Specialist Clinical Lead

Cumbria,-Northumberland,-Tyne-and-Wear-Nhs-Foundation-Trust; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) is seeking a Specialist Clinical Lead to drive high-quality talking therapies and clinical supervision within NHS Sunderland Talking Therapies. The role emphasizes leadership, service development, and collaboration with the Community & Voluntary Sector.

The successful candidate will have doctoral-level clinical psychology training, HCPC registration, and a track record in delivering evidence-based psychological therapies, with a

Qualifications

• Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, HCPC accredited.
• HCPC registered practitioner psychologist or BABCP CBT practitioner.
• Pre-qualification training in research methodology and staff development.
• Additional qualification in at least one evidence-based therapeutic model.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership for Talking Therapy service development and delivery.
• Provide specialist CBT supervision to trainees and qualified staff with regular supervision.
• Lead development of therapy pathways for mental health and comorbidity cases.
• Carry a small clinical caseload and contribute to service performance analysis.

Skills

Clinical psychology

CBT supervision

Leadership

Communication skills

Staff development

Education

Doctoral level training in clinical psychology

HCPC registered psychologist

Professional body membership

Research methodology training

Additional therapeutic qualification

Job description

Main area Specialist Clinical Lead / Clinical Psychologist / Psychotherapist Grade Band 8a Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 263-CCG26-347-JW-B

Employer Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Monkwearmouth Hospital Town Sunderland Salary £57,528 - £64,750 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 13/11/2026 23:59

Specialist Clinical Lead

Band 8a

Hello!

We are so delighted you are considering coming to work with us at Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW).

We know the power of looking into an organisation, one you might want to work in, or one where you are going to get help, and being able to say, ‘I’ve seen somewhere I can fit in and be myself.’ We’re on a journey to make the Trust an inclusive employer, representative of the community we serve and we want more of our community to consider applying for jobs with us.

Opportunities for you

Spanning east to west coasts from Northumberland to Cumbria and from the Scottish Borders down to Middlesbrough we’ve got exciting new opportunities available at every level and in every area.

We offer flexible working, helping work fit around family and caring responsibilities, or training and development needs and there’s lots on offer in the way of benefits, such as, lease cars, childcare schemes, staff discounts, season tickets for travel and a cycle to work scheme. All this in a vibrant workplace supported by the following staff networks.

• Cultural diversity staff network
• Disabled staff network
• LGBT+ staff network

We also have a number of staff support groups which are open to any staff to attend. These Include:

• Armed Forces and Veterans Staff Network
• Mind, Health and Wellbeing Community
• Menopause toolkit and cafes and staff carer support group

We offer fantastic personal development opportunities through our Collective Leadership Programme and other Organisational Development initiatives. Whatever you are looking for, you will be joining a supportive, friendly team, offering varied and interesting roles, with opportunities for career progression.

We’re always seeking to improve as an organisation. Do you want to be part of that?

Please note that it is a requirement of this Trust that all external applicants pay for their own DBS certification if a DBS check is required for the post. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first monthly pay

Job overview

An exciting opportunity to work in NHS Sunderland Talking Therapies which is a dynamic and client-focused clinical service delivered with the Community & Voluntary Sector.

The post holder will play a key role in delivering high-quality care, contributing to service development and performance, working collaboratively to improve outcomes for clients.

The successful candidate will be compassionate, resilient, and proactive, with a commitment to equality, inclusion, and continuous improvement. They will be able to build positive relationships with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders, contributing positively to team culture and service delivery.

We offer a supportive working environment, opportunities for professional development, and the chance to make a meaningful difference to the lives of patients and their families. The successful applicant will join a team that values collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.

Main duties of the job

To provide clinical leadership for the development and delivery of Talking Therapy across the whole service in partnership with the Community & Voluntary Sector.

To provide highly specialist CBT clinical supervision to trainee and qualified and trainee IAPT, High and Low Intensity Therapists and non IAPT clinicians and to ensure all those staff are in receipt of regular clinical supervision from a suitably qualified practitioner.

To lead on the development of relevant pathways within and out with the service including therapy pathways for those patients with mental health problems and co morbid specific long term physical health conditions.

To provide specialist clinical input to the service by means of carrying a small clinical caseload.

To work with the operational management of the service to analyse referral themes and data to develop the service and treatment pathways to meet service performance requirements, the needs of the current and future users of the service, national trends, and regional variances.

To attend and represent the service at locality focused, trust wide, regional and national Talking Therapies networking meetings and lead on the Sunderland Service’s continuous development and improvement strategies of a clinical and treatment nature.

Working for our organisation

We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description for further details. The post would be suitable for Senior Clinical Counsellors, Psychologists and Psychotherapists.

We welcome your application.

Person specification

Additional requirements

• Able to meet the mobility requirements of the post.

Education and Qualification

• Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and Neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the HCPC and British Psychological Society/Honours degree in psychology (or approved equivalent giving eligibility for graduate registration with the BPS).
• HCPC registered practitioner psychologist or equivalent e.g. BABCP registered CBT practitioner.
• Member of an appropriate professional body.
• Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
• Additional qualification in at least one therapeutic model, evidence-based for use with this client group

Knowledge and Experience

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialist psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups relevant to the client group
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinical sensitive information to clients, their family, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex multivariable data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
• Experience of providing clinical supervision.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.

Skills and Competencies

• Skills in managing emotional impact of dealing with highly emotive and distressing situations through self-management and use of the clinical supervision process.
• Specialist skills in evidence based psychological interventions.
• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
• Skills in providing clinical supervision and consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.

Role/Team specific requirements

• The resilience necessary to overcome obstacles and resistance.
• Sensitivity towards organisational and political complexities.
• Experience of working within a multicultural framework

Personal Characteristics

• Ability to travel extensively
• Ability to work flexibly inside and outside of office hours.
• Evidence of being a team player.
• Develop a culture that actively promotes equality and values diversity

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

Please ensure to check out all of the supporting documents linked to this advert, for useful information about working for us, information from our Chief Executive and much more.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.