Psychologist or Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist

NHS; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the UK is seeking a Clinical Psychologist or Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist for full-time or part-time positions. The role involves providing specialist psychological therapy within a multidisciplinary team, focusing on severe mental health issues. Candidates must hold BABCP accreditation and have a strong background in secondary care mental health. The salary ranges from £55,690 to £62,682 per year.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience of working in a core mental health profession.
• Experience with patients presenting with anxiety and depression.
• Post-graduate diploma in CBP from a recognised training body.

Responsibilities

• Provide highly specialist Psychological Therapy including Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy.
• Deliver evidence-based interventions for severe and enduring mental health problems.
• Supervise and support Mental Health and Well-being Practitioners.

Skills

Current BABCP accreditation

Experience in secondary care mental health

Clinical supervision skills

Ability to manage conflict

Education

Recognised qualification in core mental health profession

Masters in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBP)

Job description

Psychologist or Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist

The closing date is 09 December 2025

Nottinghamshire Healthcare are delighted to be offering a number of roles following a substantial £1 million+ investment by the ICB into Psychological Therapies, demonstrating both the ICB's and Trust's commitment to expand psychological therapies into LMHTs as part of an integrated pathway of patient care.

We have full time or part time opportunities for Band 8a Clinical Psychologist or Band 8A BABCP-accredited Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapists (who have a core professional qualification) working within LMHTs in Nottinghamshire. The role also provides Psychological interventions 1 day per week within Older Peoples Care Unit CMHT.

Our commitment to you is that we will provide flexible working, regarding both the hours and location of work, as well as job design and development opportunities.

You will have current BABCP accreditation, core professional training, experience in secondary care mental health (nursing, psychologist, occupational therapist or social work) and have undertaken additional post‑registration training in therapeutic interventions such as EMDR, MBCT, ACT and Compassion Focused Therapy.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £26.40 (standard) or £54.40 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service which is £16 per year.

Main duties of the job

As part of the Psychology/Psychotherapy team the post holder will be responsible for the provision of a highly specialist Psychological Therapy including Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBP) within the Locality Mental Health Teams (LMHT). The post holder will be a key member of the multidisciplinary LMHT and work with an all‑age population (over 18). The post holder will combine direct individual and group clinical work with supervision, training, consultation, research and service evaluation/development.

• The post holder will have experience of working with those having a wide range of complex mental health needs and deliver evidence‑based interventions to service users with severe and enduring mental health problems and will utilise advanced theoretical knowledge and skills providing detailed CBP assessment and treatment.
• To supervise and support Mental Health and Well‑being Practitioners within your LMHT.
• To offer and provide advice and consultation to the team managers, team members from other disciplines, other colleagues, and non‑professional carers, on matters related to the psychological needs and issues relevant to the services and their users.
• To research clinical practice for audit, policy and service development, alongside systematic evaluation and development of treatment protocols.
• To implement teaching and training within the service at introductory, intermediate and specialist professional levels.

About us

#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments including prisons.

We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire's biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.

We offer a variety of employee‑led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Well‑being Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.

The health and wellbeing of our colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in‑house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Well‑being team.

The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net‑zero commitment.

Job responsibilities

The main responsibilities of the role will be to provide highly specialist Psychological Therapy including Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (CBP) within the LMHT by utilising advanced theoretical knowledge and skills to a caseload of patients that are experiencing severe, enduring and complex mental health problems, more often than not with patients experiencing suicidal risk and having experienced significant childhood adversity, and ongoing sociological problems.

To provide highly specialised CBT supervision e.g. for MHWPs, CAPs, Band 7 CBT therapists, Band 7 Counselling/Clinical Psychologists, Assistant Psychologists in the service and visiting therapists undertaking training or maintaining accreditation requirements. This includes ensuring that work allocated to them is appropriate to their level of clinical skill and experience so they are practising safely and appropriately.

To work with the Psychotherapy Lead to maintain high levels of clinical and supervisory governance in the department.

To act as a link worker between Step 4 Psychology/Psychotherapy services and LMHT.

Knowledge and Skills

To have undertaken a recognised qualification and have very significant years of whole‑time equivalent experience working in a core mental health profession (e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, psychiatry, social work or occupational therapy).

Recognised advanced and highly specialist (post‑registration) training in CBP and to the standards of the BABCP.

Experience of carrying a Psychological Therapy caseload as an autonomous practitioner.

Evidence of continuing professional development and training in CBP to the standard of the BABCP.

Accredited by the BABCP or willing to achieve accreditation within 1 year of being in post.

To maintain Core Profession and BABCP Accreditation.

Post‑registration development and experience of teaching, supervision and leadership.

Key Accountabilities

Clinical

To function as a highly skilled autonomous Psychological Therapist providing highly specialist CBP assessments based upon knowledge, understanding and integration of cognitive‑behaviour theories and evidence‑based practice and an awareness of the range of treatments available. This will involve:

• Providing both Individual and group based therapies.

• The appropriate interpretation and integration of highly complex data from a variety of sources and may include assessment where information is unavailable or where expert opinion is conflicting.

Clinical Teaching, Training and Supervision

Devise, provide and contribute to teaching, training and supervision of professionals within the Service ensuring that what is offered is appropriate and relevant to their needs. This will include assisting them in developing and running CBP‑informed groupwork.

In collaboration with clinical colleagues, provide training and continuing CPD at introductory, intermediate and advanced levels for mental health staff across the Trust. This will include the provision of clinical supervision and teaching of specialist theory and clinical skills in CBP.

To participate in training and supervised practice with a number of different professions undertaking recognised educational courses.

To provide external training and supervision to other organisations when service provision allows.

Provide highly specialised CBT supervision e.g. for MHWPs, Band 7 CBT therapists, Band 7 Counselling/Clinical Psychologists, Assistant Psychologists in the service and visiting therapists undertaking training or maintaining accreditation requirements. This includes ensuring that work allocated to them is appropriate to their level of clinical skill and experience and that they are practising safely and appropriately.

In common with all Cognitive Behaviour psychotherapists to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines and the Trust policy.

Provide highly specialist supervision and consultation on therapeutic work undertaken across the Trust.

To attend educational courses, training workshops and seminars to enhance clinical practice and expertise for professional development, keeping abreast of CBP treatment innovations and latest research findings.

Provide clinical consultations for clinicians across the Trust when difficult and challenging issues of assessment, treatment and risk management arise.

Undertaking highly specialist risk assessments and risk management with individual patients in line with the principles of CBP and the services risk management policies.

Determining whether CBP would be an appropriate treatment.

Where CBP is deemed the most appropriate treatment, formulating care plans for the formal psychological treatment of clients mental health problems based on the idiosyncratic formulation of the clients presentation.

Developing and implementing a range of evidence‑based CBP interventions adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon a range of explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.

Collaborating in the development of a therapeutic relationship with clients that empowers them with the knowledge, skills and techniques to overcome their problems. Such relationships will promote independence and enable clients to overcome barriers to treatment including hopelessness, avoidance, hostility, cognitive inflexibility and resistance to change.

Communicating highly sensitive and complex, distressing and contentious information to highly emotional clients/supervisees using a range of highly developed interpersonal skills and specific CBP techniques.

Working within a stressful and emotive environment that requires the ability to manage high levels of stress generated by exposure to highly traumatic material during the treatment of clients who have experienced significant psychological trauma. Dealing with the resulting psychological demands through clinical supervision and support from colleagues.

Implementing case management including working within the framework of the Care Programme Approach, fulfilling the role of care co‑ordinator as appropriate; initiating planning and review of care plans involving service users, carers, and others involved in the care package, in this process.

To provide highly specialist advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to their formulations, diagnosis and treatment plans.

Where clinically appropriate acting as lead clinician or care co‑ordinator in accordance with CPA guidelines.

Ensuring that CBP interventions meet the requirements of relevant legislation, policies and procedures as set by the Trust. To ensure that CBP interventions meet standards and codes of professional practice as specified by the relevant professional bodies to whom the appointee is professionally accountable and the BABCP.

Maintaining / managing the waiting list for referrals for psychological therapy within the teams where the post holder is based as required.

Research, Development and Clinical Governance

Assist in the development and maintenance of a research culture encouraging staff to critically evaluate their practice and undertake ongoing research or clinical trials that may influence future service delivery.

Utilise theory, current literature and research to support evidence‑based practice in direct clinical work, supervision, teaching and consultations with other clinicians and staff groups.

To assist in clinical evaluation and audit (both within the department and Trust wide) to outline areas of good practice and to monitor standards in areas subject to changes in clinical practice (including the implementation of NICE Guidelines).

Keep up to date with advanced and specialist research in CBP and communicate, share and disseminate research information with other clinicians so that clinical practice is appropriately informed by current developments in the field.

To participate in all aspects of clinical governance in accordance with the policies of the service and NHCFT.

To participate in the development of and support the philosophy, goals and objectives of NHCFT and the service.

Working Relationships

Communicate clearly and effectively with professionals and clinicians within the Trust and elsewhere on matters relating to the clinical care of patients, to ensure that high standards of assessment and treatment are maintained and that requirements for clinical governance are met.

Work with the Service Leads, Management team and other staff with regard to key service aims objectives and developments and other managerial issues to ensure the effective operation of the Service.

Liaise and co‑operate with administrative staff with regard to effective administration of the service and its clinical work and in order to ensure that service procedures and processes are effectively adhered to.

Please note that this post does not meet the pay or skill level required for a Skilled worker visa.

Successful applicants with no prior NHS experience would normally be placed at the bottom of the band in line with Agenda for Change. This salary is below the minimum salary required for sponsorship for a Skilled Worker / Health & Care visa. In these circumstances the Trust would not, therefore, be able to sponsor for a Skilled Worker/Health & Care visa.

Applicants requiring a Skilled Worker Visa can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship against the relevant criteria here https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

Person Specification

Qualifications

• A recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, medicine, social work and occupational therapy.
• Masters in CBP.

Experience

• Substantial experience of working in a core mental health profession.
• Experience within a variety of multidisciplinary team settings, such as inpatient, day patient and out patients.
• Clinical work with patients drawn from a wide range of diagnostic groups.
• Substantial experience of working with patients presenting with Anxiety & Depression.
• Experience of leading a clinical team.

Training

• Post‑graduate diploma in CBP from a recognised training body/accreditation with BABCP.
• Post BABCP accreditation training in either; EMDR parts 1&2 ACT CFT MBCT.
• Additional training in EMDR, ACT, CFT or MBCT.

Knowledge

• Comprehensive knowledge of psychiatric diagnoses and treatments.
• Comprehensive awareness of mental health provision in statutory and voluntary sectors.
• A proficient level of understanding of the theoretical principles of CBP for complex presentations and their application in clinical practice.
• Critical appreciation of NICE guidance for Anxiety & Depression and its application.
• Basic knowledge and understanding of research methodologies and carrying out literature searches.

Skills

• High level interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Organisational skills.
• Ability to work as a team member.
• Highly motivated and keen to develop self and service.
• Ability to manage and tolerate hostility and conflict.
• Skills as a clinical supervisor.

Contractual Requirements

• 37.5 hours per week full time part time considered.
• A full UK driving licence and vehicle for business use is required for this post; however reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled individuals in line with the Equality Act 2010.

Physical Requirements

• Has the physical ability to perform the full range of duties.

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.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

£55,690 to £62,682 a year (pro‑rata for part time)