Practitioner Psychologist

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Creative, compassionate Practitioner Psychologist to join the Medicine Division's Clinical Psychology team at Southmead Hospital. The post focuses on supporting people living with severe asthma, in both inpatient and outpatient settings, within a strong multidisciplinary team.

You will provide evidence-based psychological input across adults, work with carers and staff, and participate in specialist work with senior colleagues.

Qualifications

• High level of communication skills both verbal and written.
• Research and critical appraisal methods.
• Relevant experience working in an acute hospital setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychology service to patients, carers and colleagues in Medicine Division.
• Work across inpatient and outpatient settings and offer outpatient appointments.

Skills

Communication skills

Research and critical appraisal

Education

Honours Degree in Psychology

Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology

HCPC registration

Job description

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) describes algorithms that can be used to produce new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos. It is developing all the time and is now being used as a support mechanism for all kinds of content-based creations. Please note the use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it then they are required to declare this.

Job Overview

We have an exciting opportunity to join our Clinical Psychology team, working in the Medicine Division of Southmead Hospital Operating Unit as part of Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. We are looking for a creative, compassionate Practitioner Psychologist, who has a passion for supporting people living with severe asthma, in both inpatient and outpatient settings. We work from our small clinical psychology team base within the Hospital, and we have good relationships and networks with colleagues from the other specialties within Medicine (e.g., Cardiology, Respiratory, Gastroenterology, HIV, Diabetes & Endocrinology)

The Post-Holder is expected to provide a Psychology Service to patients, carers and colleagues, in conjunction with other psychology staff working within the Medicine Division. All Psychologists employed within this Division are expected to provide evidence based psychological input to individuals across the adult age range, their carers and staff at any point in their progress through their hospital based care.

This job includes specialist work in conjunction with senior psychology colleagues working in Medicine based at Southmead Hospital.

All psychologists are expected to work across a range of in-patient settings and to offer outpatient appointments as appropriate.

Main duties of the job

Patients are the most important people in the health service and are at the centre of what we do. Patients and carers are the 'experts' in how they feel and what it is like to live with or care for someone with a particular illness or condition. The patients' experience of our services should guide the way we deliver services and influence how we engage with patients every day in our work.

All staff should communicate effectively in their day to day practice with patients and should support and enable patients/carers to make choices, changes and influence the way their treatment or care is provided. All staff, managers and Board members should work to promote effective patient, carer and public involvement in all elements of their work.

We have a duty to involve, engage and consult with patients, carers and families about plans for health facilities and the provision of our services. Bristol NHS Trust wholeheartedly embraces the principles of patient partnership and has made clear its commitment to involve patients in key aspects of its work, which will be further strengthened through becoming a Foundation Trust.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. 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.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. 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.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

The Clinical Psychology specialty team in Medicine specialises in chronic illness. As such all members of the service have the requisite level of professional training and experience to autonomously complete highly complex assessments and interventions with the majority of patients who access the service. They are personally accountable for their clinical decisions and are required to ensure appropriate supervision arrangements for their own face to face work with their clients whilst also balancing this, through a process of line management, with the collective responsibilities and goals of the team.

The department is actively engaged in research and development processes in conjunction with other departments within the Trust and local universities. Thus members of the department will be expected to be aware of and adhere to the relevant research protocols as appropriate.

Please see the specific areas of duty and responsibilities for this post in the attached Job Description.

Person specification

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria

• High level of communication skills both verbal and written
• Research and critical appraisal methods

Desirable criteria

• Relevant experience working in an acute hospital setting
• Experienced in reflective practice for clinical supervision
• Relevant experience working in Medicine context (severe asthma)

Education/Training/Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Honours Degree in Psychology
• Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology (or BPS approved equivalent)
• HCPC registration

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

• 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 to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
• The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
• BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
• If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
• By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
• Please be aware of scams - unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

Important

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. If you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification.

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.