Principal Psychologist – South Beds CMHT

East London NHS Foundation Trust; England; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain seeks a Principal Psychologist to provide senior clinical and strategic input across two South Bedfordshire adult community mental health services. The role combines leadership of psychologists and therapists with service development to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care for people with serious mental health difficulties, including psychosis.

You will supervise teams, work with managers and senior clinicians, and contribute to multidisciplinary pathways.

Qualifications

• Substantial post-qualification experience as a qualified Clinical Psychologist within the speciality.
• Experience working with teams and team leads to provide specialist psychological consultation, advice and support.
• Experience in supervision, consultation, leadership and service development.
• Track record of developing and supporting multidisciplinary approaches and pathways, and managing demand and flow through services.
• Experience with this client group and familiarity with NHS services.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior clinical and strategic input to two South Bedfordshire adult community mental health services.
• Ensure the systematic provision of a high-quality, comprehensive specialist psychological service to Community Mental Health Team service users.
• Provide supervision and leadership to psychologists, assistant psychologists, Clinical Associates in Psychology and therapists.
• Work closely with team managers and senior clinicians in leadership roles.
• Work within a multidisciplinary network that includes Peer Support Workers, VCSE partners and administrators.
• Travel to locations around rural South Bedfordshire.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical psychology

Supervision

Research design

Team consultation

Education

Doctoral-level clinical psychology training (BPS-accredited)

Job description

This Principal Psychologist post sits in the South Bedfordshire Adult Community Mental Health Services network, run by East London NHS Foundation Trust. It combines senior clinical and strategic input with supervision and leadership of psychologists and therapists across two local services for people with serious mental health difficulties, including psychosis. Full-time hours are preferred, but part-time at 0.8 WTE or above and a job share at 1.0 WTE will be considered, and the role requires travel across rural South Bedfordshire.

What the job involves

• Provide senior clinical and strategic input to two South Bedfordshire adult community mental health services
• Ensure the systematic provision of a high-quality, comprehensive specialist psychological service to Community Mental Health Team service users
• Provide supervision and leadership to psychologists, assistant psychologists, Clinical Associates in Psychology and therapists
• Work closely with team managers and senior clinicians in leadership roles
• Work within a multidisciplinary network that includes Peer Support Workers, VCSE partners and administrators
• Travel to locations around rural South Bedfordshire

Qualifications

• Doctoral-level clinical psychology training, or equivalent, accredited by the BPS
• Doctoral-level knowledge of research methodology and design, including complex multivariate data analysis

Registration & licences

• HCPC registration

Experience

• Substantial post-qualification experience as a qualified Clinical Psychologist within the speciality
• Experience working with teams and team leads to provide specialist psychological consultation, advice and support
• Experience in supervision, consultation, leadership and service development
• Track record of developing and supporting multidisciplinary approaches and pathways, and managing demand and flow through services
• Experience with this client group and familiarity with NHS services

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge of NHS psychology careers and the barriers faced by some socio-demographic groups
• Knowledge of organisational development and change
• Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies
• Highly developed clinical skills in assessment, formulation and evidence-based interventions in secondary care mental health
• Up-to-date knowledge of psychological research, national guidance and legislation, and its implications for clinical practice with this client group

Other

• Awareness of the potential impact of discrimination and disadvantage on mental health
• Ability to be flexible and adapt approach to need

Nice to have

• Experience of proposing and implementing service development projects in the relevant service area
• Relevant management or leadership training certificate
• Post-qualification experience of working with, and addressing, diversity within local communities
• Experience of providing teaching and training to psychologists and/or other professional groups