory to the complex information generated by the person, family, health and social care systems relating to individuals engaging in care pathways
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of the range of psychological implications of engagement with these care pathways for individuals and their families
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of the roles of a practitioner psychologist or therepeutic practitioner in relation to a patient, their family, the staff teams and the wider organisational systems around them
• Able to demonstrate successful use of strategies to prioritise and manage time when there are conflicting demands
• Advanced communication skills with the ability to provide and receive highly complex and sensitive information to and from young people/adults in a culturally appropriate manner in highly emotive situations. This will include the ability to provide complex psychological information to staff in an accessible manner
• Ability to access, record and manage information and data pertaining to the work undertaken in medical and psychology notes, data bases and electronic records as required
• Able to demonstrate a realistic awareness of the potential for work related stress and distress in this type of clinical work plus strategies to manage this
• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles
• Able to travel to regional clinics, meetings and community visits if required

Desirable

• To be proficient in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information 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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)

Address

Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

Upper Maudlin Street

Bristol

BS2 8BJ

Employer's website

https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)

Address

Bristol Royal Hospital for Children

Upper Maudlin Street

Bristol

BS2 8BJ

Employer's website

https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)