Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist Or Psychological Therapist

Devon Partnership Nhs Trust; Exeter; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 52,000; Part time

Job summary

Devon Partnership NHS Trust in Exeter is seeking a Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or Psychological Therapist to lead advanced psychological care within the Exeter Core Adult Mental Health Services. The role combines expert assessment, intervention, and high-level consultancy across multidisciplinary teams.

The post is part-time (22.5 hours per week) with opportunities for clinical leadership, supervision of colleagues, and involvement in service development and innovation, aligned

Qualifications

• Training and providing trauma-focused therapies to adults.
• Experience in adult mental health services and complex cases.
• Leadership roles within NHS psychology/therapy services.
• Experience supervising clinicians from multiple disciplines.
• Commitment to equality and diversity in service delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead and shape high-quality psychological care within Exeter Core Adult Mental Health Services.
• Provide expert assessment, formulation and interventions for complex cases.
• Offer high-level consultation to multidisciplinary teams and partner services.
• Supervise and mentor psychologists, therapists, trainees and volunteers.
• Support governance, quality assurance and continuous service improvement.

Skills

Trauma-focused therapies

Clinical leadership

Supervision & teaching

Quality improvement

Diversity awareness

Education

D.Clin.Psychol. or equivalent

Registered with appropriate accrediting body

Further training in NICE-approved therapies

Job description

Job summary
We are seeking an experienced, motivated and values-driven Principal Clinical / Counselling Psychologist or Psychological Therapist to join our dynamic and forward-thinking services in Exeter.

We are keen to invite applications from colleagues who have training and experience in trauma focused interventions such as EMDR and/or TF-CBT.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering high-quality, evidence-based psychological care within your specialist field, improving the psychological health and wellbeing of people across the locality.

The post holder will contribute to service development and innovation in line with Trust priorities. You will also also hold a specialist caseload, offering expert assessment and intervention, alongside providing consultation and advice to a wide range of professionals.

This post is ideal for a senior clinician who is passionate about clinical leadership, quality improvement and collaborative working. You will support, supervise and inspire less experienced psychologists, psychological therapists, trainees and volunteers, helping to develop the next generation of the workforce while maintaining the highest professional standards.

Please note this post is for 22.5 hours per week.

Based in Exeter, the role also offers the opportunity to enjoy an exceptional quality of life, with easy access to stunning coastlines, countryside and vibrant local communities, making this a rewarding place to both work and live.

Main duties of the job
This senior clinical role offers an exciting opportunity for an experienced psychologist, psychological therapist or psychotherapist to lead, influence and deliver high-quality psychological care within Exeter Core Adult Mental Health Services. The post holder will provide expert assessment, formulation and evidence-based psychological interventions to individuals, families, carers and groups, working confidently with complex and specialist presentations across the pathway of care.

Alongside a specialist caseload, you will offer high-level consultation, advice and guidance to multidisciplinary colleagues and partner services, embedding psychologically informed practice across teams. You will play a key role in the professional and clinical leadership of psychological and therapy practice within your locality or specialty, providing supervision, mentoring and support to psychologists, psychological therapists, psychotherapists, trainees and volunteers, and fostering reflective, compassionate and effective care.

Working autonomously within professional and Trust guidelines, you will support the Professional Lead in contributing to the governance, quality assurance and continuous improvement of psychological and therapy practice. You will actively support service development, innovation, audit, research and service evaluation, ensuring interventions are evidence-based, inclusive and outcome-focused.

About us
About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.

Person Specification

Experience
Essential

• Training and providing trauma focused therapies
• Experience of work in adult mental health services or agencies and work with people with severe and complex mental health difficulties.
• Experience of teaching, training and supervision, including clinical supervision of clinicians from other professional backgrounds.
• Experience in undertaking leadership roles within clinical psychology/psychotherapy/therapy services in the NHS and contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi-disciplinary, multi-agency contexts.
• Experience and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality.

Desirable

• Proficiency in in both individual and group therapy approaches is desirable.

Knowledge
Essential

• Broad knowledge of specialist mental health services and of the services in the NHS where psychology and psychotherapy is commonly applied.
• Extensive knowledge of the skills, practice and knowledge base of Clinical/Counselling Psychology/Psychological Therapy.
• Knowledge of the policy context of specialist psychological services within the NHS and of clinical leadership arrangements in this setting.

Qualifications
Essential

• Qualified Psychotherapist, Clinical or Counselling Psychologist (D.Clin.Psychol. or equivalent). Registered with appropriate accrediting body.
• Further training or equivalent experience in adult psychological therapies.
• Further training in at least one NICE approved psychological therapy.

Desirable

• Further training or experience in psychological approaches to serious mental health problems and working with adults.
• Training in the provision of supervision.

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