Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Clinical/Counselling Psychologist/Psychological Therapist

The closing date is 07 October 2025

Job summary

We are recruiting for a 0.8WTE 18 month fixed term Band 8a Clinical Psychologist to work across our Northumberland and North Tyneside Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) teams to backfill seconded time. You will be joining a passionate, supportive and skilled network of psychosis therapists across the Trust.

You will work closely with well established multidisciplinary teams across a range of tasks, such as providing specialist assessments and psychological therapy to people presenting with first episode psychosis, and contributing to team training and supervision as required. You will be well supported by the MDT and psychology colleagues within the team and the wider psychology network. There are strong links with national research programmes.

We fully support our psychologists to achieve the post graduate qualification in Family Interventions and Post Graduate Certificate for CBT in Psychosis and Bipolar, to work towards British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) accreditation.

The post holder will be clinically supervised by a senior psychologist / psychological therapist and professionally supervised by the consultant clinical psychologist. You will join a wider supportive and skilled network of psychological professionals across the psychosis pathway in the North Community CBU.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide one to one assessments, individual and family therapy, and group interventions. Psychology is an integral part of the EIP team; facilitating formulation; contributing to assessment; providing supervision and consultation to Community Practitioners as needed; and contributing to regular training and development events. You will receive regular supervision and will be supported to maintain ongoing continuing professional development.

Therapy is based around highly individualised formulation. We work collaboratively with individuals and families/systems around them in a trauma-informed and neuro-affirming way. Typical therapy work includes helping people make sense of their psychosis and working with paranoia, voice-hearing, traumatic events, childhood adversity, anxiety and bereavement.

The team contribute to delivering Northumberland Mood on Track (an online CBT group for those with a diagnosis of bi-polar disorder) in partnership with psychology staff from the Northumberland Community Treatment Teams. There is the opportunity for the post holder to contribute to this provision, and the wider development of our group work offer.

The post holder will also support the ongoing implementation of team training and CPD as well as providing group supervision to Community Practitioners.

About us

We aim to attract and retain a diverse, talented and committed workforce, who are caring and compassionate, and therefore able to meet the demands of the modern NHS now and in the future. In return we can offer a dynamic working environment in which to build a career.

The Northumberland and North Tyneside teams are made up of Psychology, Psychiatry, Community Practitioners, Support Workers, Employment Support and Peer Support. We pride ourselves on working as a team promoting recovery and a holistic approach.

The teams are based at Greenacres in Ashington and Benton View in Forest Hall and work across the wider Northumberland and North Tyneside footprint. We work closely with the adult Community Treatment Teams (CTT) in Northumberland and North Tyneside, with the At Risk Mental State (ARMS) team, and EIP and psychosis colleagues across CNTW.

This role is open to Clinical Psychologists, Counselling Psychologists and Psychological Therapists.

We welcome informal discussions about the post.

Details

Date posted

23 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year pro rata per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

18 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

263-CCG25-334-EW

Job locations

Greenacres

Green Lane

Ashington

NE63 8BL


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 23rd September 2025

Closing date : 7th October 2025

We welcome your application.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please find attached job description for full details.

Advertising date : 23rd September 2025

Closing date : 7th October 2025

We welcome your application.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in clinical/counselling psychology or equivalent. Post-graduate qualifications in psychological assessment and psychological therapy (e.g. Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, Post-graduate diploma in CBT, IAPT High Intensity CBT diploma).
  • HCPC registered practitioner psychologist or equivalent e.g. BABCP registered CBT practitioner. Member of an appropriate professional body

Desirable

  • Qualification in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp)

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial post qualification experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, and inpatient settings.
  • Experience of working with psychosis
  • Experience of providing clinical supervision

Desirable

  • Experience of working with first episode psychosis
  • Experience of working in a Community Treatment Team
  • Experience of working in an EIP service

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management. Specialist skills in evidence based psychological interventions.
  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialist psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups relevant to psychosis
  • Skills in providing clinical supervision and consultation to other professional groups

Desirable

  • Skills in the psychological assessment and intervention of neurodivergent populations.
  • Skills in the psychological assessment and intervention of first episode psychosis
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in clinical/counselling psychology or equivalent. Post-graduate qualifications in psychological assessment and psychological therapy (e.g. Doctorate in Counselling Psychology, Post-graduate diploma in CBT, IAPT High Intensity CBT diploma).
  • HCPC registered practitioner psychologist or equivalent e.g. BABCP registered CBT practitioner. Member of an appropriate professional body

Desirable

  • Qualification in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp)

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial post qualification experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, and inpatient settings.
  • Experience of working with psychosis
  • Experience of providing clinical supervision

Desirable

  • Experience of working with first episode psychosis
  • Experience of working in a Community Treatment Team
  • Experience of working in an EIP service

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management. Specialist skills in evidence based psychological interventions.
  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialist psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups relevant to psychosis
  • Skills in providing clinical supervision and consultation to other professional groups

Desirable

  • Skills in the psychological assessment and intervention of neurodivergent populations.
  • Skills in the psychological assessment and intervention of first episode psychosis

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Greenacres

Green Lane

Ashington

NE63 8BL


Employer's website

https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Greenacres

Green Lane

Ashington

NE63 8BL


Employer's website

https://www.cntw.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Principal Clinical Psychologist

Helen Bolas

helen.bolas@cntw.nhs.uk

01434612800

Details

Date posted

23 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year pro rata per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

18 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

263-CCG25-334-EW

Job locations

Greenacres

Green Lane

Ashington

NE63 8BL


Supporting documents

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