Job summary
Principal Clinical or Counselling Psychologist/Psychological Practitioner - Acute Mental Health
Lakeside Mental Health Unit, Borough of Hounslow
1.0wte 37.5 hours
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Principal Psychologist/ Psychological Practitioner to join the acute mental health psychology team based at Lakeside Mental Health Unit. The unit has five adult acute mental health wards; a Health Based Place of Safety and a Mental Health Crisis Assessment Suite (MHCAS). Service users present in acute mental health crisis with a diverse range of psychological needs and risk concerns in need of intensive treatment, service users admitted to hospital are mostly detained under the Mental Health Act.
We are seeking a psychologist/psychological practitioner experienced in working both with service users with acute mental health needs and in working with multi-disciplinary teams to develop a psychological, trauma informed approach to their practice. Experience of working inpatient, crisis and/or psychiatric liaison settings is essential.
The role will be based in our new MHCAS opened in December 2025 and working on one of our male acute wards. The role provides an opportunity to work with a newly developing service in the MHCAS with a focus on team training, support and supervision of the delivery of psychological skills by the MDT.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will:
Provide direct care to service users and their families offering assessment, formulation and brief evidence-based interventions when indicated. This will include providing recommendations for psychological therapy to support service user's recovery and working with the MDT on discharge planning to promote safer transition from the ward and to support continuity of care.
Work indirectly with the multidisciplinary team including consultation, teaching, training and team formulation.
Facilitate training, support and supervision of the delivery of psychological skills by the MDT, to embed these into practice. Current focus on RAID, trauma informed approach to care and stabilisation skills.
Delivery of regular reflective practice sessions to another ward/team.
To provide post incident support to the ward teams to support staff wellbeing and psychological safety.
To clinically supervise and line manage staff within the psychology team. Where appropriate to provide clinical supervision to psychology colleagues in other Trust services and/or MDT colleagues.
Support the well-being of the inpatient psychology team through informal and formal systems.
Work in partnership with senior colleagues in the psychology and multidisciplinary teams to ensure the delivery of a safe, effective and evidence-based service
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology or its equivalent, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS and/or an accredited psychological practitioner with at extensive experience working as a band 8a.
- Professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and/or equivalent registering body.
- Training in clinical supervision for doctoral, and equivalent, trainees
Desirable
- Evidence of post-doctoral training in psychological therapies relevant to severe and enduring mental health difficulties including for example DBT/ CBT-P/ Systemic Practice.
- Training in the supervision of psychological therapies.
Experience
Essential
- Post qualification experience of working in mental health settings delivering specialist psychological assessment, formulation and interventions across a range of settings including community, primary care, inpatient, crisis services.
- Experience of working with a wide range of client groups across the whole life course presenting with a range of psychological problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
- Experience of providing clinical supervision to assistant/trainee or qualified psychologists, and/or other professionals.
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts including working with interpreters.
- Experience of delivering teaching and training.
- Experience of facilitating reflective practice.
- Experience of service development/change leadership.
Desirable
- Experience of working in acute mental health services (inpatient wards, HTT, crisis intervention services, psychiatric liaison).
- Experience of having facilitated/co-facilitated psychological therapy groups
- Post qualification experience and/or training in working with adults affected by psychological trauma.
- Experience of line managing members of staff.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, formulation, intervention and management requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS.
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific psychological problems (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnosis, autism spectrum disorder).
- Knowledge and awareness of the trauma informed approach.
- Able to provide and receive highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious information, where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills such as would be required when communicating in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere
- Able to make judgements involving highly complex facts or situations, which require the evaluation of a range of options (e.g. the assessment of specialist clinical conditions and the
- determination of treatment options), Where expert opinions may differ.
- Able to plan, prioritise and organise own service user caseload, treatment programmes (individual or group) involving other staff, and other aspects of the work such as research activity.
- Comprehensive IT skills
- Skills in administering psychological tests and standardised assessments.
Desirable
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, e.g. complex psychometric testing and specialist neuropsychological testing
- Knowledge of Culture of Care
- Knowledge of quality improvement methodology.
- Knowledge of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Able to sit for extended periods of time while demonstrating active listening skills.
- Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour including verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
- Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations including working with people affected by trauma, with people who engage in self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
- Ability to work independently and under pressure. Adaptable and able to work flexibly to respond to the service needs/priorities.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology or its equivalent, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS and/or an accredited psychological practitioner with at extensive experience working as a band 8a.
- Professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council and/or equivalent registering body.
- Training in clinical supervision for doctoral, and equivalent, trainees
Desirable
- Evidence of post-doctoral training in psychological therapies relevant to severe and enduring mental health difficulties including for example DBT/ CBT-P/ Systemic Practice.
- Training in the supervision of psychological therapies.
Experience
Essential
- Post qualification experience of working in mental health settings delivering specialist psychological assessment, formulation and interventions across a range of settings including community, primary care, inpatient, crisis services.
- Experience of working with a wide range of client groups across the whole life course presenting with a range of psychological problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
- Experience of providing clinical supervision to assistant/trainee or qualified psychologists, and/or other professionals.
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts including working with interpreters.
- Experience of delivering teaching and training.
- Experience of facilitating reflective practice.
- Experience of service development/change leadership.
Desirable
- Experience of working in acute mental health services (inpatient wards, HTT, crisis intervention services, psychiatric liaison).
- Experience of having facilitated/co-facilitated psychological therapy groups
- Post qualification experience and/or training in working with adults affected by psychological trauma.
- Experience of line managing members of staff.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, formulation, intervention and management requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS.
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific psychological problems (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnosis, autism spectrum disorder).
- Knowledge and awareness of the trauma informed approach.
- Able to provide and receive highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious information, where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills such as would be required when communicating in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere
- Able to make judgements involving highly complex facts or situations, which require the evaluation of a range of options (e.g. the assessment of specialist clinical conditions and the
- determination of treatment options), Where expert opinions may differ.
- Able to plan, prioritise and organise own service user caseload, treatment programmes (individual or group) involving other staff, and other aspects of the work such as research activity.
- Comprehensive IT skills
- Skills in administering psychological tests and standardised assessments.
Desirable
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, e.g. complex psychometric testing and specialist neuropsychological testing
- Knowledge of Culture of Care
- Knowledge of quality improvement methodology.
- Knowledge of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Able to sit for extended periods of time while demonstrating active listening skills.
- Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour including verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
- Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations including working with people affected by trauma, with people who engage in self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
- Ability to work independently and under pressure. Adaptable and able to work flexibly to respond to the service needs/priorities.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
