Principal Applied Psychologist

NHS; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 75,000; Part time

Job summary

A regional mental health trust is looking for a Principal Applied Psychologist to undertake projects for workforce development. This part-time role involves service evaluations and psychological therapy assurance. Ideal candidates must have a doctoral degree in psychology and experience in multidisciplinary team leadership. The position is fixed-term for 12 months, with competitive salary from £64,455 to £74,896 pro rata per annum.

Qualifications

• Must have experience in psychological care across various settings.
• Teaching and supervisory experience required.
• Must possess doctoral level knowledge in clinical governance and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership within the Psychological Professions.
• Ensure quality and service improvement initiatives.
• Undertake multiagency working and collaborative projects.

Skills

Communication

Adaptation of evidence-based interventions

Project Management

Education

Doctoral degree in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology

HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist

Job description

Overview

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 08 October 2025

Responsibilities

We require a Principal Applied Psychologist to undertake a variety of projects within the Psychological Professions to support workforce development within the trust.

Main duties of the job include, but are not limited to: PP workforce data, service evaluations, psychological services for staff, and psychological therapy/interventions assurance. The postholder will report to the Chief Psychological Professions Officer and liaise with other Psychological Professions staff across the trust.

About us

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care --our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We\'re committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.

Psychologists & Psychological Therapists provide key leadership roles within the Trust. To support this we have developed leadership profiles for each psychology band and the profile card associated with this post is attached on NHS Jobs. You can find more information about the NHS Leadership Academy\'s Healthcare Leadership Model and the profiles at their website. We encourage you to look at these resources as they will play a part in the interview process.

Person Specification

Experience

• Must have substantial experience of: o Working as a qualified applied psychologist within the designated service including a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and a range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings.
• Exercising full clinical responsibility for clients\' psychological care as a care co-ordinator and leader of a multidisciplinary team
• Liaison and joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies
• Teaching, training, clinical supervision and field supervisor for doctoral theses
• Research and development
• Active participation in quality and service improvement initiatives
• Project Management

Knowledge

• Doctoral level knowledge of: Evidence- based practice relevant to the role
• Risk assessment and risk management
• Clinical governance
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health and its implications for clinical practice
• Audit and research methodology
• Social Inclusion agenda
• Knowledge of: The Trust\'s Quality Improvement System
• Highly developed knowledge and skills in the care of difficult to treat groups e.g. dual diagnoses, additional disabilities or severely challenging behaviour

Skills

• Must be able to: Communicate highly complex, highly sensitive and contentious information effectively, to a wide range of people
• Adapt creatively the evidence base for interventions in mental health for clients with communication difficulties / learning disabilities
• Articulate the value added by applied psychology services within the context of multidisciplinary mental health and learning disability healthcare provision
• Undertake complex multiagency working and liaise with multiple systems
• Utilise psychometric tests competently
• Provide effective teaching, training and clinical supervision for the multidisciplinary team.
• Identify, provide and promote appropriate interventions / means of support for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours
• Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work
• Use approved breakaway techniques
• Use multimedia materials for presentations in professional, academic and public settings
• Project Management

Qualifications

• Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS
• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
• Post doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
• Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees
• Trained in care co-ordination
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Registration with BPS

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.

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Flatts Lane/Lanchester Road/Huntington House

£64,455 to £74,896 a year pro rata, per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

346-CORP-073-25-A

Job locations

Flatts Lane/Lanchester Road/Huntington House