Principal Clinical psychologist

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust; Bury St Edmunds; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A public health service organization in Bury St Edmunds seeks a dedicated clinical psychologist to lead and support teams in mental health crisis intervention. The role combines direct clinical work with strategic leadership, requiring post-graduate training in clinical psychology and registration as a Practitioner Psychologist. Successful candidates will manage risk assessments and provide team support, ensuring effective service delivery for individuals in acute mental distress. Competitive benefits and training opportunities are part of the offer.

Qualifications

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology or equivalent, with eligibility for chartered status.
• Additional specialized training in psychological practice.
• Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the HCPC.
• Evidence of CPD in specialized psychological practice.

Responsibilities

• Assess and manage risk for mental health crises.
• Provide evidence-based interventions and support to colleagues.
• Lead assessments for complex cases.
• Support and supervise team staff, providing reflective practice.

Job description

The ACP aims to offer meaningful, dynamic, and evidence-based interventions to support people experiencing a mental health crisis, helping them move through the crisis safely and gain a clearer understanding of its causes.

Within the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHTT) and Mental Health Liaison (MHL), this role will combine direct clinical work with strategic leadership to ensure both teams are effective and successful in their work.

The successful candidate will also provide line management to more junior Psychology posts within the Acute and Crisis Pathway.

CRHTTThe West Suffolk CRHTT provides a four-hour response for people experiencing acute mental distress and crisis. The team also offers a home treatment service supporting people in the community, including medication management and brief psychological interventions, with the aim of preventing hospital admission. Support is also offered to carers of those using the service.

MHLThe Mental Health Liaison Service offers a single point of access for referrals from West Suffolk Hospital and provides a range of mental health specialities within one multidisciplinary team. The team operates 24/7 and plays a vital role in supporting the acute hospital, ensuring timely, person-centred care for individuals experiencing acute mental health difficulties.

Main duties of the job

• Assess and manage risk of harm to self or others, including suicide and self-neglecto Provide evidence-based brief interventions, advice, and signposting to appropriate services
• Offer support and education to acute hospital colleagues in managing mental health presentation
• Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and contribute to shared clinical decision-making
• Lead on the assessment and formulation of complex cases where physical and mental health needs overlap
• Provide staff support, including reflective practice, clinical supervision, and debriefs within the Acute and Crisis Pathwayo
• Maintain awareness of current best-practice guidelines and disseminate relevant information to the team
• Provide a psychologically informed service to patients and their careso Support engagement between services and chair multi-professional meetings

About us

Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.

Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.

Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.

Job responsibilities

Please read the job description / person specification carefully and ensure your application reflects the knowledge, skills and experience needed

Person Specification

Qalifications

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology, or its equivalent, including eligibility for chartered status with the BPS.
• Further post-qualification, post-graduate training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
• Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Evidence of CPD in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Experience

• Specialist complex psychological assessment and treatment of people with a wide range of mental health problems, of varying severity and complexity.
• Application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
• Representing psychology within MDT setting (clinical and organisational contexts).

Knowledge

• Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnosis, people with additional disabilities etc.)
• Practitioner level knowledge of at least two models of psychological therapy.

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.