WTE band 7/8a (Preceptorship) Clinical/Counselling Psychologists

ESSEX PARTNERSHIP UNIVERSITY NHS FOUNDATION TRUST; Hare Street; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional health trust in England is seeking a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to join its Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team. The role involves working with complex needs in a multidisciplinary team, offering psychological support to service users. Candidates must be registered with HCPC, and newly qualified applicants are welcome. The trust values staff well-being, offering a supportive environment for professional growth and flexible working options.

Benefits

Training budget up to £6,000

Relocation package of up to £8,000

NHS discounts for staff

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience working within an inpatient setting is desirable.
• Strong formulation and risk assessment skills are essential.
• Experience of working with trauma and service users in crisis.

Responsibilities

• Join a team of Psychological Practitioners and work with complex presentations.
• Provide representation of psychology at meetings and case discussions.
• Supervise and train ward staff while contributing to service development.

Skills

Experience with complex needs

Excellent assessment and intervention skills

Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team

Education

Registration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Eligibility for registration with a professional body (BPS)

Job description

Overview

You will be joining us at a time of implementation of the new Inpatient Operating Model, which also aims to realise EPUTs commitment to become a trauma informed organisation. We have a proven track record of valuing and investing in our staff. Many of our Consultant Psychologists have been promoted within EPUT. We value staff well-being and understand the importance of flexible working to maintain a work/home life balance and offer different configurations, including compressed hours. Part time and job‑share applications are welcome for discussion.

Registration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is essential and eligibility for registration with a professional body (BPS). Applications from newly qualified clinical/counselling psychologists or those about to complete training are welcomed under a preceptorship arrangement. We, the Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team, aim to understand the impact of trauma and adverse experiences on an individual's crisis presentation within the hospital setting. We work together with our MDT colleagues to ensure our Service Users experience purposeful inpatient admissions and timely discharges. The psychological services team are playing a particularly key role at this time, following the publication of the new Trauma Informed Operating Model for Adult Acute Inpatient Services. This is a great time to join us at such an exciting time of service development and innovation that this model affords.

EPUT's Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team cover 6 inpatient sites across Essex. Each site has a Principal Lead overseeing the area. Our team is comprised of Principal/Senior Practitioners, Arts Psychotherapists, trainees and CAPS. We acknowledge the excellent day‑to‑day work of our staff team and pride ourselves on innovative and creative practice and our nationally recognised staff training packages.

Although based in an inpatient setting, strong links are encouraged with colleagues across the trust to facilitate transitions in and out of hospital for our Service Users experiencing a mental health crisis, and to ensure continued psychological service provision as appropriate.

This vacancy potentially attracts up to £6,000 training budget, calculated pro‑rata, available after 6 months successful probation, to be utilised within 3 years of appointment. Please note this offer is dependent on successful service agreement.

As well as applicants from the UK, we encourage overseas candidates to apply for this role. We welcome diversity within our organisation. We can offer guidance for candidates coming from overseas about settling into working in the UK and we have a programme to provide a ‘buddy’ for you, i.e. a member of the Psychological Services Directorate who has also emigrated to join us at EPUT and can guide you through as you settle into your new home. We understand that, as an overseas candidate, you will have gone through excellent training in your country of origin and we encourage you to join us.

The Psychological Services Directorate enjoys good links with and supervises Trainee Clinical Psychologists from The University of East Anglia, University of Essex and University College training schemes. Clinical research, teaching and specialised interests are encouraged, as well as formal courses. Members of the directorate have enjoyed secondments and learning opportunities across the Trust.

For more detailed information about the post, please see attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Important note: please ensure that as part of your application you include professional references with business contact information covering your last three years of employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.

As a newly appointed employee you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post; the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.

Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two‑tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities; we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format (i.e. Braille or audio tape etc), please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.

The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly; we would advise however, due to the high number of applications we receive, that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.

Responsibilities

We are looking for someone with experience of working with a range of presentations, who can formulate complexity and risk, and who works well within an MDT. Experience of in‑patient settings is desirable but not essential. If you have experience of working with complex needs and trauma and enjoy the benefits and challenges of working in an MDT, please get in touch.

The post holder will join a team of Psychological Practitioners, including CPs, CBT therapists, APs, CAPs and Arts Therapists. Excellent assessment, formulation and intervention skills are essential, as is an ability to work with service users in crisis.

Our commitment to caring for our staff will be clear in the duties of this role, which includes supervisory responsibilities, as well as teaching, training, debriefs and reflective practice for our ward staff. You will provide representation of psychology at meetings, offering psychological perspectives on case discussions and formulations. Your contributions to service development will also be welcomed.

Additional Information

• A preceptorship arrangement for newly qualified Clinical/Counselling Psychologists (when criteria have been fulfilled, usually 6‑12 months post induction)
• A relocation package of up to £8 000 pro‑rata (under specific terms)
• Access to Staff Networks, including: BAME; LGBTQ+; Faith; Carers; Disability

Benefits

• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer
• Access to Staff Networks, including: BAME; LGBTQ+; Faith; Carers; Disabilities
• Flexible working

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment.