Principal Practitioner Psychologist

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust; Hebburn; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Principal Practitioner Psychologist to lead psychology services within Specialist Palliative Care and Cancer Services in Sunderland and South Tyneside. You will deliver direct psychological assessments and interventions, provide supervision, and contribute to service development as part of the Clinical Health Psychology Service.

The post involves working in inpatients, outpatients, and community settings, collaborating with a wide

Qualifications

• High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
• Able to use complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
• Knowledge of assessment and therapeutic approaches in physical care/palliative care.
• Empathy and clear communication with patients in emotive settings.
• Clinical and service-related judgement with complex data.
• Excellent organisational skills across clinical activities.
• Doctoral level research design and multivariate analysis.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation for clinical practice.
• Understanding personal boundaries in professional care.
• Experience in multidisciplinary teams.
• Competent IT skills including statistics.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist psychological assessment and treatment for individuals referred to Specialist Palliative Care Services.
• Work with the Cancer and Palliative Care Psychology team to develop services and deliver training.
• Contribute to audits, research and service development under clinical lead.
• Lead or co-lead in pilot projects and service improvement initiatives.

Skills

Specialised therapies

Psychological assessment

Intervention delivery

MDT collaboration

Interpersonal skills

Research design knowledge

Legal/ethical knowledge

Audit and teaching

IT skills

Statistical packages

Education

Doctoral level psychology

HCPC registered

Post-graduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology

Honours degree in psychology

Accredited conversion course

Additional training in therapeutic model

Tools

Statistical software

Spreadsheets

Job description

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Principal Practitioner Psychologist

The closing date is 24 November 2026

Thisis an exciting opportunity to be involved in the provision of psychologyservices within Specialist Palliative Care Cancer Services across Sunderlandand South Tyneside. You will form part of a team of psychologists andpsychological practitioners to continue to develop and embed psychologyservices for patients accessing Specialist Palliative Care and cancer care inour region.

Youwill deliver direct patient and relative psychological assessment andintervention, as well as team consultation, training and supervision.Psychology is a highly valued role within these services, and you will besupported to continue to develop and grow the service.

Youwill be part of our larger Clinical Health Psychology Service and have accessto CPD and specialist clinical supervision and leadership support.

Main duties of the job

Thepost holder will have an interest in working with individuals who have complexphysical health needs. They will be work as part of a wider MDT to providedirect and indirect psychological care.

Thepost holder will provide psychological assessments and interventions and workin a variety of clinic settings including inpatients, outpatients and in thecommunity creating a varied and interesting workload.

Thepost holder will form part of the Cancer and Palliative Care Psychology teamand contribute to service development, deliver training to wider services andbe involved in audits and research with the support of the clinical lead.

Thepost holder will also be involved in the development and delivery of a pilotproject supporting adults with a curable not treatable lung cancer diagnosis.

About us

One Team One Trust - There are many reasons to work at our Trust. From our commitment to putting people first to our accessible services and award winning teams. We have a passion for research, innovation and tackling inequalities. We are committed to respect, fairness and civility and promote a compassionate, caring and positive culture / working environment.

We welcome all applications irrespective of peoples race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups. Looking after our workforces health and wellbeing is a priority for us. We also provide access to high quality education, training, career progression and support. Flexible working is supported via our Flexible Working Policy.

The Trust employs around 8,746 people and provides a range of hospital services to a local community of around 430,000 residents. We also provide a range of more specialised services outside this area. We offer our staff outstanding benefits - Fitness Centre (SRH), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a Care Co-ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements.

Job responsibilities

To work as a practitionerpsychologist, providing specialist psychological assessment and treatment forindividuals referred to Specialist Palliative Care Services across SouthTyneside and Sunderland and Head and Neck Psychology Services.

Person Specification

Skills and Knowledge

• High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
• Knowledge of specialised assessment and therapeutic approaches in physical care/palliative care.
• Ability to use the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills both verbal and written +to convey/receive highly complex/sensitive information effectively requiring empathy and reassurance in a highly emotive atmosphere.
• Ability to make clinical and service-related judgements involving complex facts requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison.
• Excellent organisational skills to manage a range of clinical activities.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced in clinical psychology.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for clinical practice
• An understanding of the importance and function of personal boundaries and how to manage and maintain them.
• Evidence of working well in multidisciplinary teams
• Competent IT skills (including spreadsheets, statistical packages)

Experience

• Experience in applying clinical/ counselling psychology within the NHS.
• Experience working as a registered practitioner psychologist.
• Experience of working within a multi-professional team
• Experience of working with adults who have physical health difficulties.
• Experience of exercising clinical responsibility for patients psychological care and treatment, within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan with appropriate supervision.
• Experience of providing supervision to junior colleagues.
• Experience of teaching and training.
• Experience of taking a lead or co-lead in service development or audit projects.
• Experience of working in cancer or palliative care
• Experience of teaching and training non-psychologists in psychological therapy skills.
• Experience of application of psychology in different cultural contexts

Physical Skills

• Ability to sit in constrained position for extended periods frequently.
• The ability to work in a shared office space.
• Requirement for speed and accuracy, keyboard skills,
• Ability to travel between bases/ sites as part of the role.

Qualifications

• Honours degree in psychology or accredited conversion course
• Post-graduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology accredited by HCPC (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 as accredited by the BPS)
• HCPC registered as a Practitioner Psychologist
• Additional training in a therapeutic model

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.

Address

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust