Specialist Clinical Psychologist/Practitioner Psychologist

University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; Bristol; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Specialist Clinical Psychologist to enhance psychological services in a paediatric health setting. The role involves providing clinical services, participating in research, and training staff within a multi-disciplinary team focused on children and young people. Candidates should hold a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and have relevant post-qualification experience.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Support for health and wellbeing

Career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Post qualification experience with children and young people in health settings.
• Experience providing training to multi-professional teams.
• Knowledge of safeguarding legislation and psychological care standards.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical psychology services to multi-disciplinary teams.
• Participate in research and audit activities.
• Deliver training and supervision to staff.

Skills

Assessment

Clinical supervision

Psychological consultation

Research

Communication

Education

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

Current registration with Health Care Professions Council

Job description

Specialist Clinical Psychologist/Practitioner Psychologist

Band 8a

Main area Psychological Health Services Grade Band 8a Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Part time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (minimum of 0.6 wte) Job ref 387-WC5126-DA

Site Bristol Royal Hospital for Children Town Bristol Salary £53,755 - £60,504 pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 08/06/2025 23:59

As an organisation we recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

We are looking for a thoughtful, compassionate and innovative Specialist Clinical Psychologist, who is keen to be at the forefront of a new multi-professional service delivered in a paediatric health setting. Therapeutic staff working into the NHS Children and Young People Gender Service (South West) will work within Psychological Health Services. As part of an Multi-disciplinary team (MDT) they will develop, deliver and evaluate specified services provided by a range of clinicians and health professionals, including clinical services, research and quality improvement including dissemination, and training and consultation to other partner services and agencies. As well as providing services into the new clinical programme, all staff will have other clinical and professional roles depending on skills, interests and service demands . These may include Staff Support.

Psychological Health Services is an award-winning department, recognised for a commitment to leadership and the development of Trustwide psychological services. As a university teaching trust research and quality improvement forms part of UHBW's mission to support excellence in delivery of patient care, alongside education and applied research of the highest quality.

Main duties of the job

• To provide clinical psychology services into teams within Women and Children Service, primarily but not exclusively within the NHS Children and Young People Gender Service (South West). To share with the multi professional clinical team, through joint working, consultation, training and service development activities, psychological knowledge and skills to enable individualised psychological care in partnership with young people.
• To participate in research and audit activity in collaboration with other professional groups and other providers as appropriate, to increase the evidence base and support the sharing of good practice in psychological and social care for the young people receiving services.
• To provide effective line management, clinical supervision and training for psychologists and other staff as requested by the CYPGS Clinical lead, and the Head Psychological Health Services.
• To provide a clinical health placement and opportunities for research for trainees as requested.
• To advise and work with the CYPGS Clinical lead and Head of Psychological Health Services to develop and implement: service developments, policies, protocols and guidelines relating to the psychological services provided for this population.

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as ‘Good’ overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person specification

Knowledge and Experience

• Post qualification experience of working as a clinical psychologist with children and young people who have a condition relating to health.
• Post qualification experience of working as a clinical psychologist providing psychological consultation, case management supervision and training to multi-professional and multi-agency teams
• Post qualification experience of and demonstrable understanding of working as a clinical psychologist within a multi-disciplinary physical health setting
• Formal teaching /presentation sessions to health and other professionals
• The implications of acute and long-term conditions and disability for young people/adults as applicable
• Demonstrable knowledge of legislation and guidance pertaining to safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, consent, confidentiality and standards of psychological care within relevant NICE and other guidance
• Evidence of applying doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology
• Evidence of having worked in an area of clinical practice providing insight to CYP with gender diversity
• Knowledge of the theory and practice relevant to specialised psychological assessments and interventions for CYP with gender diversity
• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of common mental health difficulties experienced by CYP with gender diversity

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to assess the psychological needs of, children, young people and families, including the use of cognitive and developmental psychometric tests
• Ability to generate systemic and individual psychological formulations and interventions based on applying psychological theories and models to the complex information generated by the young person/adult and social care systems
• Ability to access, record and manage information and data pertaining to the work undertaken in medical and psychology notes, data bases and electronic records as required
• Ability to prioritise and manage available time for clinical work and professional activities effectively and safely
• Able to travel to regional clinics, meetings and home visits if required
• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information
• Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
• Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate
• Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
• To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials

Qualifications and Training

• Doctorate in clinical psychology, Counselling psychology or equivalent
• Current registration as a practitioner psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council
• Training course in clinical supervision
• Advanced communication skills with the ability to provide and receive highly complex and sensitive information to and from young people/adults in a culturally appropriate manner in highly emotive situations. This will include the ability to provide complex psychological information to staff in an accessible manner
• The ability to work with curiosity in a contested area where work practice may be criticised publicly

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

· As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

· The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.

· UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

· To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.

· If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

· The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

· By applying for this post, you are agreeing to University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

· Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

IMPORTANT:

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date. Therefore, please apply for this post as soon as you can, if you are interested and you meet the requirements of the Person Specification

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details, please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.

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.

Name Dr Hannah Connell Job title Clinical Lead Email address [e-mail]

If you have problems applying, contact

Address United Bristol Healthcare Trust
Bristol Royal Infirmary
Marlborough Street
Bristol
Success
BS2 8HW
Telephone [phone] (option 1)