Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust; Radlett; On-site; GBP 66,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

A mental health trust in the UK is seeking a Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to lead teams in delivering outstanding psychological services. The successful candidate will have extensive experience in mental health, be HCPC registered, and demonstrate leadership skills. You will work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment, implementing trauma-informed approaches to support client recovery. The position offers ongoing professional development and competitive salary, with a closing date for applications on 28 December 2025.

Benefits

27 days holiday increasing to 33 days

High cost allowance supplement

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• HCPC registered Clinical / Counselling Psychologist.
• Strong post-qualification experience in mental health.
• Experience in acute settings or working with SMI.

Responsibilities

• Lead teams supporting change in psychological services.
• Implement trauma-informed approaches in clinical practice.
• Ensure emotional safety and reduce harm for clients.

Skills

Clinical / Counselling Psychologist

Team leadership

Knowledge of trauma-informed approaches

Experience in mental health

Education

Good honours degree in psychology

Post-graduate doctorate in clinical psychology

Job description

Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust has a long history of delivering outstanding care and is taking its inpatient psychological therapies service to the next level through an extensive expansion of psychology provision. We are in a period of skill development with the wider workforce and are embedding trauma‑informed approaches across all wards. This is an exciting time of change.

The closing date is 28 December 2025

We are looking for a caring and committed 8b Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to lead the teams supporting change. If you have the relevant skills, are energetic, imaginative and, above all, care passionately about working with individuals and families towards recovery, and leading an outstanding psychology service then we want to hear from you!

The role will be based in the innovative and purpose‑built Kingfisher Court, Radlett, but you will also be required to spend time at other sites across the trust. You will form part of a vibrant, passionate and supportive inpatient psychology service.

This is a fixed‑term role to cover a period of leave and will be an excellent chance for skill development alongside our established 8b Clinical Psychologist.

We want you to apply now, as the vacancy may close prior to the advertised closing date if interest is high.

Main duties of the job

• Be an HCPC registered Clinical / Counselling Psychologist.
• Have strong post‑qualification experience in mental health, preferably with experience of working in acute settings or specialist experience working with individuals with a SMI.
• Have a solid understanding of recovery principles and trauma‑informed approaches.
• Have extensive skill in working flexibly and in collaboration as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Have experience of leading a team and driving through change.

In return we can offer

• Regular opportunities for ongoing professional development.
• Leadership and management training.
• On top of basic salary, a high cost allowance supplement of £2,122 per annum pro rata.
• 27 days holiday rising to 33 days (depending on NHS Trust service) plus bank holidays (pro rata where applicable).
• One of the UK's best pension schemes.
• Employee Assistance Programme.

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust is one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of ‘Outstanding’ from the Care Quality Commission. Our family of over 4,000 staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout: welcoming, kind, positive, respectful, professional.

Job responsibilities

Trauma‑informed approaches recognise and acknowledge the impact of adverse childhood events and how these can cause or contribute to the development of mental health problems in adults, including how we are able to seek and use help when offered. It also includes the impact of discrimination and marginalisation on both staff and those who use our services.

HPFT is committed to developing policies and practices to reflect this trauma awareness, ensuring that the key message of what has happened to you rather than what is wrong with you runs through everything we do.

On the wards and in our crisis services we seek to create conditions that promote emotional safety and reduce harm through our interactions that recognise safety, empowerment, collaboration, choice and trustworthiness.

Person Specification

Knowledge, Training and Experience

• Good honours degree in psychology. Eligibility for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
• Post‑graduate doctorate in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) accredited by the BPS, or fully completed training as a Counselling Psychologist.
• Strong post‑registration experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment with clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
• Full registration with the Health Professions Council.
• Related academic qualifications to masters or doctorate level.
• Post‑doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
• Experience and/or training in neuropsychological assessment.
• Specific training in Family/Systemic Interventions, CBT‑P, DBT, MBT, EMDR, ASD/ADHD assessment/intervention.

Areas of Experience and Knowledge

• Assessed experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of adults of working age with a wide range of presentations of varying severity.
• Experience of working with moderate to severe mental health problems, including medically unexplained symptoms, physical health problems and personality difficulties.
• Demonstrate further specialist clinical experience and training, through a minimum of 50 hours clinical supervision of working as a specialist clinical psychologist.
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for client’s psychological care and treatment.
• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision, including supervision of clinical psychology trainee(s).
• Experience working within a multidisciplinary therapy service.
• Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of older age psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology.
• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management with clients with complex problems, including specialised psychological interventions for difficult to treat groups (e.g. multiple mental health and/or physical health problems). Ability to demonstrate an area of special interest/skill in assessment, therapeutic intervention or research/evaluation.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS and HPC.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively and well, orally and in writing, highly technical, and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Able to plan own workload and coordinate with other relevant staff in the delivery of clinical service.
• Able to work at a high level of professional autonomy and responsibility, in a collaborative multi-disciplinary environment and also as a lone worker where there may be exposure to verbal and sometimes physical aggression.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for clinical practice in relation to older people.
• Experience of working within a multi-cultural framework.
• Good presentation and teaching skills and ability to use multi-media materials for formal presentations to large groups.
• Experience of working within acute services.
• Experience of having published in either peer‑reviewed academic or professional journals and/or books.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Salary: £66,653 to £77,094 per annum, pro rata (5% HCAS included).