Senior Clinical/Counselling Psychologist MHLD

Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a dedicated team at a leading NHS Trust, providing essential psychological services to adults with learning disabilities. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals facing complex needs, all while working in a supportive and flexible environment. With a focus on professional development and a commitment to excellent care, you will be part of a multidisciplinary team that values collaboration and innovation. The Trust is recognized for its outstanding care and offers a range of benefits to enhance your work-life balance. If you are passionate about mental health and looking for a fulfilling career, this position is perfect for you.

Benefits

Health and wellbeing programme

Flexible working opportunities

Regular CPD sessions

Support for innovative projects

Qualifications

• Must have UK professional registration and experience with learning disabilities.
• Newly qualified candidates are welcome to apply.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist Clinical Psychology services to adults with learning disabilities.
• Conduct assessments and therapeutic interventions in line with best practices.

Skills

Clinical Psychology

Counselling Skills

Assessment and Therapeutic Interventions

Multidisciplinary Teamwork

Education

Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology

Good BSc in Psychology

Job description

Senior Clinical/Counselling Psychologist MHLD

Band 8a

Main area: Mental Health of Learning Disability

Grade: Band 8a

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (Part-time working available)

Job ref: 380-FR0494-A

Site: Gillingham Town

Salary: £46,148 - £60,504 per annum pro rata

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 20/03/2025 23:59

The CQC rates us as an Outstanding organisation for Caring with an overall rating of Good

Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) offer a range of ongoing benefits to our valued workforce across the Trust. From an active health and wellbeing programme to regular recognition events, we work hard to provide varied benefits that make a difference to your work-life balance.

Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you.

Job overview

To participate in the provision of psychological services to adults with learning disabilities who have complex needs (in particular, mental health difficulties and/or challenging behaviour) and who live within the localities served by Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT).

Please note that the successful applicant can be based in Maidstone, Tunbridge Wells, Gillingham, Dartford, Ashford, Canterbury or Ramsgate, so do apply if any of these locations suit you.

We welcome applications from candidates who are newly qualified or in the final year of clinical training and these posts can be a band 7-8a preceptorship.

WHY SHOULD YOU APPLY?

• Close-knit, supportive team across Kent, with committed, experienced and passionate staff.
• Regular internal CPD sessions and reflective spaces
• Variety in caseload and work, including 1:1 work, family working, staff consultation and neuro-affirmative Autism and ADHD assessments.
• Opportunity for flexible and part-time working
• Support for innovative projects and personal interests, including research and publications.
• Regular and supportive supervision as standard – increasing or decreasing in frequency according to need.
• Good preceptorship support for newly qualified psychologist

Main duties of the job

To work as a part of a multidisciplinary health team for people who have learning disabilities.

In particular:

• To be responsible for the provision of specialist Clinical Psychology services to adults with learning disabilities and complex needs (mental health and/or challenging behaviour) who are living in the community in Kent, as a member of the Mental Health of Learning Disability service.
• To undertake direct (assessment and therapeutic) and indirect (consultative, advisory and evaluative) specialist psychology interventions in line with best practice; taking substantial professional responsibility and exercising autonomous judgment in their professional practice.
• To work closely with colleagues in MHLD and other services to ensure timely discharge back into the community for service users who are admitted to in-patient wards.
• To ensure the clinical effectiveness of own practice and of service functioning by undertaking audit, research and other development activities relevant to the service.
• To be responsible for providing training placements for trainee clinical psychologists in this specialism.

Working for our organisation

Come and work with us in the Garden of England where we combine exceptional professional development opportunities with a tremendous quality of life.

We are Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), providing mental health, learning disability and specialist services, serving 1.8 million people across the county.

The Trust (rated Good overall by the CQC and Outstanding for care) has 3,283 staff working in 66 buildings across 33 locations, covering an area of 1,450 square miles.

You will be joining friendly, passionate colleagues, rich in their diversity, who are committed to providing excellent care to our service users and their loved ones.

Person specification

Training

• Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology/or working towards
• Good BSc in psychology, or equivalent

Experience

• Experience working with people with learning disabilities or other additional needs
• At least one year working as a clinical psychologist with people with learning disabilities

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name: Anna Bodicoat, Job title: Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Email: [e-mail], Telephone: [phone]

Also contact: Emma Rye, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Lead for Psychology, [e-mail], Tel: [phone], Mobile: [phone]