Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

CNWL; Milton Keynes; On-site; GBP 62,000 - 73,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to lead psychological care for individuals with psychosis in Milton Keynes. This role offers the chance to make a significant impact on patient care while working within a supportive, multi-disciplinary team. You will be responsible for providing high-quality psychological interventions, supervising less experienced staff, and contributing to the development of innovative treatment strategies. Join a team that values diversity and personal development, and take your career to the next level in a rewarding environment that prioritizes patient-centered care.

Benefits

Generous relocation package

Flexible working options

Access to CPD opportunities

Trust-wide culture change program

Leadership program focused on staff wellbeing

Qualifications

• Registered with HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist.
• Experience in Early Intervention Psychosis and psychological assessments.

Responsibilities

• Lead psychological interventions for patients with psychosis.
• Provide supervision and training to staff on psychological care.

Skills

Clinical Psychology

Counselling Psychology

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Psychological Assessment

Supervision and Training

Education

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

HCPC Registration

Training in Clinical Supervision

Job description

Search here to find a new job, a new career, an opportunity
to up skill or to simply change your career direction.

Become part of our team.
We care for you as much as you care for others.

There’s a place for you at CNWL.

We’re passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient’s own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do.

Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people.
We’re always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we’re hoping to find our future leaders and we’ll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.

With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.

Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 8b

Main area MK Mental Health Grade NHS AfC: Band 8b Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 333-D-MK-MH-1227-C

Site Neath Hill Health Centre Town Milton Keynes Salary £62,215 - £72,293 Per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 10/03/2025 23:59

Job overview

Are you an experienced clinician looking for a new challenge and the opportunity to lead the development of psychological care for people with psychosis across Milton Keynes?

We are looking for applications from highly motivated and enthusiastic Clinical or Counselling Psychologists who are committed to delivering patient-focused care and treatment and have experience in Early Intervention Psychosis (EIP).

The Milton Keynes Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Team is a multi-disciplinary team providing treatment and support for people who are experiencing symptoms of psychosis for the first time. The post holder will lead on psychological interventions in the team, working closely with the CBTp therapist and other colleagues to help service users make sense of their experiences to enable them to get back to work or study.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be able to offer supervision, advice, consultation and training to less experienced staff about psychological care for service users and carers. There will be a mix of individual and group interventions. There is a strong sense of camaraderie within the Milton Keynes EIP Team and a strong partnership between operational and clinical staff. There are opportunities to access specialist training in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for psychosis and behavioural family therapy.

In addition, the post holder will liaise closely with the inpatient and crisis teams ensuring smooth transitions and care planning for patients. They will also in-reach to the Assertive Outreach Team in the Mental Health Community Hub, supporting and supervising the psychologist in this post as they develop the role of psychology.

Working for our organisation

CNWL is recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ in line with our values, our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries. With us, you will get -

A Trust committed to staff personal development, with a trust wide culture change and leadership programme that has staff wellbeing at its core.

An opportunity to work for one of the top 10 NHS employers

Variety of work

Access to a variety of CPD opportunities

We encourage staff input and ideas in relation to moving services forward, improving care pathways and meeting the client group’s needs.

As a Trust we are committed to investing in our staff through a range of initiatives, both profession-specific and organisation wide. Psychological professions staff are able to access a range of trust-wide CPD initiatives.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

· To develop, co-ordinate and ensure the systematic provision of a psychology service to patients with psychosis and personally provide highly specialist clinical input, predominantly in EIP but also across the whole service.

· To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

· To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a lead specialist in EIP and AOT.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC.
• Completed training course in clinical supervision.
• Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration as a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist.
• Additional training in a specialised area of psychological practice through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses, or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice–based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma.
• BABCP Accreditation.
• Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.

Experience

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in crisis or acute mental health settings, and / or physical health settings.
• Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists having completed the relevant training. Experience of providing teaching and training to psychologists or other professional groups.
• Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
• Record of publications in either peer reviewed, academic or professional journals/books.
• Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care.
• Experience of assessing and treating clients across the full range of care settings.
• Experience of working within a liaison model.
• Experience of managing both mental and physical health care needs concurrently.

Knowledge

• Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies.
• Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment.
• Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders).

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.

Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page.

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.

Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.

Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.

If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.