Principal Clinical Psychologist

The Methodist Church in Britain; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain invites a Principal Clinical Psychologist to lead the ARMS service for psychosis across Northumberland and North Tyneside, while maintaining an active caseload and clinical leadership responsibilities.

This role requires substantial psychosis experience, HCPC registration, BPS-accredited doctoral training, and enhanced DBS clearance, with duties spanning assessment, treatment, supervision, audit, and service development across a large geographic area.

Qualifications

• Doctoral training in clinical or counselling psychology covering psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, neuropsychology, lifespan development and two or more psychological therapies.
• Accredited practitioner in cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership to the ARMS service while working as an active clinician
• Make the key clinical decisions on acceptance to the ARMS service
• Provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment to service users and their families
• Deliver evidence-based bio-psychosocial interventions to people at risk of developing psychosis
• Provide clinical supervision to the ARMS service and other psychological therapists in early intervention in psychosis
• Provide supervision, consultation and training to the team
• Manage audit and training requirements for the service
• Assess for symptoms of psychosis and risk of transition, acting as a resource in complex assessments
• Work closely with other professionals in the service
• Provide care across a large geographical area

Skills

Clinical leadership

Communication skills

Teaching and training

Supervision of staff/trainees

Audit and service development

Education

Doctoral training in clinical or counselling psychology

Accredited CBT for psychosis

Job description

A 12-month Principal Clinical Psychologist post in the At-Risk Mental State (ARMS) service for psychosis, covering Northumberland and North Tyneside alongside the early intervention teams. The postholder leads clinically while keeping a caseload, deciding who is accepted, supervising staff and trainees, and running audit and training. The role suits a clinician with substantial psychosis experience who wants to shape a new service, and involves travel across a large area. Fit depends on HCPC and BPS-accredited doctoral training and enhanced DBS clearance.

What the job involves

• Provide clinical leadership to the ARMS service while working as an active clinician
• Make the key clinical decisions on acceptance to the ARMS service
• Provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment to service users and their families
• Deliver evidence-based bio-psychosocial interventions to people at risk of developing psychosis
• Provide clinical supervision to the ARMS service and other psychological therapists in early intervention in psychosis
• Provide supervision, consultation and training to the team
• Manage audit and training requirements for the service
• Assess for symptoms of psychosis and risk of transition, acting as a resource in complex assessments
• Work closely with other professionals in the service
• Provide care across a large geographical area

Qualifications

• Doctoral training in clinical or counselling psychology covering psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, neuropsychology, lifespan developmental psychology and two or more distinct psychological therapies
• Accredited practitioner in cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis

Registration & licences

• HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist

Experience

• Substantial post-qualification experience of specialist assessment, formulation and treatment across outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings
• At least 50 hours of clinical supervision as a clinical psychologist over a minimum of 18 months, or an alternative agreed by the Psychological Services Professional Lead
• Substantial experience of delivering evidence-based psychological therapy training to professional groups
• Substantial experience of providing clinical supervision
• Substantial experience working with psychosis or people at risk of developing psychosis

Skills & knowledge

• Communicating complex, technical and clinically sensitive information orally and in writing to clients, families, carers and colleagues
• Well-developed teaching and training skills
• Well-developed clinical supervision and consultation skills, with formal training in supervising trainee clinical psychologists and other staff
• Managing the emotional impact of highly distressing work through self-management and supervision
• Excellent skills in assessing for psychosis and risk of transition, including familiarity with the CAARMS measure

Checks & eligibility

• Enhanced DBS clearance before starting

Other

• Able to meet the mobility requirements of the post
• Interest in service development