Livewell Southwest

Specialist Clinical Psychologist Developmental

The closing date is 10 April 2026

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified clinical psychologist looking to develop or consolidate skills in supporting people who have experienced psychosis, both in first episode and complex presentations. You will be supported to develop advanced clinical knowledge and skills, including accessing additional training in CBTp. You will also be supported to develop skills in leadership and consultancy through regular mentoring with a consultant clinical psychologist. A competency framework is in place to support progression to 8a when competencies have been achieved; timeframes are likely to depend on previous experience and should competencies not be achieved, you will be able to remain permanently in the post at Band 7. We also welcome applications from candidates with established skills who could be immediately progressed to 8a

You will join a friendly, supportive team of psychologists working in specialist mental health services. We have a strong culture of being trauma-informed and welcome creative approaches to service delivery. Within the wider organisation there are over 30 psychologists and 70 psychological therapists and a commitment to making Livewell a great place to work as a psychologist, where everyone has access to great CPD and supervision, kind colleagues, career progression and a focus on improved outcomes for our service users.

Main duties of the job

This role provides psychological input to the specialist psychosis community mental health teams: Insight, which provides an early intervention to adults experiencing a first episode of psychosis and the Specialist Outreach and Recovery Team (SORT) which provides community rehabilitation for people affected by complex psychosis.

The role includes delivering psychological interventions, supporting the delivery of psychologically informed care and contributing to the development and maintenance of quality across the service. This is likely to include the provision of individual and group interventions to service users and their family members, supporting other team members in developing psychological formulations to inform care planning, providing consultation, advice and training to the multidisciplinary team, facilitating reflective practice, providing debrief and contributing to service development activities.

All Livewell Southwest staff are expected to able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

Job Share(s) Considered

please note that this role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, please refer to the Direct Gov website for more information with regards to eligibility

Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values,kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.

We prioritise employees' development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs ensure a smooth transition into our organisation.

Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Date posted

31 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

B9832-2026-SP-1141

Job locations

Youth Enquiry Service

Union Street

Plymouth

PL1 2SR

Livewell South West

Mount Gould Road

Plymouth

PL4 7QD

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

DEPARTMENTAL POSITION

This post reports to the team manager for Insight but professionally sits within the wider Specialist Adult Mental Health Psychology (SAMHP) team, which provides psychological input to mental health in-patient and specialist community teams (including psychosis teams and the acute pathway) and is led by a consultant clinical psychologist.

SCOPE AND RANGE

The post holder will:

Work with members of the multi-disciplinary team to develop a system for managing referrals for psychological intervention, including triage and assessment processes and a waiting list system, as agreed with agreed with the lead psychologist and service managers.

Provide comprehensive psychological assessment, including risk assessment, and develop psychological formulations to support service users and other members of the MDT in making sense of their difficulties.

Identify and deliver appropriate individual and group interventions to service users and their families.

Manage resources appropriately.

Identify and provide opportunities for other members of the multi-disciplinary team to gain understanding of how psychological knowledge can support their work with service users, through developing psychological formulations with team members, participating in multi-disciplinary meetings and decision making or other opportunities for providing consultancy and advice.

In liaison with service managers, identify and deliver opportunities for staff learning and reflection, through reflective practice, debrief and training sessions.

In liaison with service managers, identify opportunities for and conduct service development projects in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary team.

Participate in and contribute to CPD and peer supervision within the wider SAMHP team.

Engage in appropriate practice supervision.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical:

To provide a psychological service to specialist community psychosis teams, including assessment, risk assessment, formulation and delivering psychological interventions to service users and their families in either individual or group formats, according to need.

To engage service users with complex mental health difficulties and support them in considering how psychological approaches to their difficulties could support their recovery, working to overcome resistance.

To monitor and evaluate psychological interventions using appropriate measures.

To maintain accurate clinical records and record data as required by the organisation.

To communicate both orally and through letters and reports, highly complex information concerning assessment, formulation and intervention plans to service users, professional colleagues and to family members, as appropriate,

To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to service users formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.

To contribute a psychosocial perspective within the multidisciplinary team including for those service users not directly on the psychological therapy caseload and attend individual patient reviews and risk management meetings where appropriate.

To liaise effectively with professionals working in other service areas or organisations to support increased understanding of the psychological needs of service users and contribute to service users making successful transitions and that appropriate support is available to them.

Teaching, training and supervision

To provide regular reflective practice sessions to the multi-disciplinary teams and other ad-hoc opportunities for reflection on practice, including individual or group debriefing following incidents.

To provide training to other members of the multidisciplinary team in the delivery of psychologically informed care and treatment.

To contribute to CPD and peer supervision sessions within the wider SAMHP team.

To receive regular clinical supervision from an appropriately qualified and experienced supervisor, in accordance with the BPS Division of Clinical Psychology and the HCPC guidelines and, where appropriate, from other senior professional colleagues.

Management, recruitment, policy and service development:

To participate in multi-disciplinary meetings concerned with the delivery and development of clinical services and contribute a psychological perspective as appropriate.

To contribute as required to the planning and development of the operational policies and service delivery in the specialist community psychosis teams through undertaking agreed project work.

To advise service and professional management on those aspects of the service where psychological matters need addressing in line with service excellence and service objectives.

To contribute to proposals for and implementation of policy and service development changes in relation to psychology and psychological therapies within the specialist community psychosis teams.

To contribute to the development of user and carer involvement in the service.

Research, service evaluation & audit:

To utilise theory, evidence based literature and research to support evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.

To contribute to project management, including complex audit, research and service evaluation projects, with colleagues within the service, to help develop service provision.

To provide research advice to other staff undertaking research, including doctoral trainee clinical psychologists and assistant psychologists undertaking research as appropriate.

Professional:

To attend Specialist Adult Mental Health Psychology meetings, operational service and other relevant meetings regularly.

To adhere to professional/accrediting body codes of conduct, policies and procedures (e.g. HCPC, BABCP, BPS).

To be aware of, adhere to, and where appropriate, contribute to the formulation and review of Trust, Area and Service policies and procedures.

To maintain and develop high standards of psychology/psychological therapy practice by engaging in continuing professional development and co-operative working/networking with therapy, counselling and clinical psychologist colleagues.

To receive regular line management

To participate in the organisations annual performance review and personal development planning process with the appropriate individual(s).

To keep up to date with legislation, national directives, policies and NICE guidelines in relation to the work.

IT responsibilities

To be able to communicate effectively using Information Technology.

To contribute to the maintenance and development of office system and procedures within the service.

To be fully competent in Information Technology (IT) including Systm1 to electronically search and gather relevant information related to psychological assessment and intervention.

To be able to use a range of software packages including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint as a minimum in order to be able to process and manage data and information effectively.

To be responsible for maintaining appropriate service statistics and records of work within the requirement of Livewell Southwest policies, including Systm1

COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS

Communicates with people using services and their families / carers, through the provision of psychological assessments and interventions, participation in clinical meetings and through routine presence in the ward environment.

Contributes to the delivery of general clinical services through collaboration with professional staff of other disciplines.

Liaises and works in partnership with other health service providers in the relevant areas and works with statutory and voluntary agencies in the community where appropriate dependent on the needs of service users.

Liaises with professionals outside Livewell Southwest in relation to professional practice (including teaching and service development).

7. PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB

This job requires sitting in a constrained position for extended periods of time (e.g. during clinical sessions and meetings). It also requires adequate keyboard skills.

8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR ALL POSTS

The post holder is required to comply with all relevant policies and procedures pertinent to their post. Current versions can be found on the intranet or via your manager. The areas listed below are those Livewell Southwest currently places particular emphasis on. Failure to follow correct policies and procedures may result in disciplinary action.