Specialist Clinical Practitioner (Psychological Interventions)

Devon Partnership NHS Trust; Newton Abbot; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen for a Specialist Clinical Practitioner within the Devon Partnership NHS Trust at Newton Abbot, focused on mental health care for complex emotional needs. This role offers the chance to work collaboratively in a supportive environment, develop psychological practice skills, and contribute to innovative care delivery in line with mental health best practices.

Qualifications

• Extensive post registration experience in mental health care.
• Accreditation with Psychotherapy Association.
• Current registration with NMC, HCPC or BACP.

Responsibilities

• Assess, diagnose, plan, and implement patient care.
• Support triaging of referrals within the service.
• Deliver evidence based psychological therapy across clinical pathways.

Skills

High level communication skills

Organizational skills

Ability to manage risk

Understanding of Mental Health Act

Education

Clinical based Degree

Minimum of 60 credits at masters level

Job description

Specialist Clinical Practitioner (Psychological Interventions)

Location: Newton Abbot, TQ12 2PF
Salary: £46148.00 to £52809.00
Date posted: 27th May 2025
Closing date: 27th June 2025

Are you an experienced, dynamic and empathic mental health professional with a passion for working with those who have complex emotional needs and/or attract the diagnosis of Personality Disorder? Do you wish to develop your psychological practice skills in a supportive environment, enjoy working collaboratively with others and use your initiative and creativity to bring about change? Do you have an interest in using relational models of support and intervention, and knowledge/experience of working in trauma-informed models of care? If so, this could be the perfect career opportunity for you.

Applications from all registered mental health professions are sought. This will be based in a dedicated teams in south and west Devon, with various locations. The role will deliver local assessment and treatment pathways for people with personality disorders, or difficulties consistent with these.

This is a band 7 role, however applications will be accepted on a recruit to train (Band 6) with a commitment to complete 2 year MBT training.

The principal purpose of the job is to work at a locality level to support the delivery of coherent pathways by building assessment, formulation, engagement and treatment interventions. The post is a developmental one and will be actively involved in developing and delivering local pathways and joint working.

Main duties of the job

As part of the Complex Emotional Needs Service, you will work closely with our colleagues in the Adult Community Mental Health Teams ensuring the principles and practices of the service are embedded throughout secondary mental health care settings. You will support the provision of psychologically informed care and provide timely access to effective and efficient evidence based and evidence informed psychological therapy across clinical pathways, ensuring these meet the needs and choices of the people using our services.

The Complex Emotional Needs Service are a team of highly skilled and experienced mental health professionals who provide a range of consultation, assessment, and formulation and treatment functions. For this role this would include MBT and Psycho Social Practice.

We will encourage and support you to achieve your full potential in this role. We will provide a supportive environment in which you can develop your clinical and leadership skills and you will receive regular supervision and relevant training in order to continue your professional development.

About us

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job responsibilities

Job responsibilities

The role of the Specialist Clinical Practitioner will help Devon Partnership Trust to meet its aspirations to improve the Complex Emotional Needs Pathway, as envisaged by the Community Mental Health Framework.

A review of the pathway and subsequent consultation has now been conducted and we are putting ourselves into a position to be able to reliably offer a range of treatments for individuals with Complex Emotional Needs. The pathways located in Exeter, South & West and North deliver Group Analytical Psychotherapy, Mentalisation Based Therapy and Group based Psycho-Social Practice, alongside complex assessment, formulation and consultation to teams within the localities.

The specialist Clinical Practitioner will specifically look to support the stability and delivery of Mentalisation Based Therapy and Group Based Psycho-social Practice.

In addition to delivery of these specific treatment pathway practitioners will also come alongside clinicians from wider DPT services supporting individuals with Complex Emotional Need to assess and formulate their difficulties, to enable deeper understating of their needs, develop co-produced safety plans and identify appropriate interventions and improve recovery.

You will demonstrate courageous and critical thinking and as a caring, compassionate and committed experienced person who, acting within their professional boundaries, will provide care for the presenting patient from initial history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis and formulation, treatment and evaluation of care.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assess, diagnose/formulate, plan, implement and evaluate interventions and care for patients presenting with an undifferentiated diagnosis.
• Support with the triaging of referrals within the service.
• Clinically examine and perform complex assessments for patient needs from a psychological perspective, and plan clinical care accordingly
• Proactively identify, formulate and manage care plans for patients at risk of developing a long-term condition (as appropriate)
• Work with patients in order to support shared decision making to optimise engagement with therapeutic interventions
• Prioritise mental health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care
• Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote healthy lifestyles, and apply principles of self-care and well-being
• Deliver Training to wider workforce on Complex Emotional Need alongside Experts by Experience.

Person Specification

Experience

• -Extensive post registration experience working at band 6 in mental health care, working in both inpatient and community settings within a mental health and/or learning disabilities setting;
• Substantial experience of managing/leading a busy caseload of clients with a range of mental health/challenging behaviour needs within a community setting and without supervision;
• Working within a community mental health setting in either the statutory or voluntary sector.
• Experience of clinically supervising junior and unqualified staff and mentoring students
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environment.
• Participation in user involvement in services.
• Experience in deputising for more senior staff
• Evidence of following through specific pieces of work or projects as delegated by ward managers or others

Knowledge & Skills

• An understanding of the National Guidance relating to Mental Health and Learning Disabilities and Mental Health Act/ Mental Health Capacity Act requirements.
• High level communication skills including: Presentation and facilitation skills; Consultation and engagement skills.
• An ability to adjust communication effectively to meet the needs of a diverse group including internal and external stakeholders.
• Good organisational and interpersonal skills, tact and sensitivity. Ability to gain trust.
• Ability to contribute to the supervision and development of others.
• Reporting analysis to a range of stakeholders in a manner that is clear and easily understood.
• Able to own problems and get involved in the solutions.
• Ability to manage risk.
• Ability to assess and interpret specialist acute and other patient conditions
• Developing short to medium term project based action plans.
• Prioritise and adjust workload to address the changing needs of the organisation
• Flexible approach and ability to work independently and on own initiative as well as part of a team.
• Ability to travel across Devon and other locations in the course of the business requirement
• Understanding of treatment principles in Learning Disabilities including STOMP

Qualifications

• Clinical based Degree, supplemented by post graduate diploma specialist training, experience, short courses.
• A minimum of 60 credits at masters level in relevant subject (e.g. Advanced psychosocial assessment and formulation, Enhancing the Care and Support of the Person with Dementia and their Carer). Or demonstrable equivalent experience/competence at the specialist practitioner level; If a minimum of 60 credits at masters level in relevant subject is not already obtained, this will need to be completed within 2 years of commencing employment as training availability allows.
• Accreditation with a Psychotherapy Association for an intervention for people with complex and emotional needs, such as Mentalisation Based Treatment, Cognitive Analytic Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy.
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development.
• Current registration with the NMC, HCPC or BACP.
• Experience of or qualification 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.