Oxford Health NHS Trust

Senior Clinical / Counselling Psychologist - Inpatient

The closing date is 04 January 2026

Job summary

Are you an experienced HCPC registered Psychologist looking for a new opportunity?

We are looking for a friendly, compassionate, flexible and creative HCPC registered psychologist who enjoys working as a fully integrated member of the MDT in adult of working age acute inpatient wards.

You would work as part of Allen ward situated at Warneford Hospital site in Oxford. There is already a part time psychologist working on this ward along with a full time assistant psychologist. There would be opportunity to offer placements to trainees.

You would have a clear co-created job plan that is varied and flexible with a supportive and visible consultant psychologist on site. There would also be allocated time to pursue a special interest or develop skills that would be in line with the service.

This role is recognised as crucial in ensuring that patients get access to high quality psychological treatments within the adult inpatient wards. You will be a valued member of the team.

We are a fast growing service that encourages innovation. There are exciting plans for the service to be part research trials.

We offer excellent CPD and training opportunities to support career progression. We support flexible working, recognising the importance of a good work life balance and the need for your work to fit with external commitments.

Main duties of the job

  • Psychological assessments and time limited psychological interventions within an inpatient setting.
  • Facilitating team formulation sessions &reflective practice groups
  • Offering CPD workshops to multi-disciplinary staff.
  • Consultation and encouraging staff teams to think psychologically.
  • Attending and offering a psychological perspective in ward reviews and professional meetings.
  • Developing and facilitating groups on acute inpatient wards

About us

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.

Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible

Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive:"Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our values are:"Caring, safe and excellent"

At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

  • Excellent opportunities for career progression
  • Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
  • 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
  • NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
  • Competitive pension scheme
  • Lease car scheme
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Employee Assistance Programme
  • Mental Health First Aiders
  • Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
  • Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team

Details

Date posted

18 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

267-OA7623882

Job locations

Warneford Hosptial

Warneford Lane

Oxford

OX3 7JX


Job description

Job responsibilities

We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the supporting statement element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.

The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.

Job description

Job responsibilities

We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the supporting statement element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.

The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.

Person Specification

Training

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in Clinical or Counselling Psychology
  • HCPC registration

Desirable

  • Pre-qualification training and qualifications or experience in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
  • Qualifications / training in clinical supervision
  • Eligible for BABCP accreditation

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including inpatient, outpatient, community, and day services settings.
  • Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and threat of physical abuse.
  • Experience of supervising others.

Desirable

  • Experience of running / co-running groups.
  • Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
  • Experience of working with people with severe and/or complex mental health difficulties.
  • Experience of working in the NHS.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently 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 clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
  • Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
  • 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 required by professional and accrediting bodies.

Other

Essential

  • An interest in and positive approach towards working with people with severe and/or complex mental health difficulties.
  • Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and independently.
  • Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
  • Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.

Desirable

  • An awareness of own strengths and limitations.
Person Specification

Training

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in Clinical or Counselling Psychology
  • HCPC registration

Desirable

  • Pre-qualification training and qualifications or experience in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
  • Qualifications / training in clinical supervision
  • Eligible for BABCP accreditation

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including inpatient, outpatient, community, and day services settings.
  • Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and threat of physical abuse.
  • Experience of supervising others.

Desirable

  • Experience of running / co-running groups.
  • Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
  • Experience of working with people with severe and/or complex mental health difficulties.
  • Experience of working in the NHS.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently 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 clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
  • Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
  • 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 required by professional and accrediting bodies.

Other

Essential

  • An interest in and positive approach towards working with people with severe and/or complex mental health difficulties.
  • Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and independently.
  • Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
  • Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.

Desirable

  • An awareness of own strengths and limitations.

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

Oxford Health NHS Trust

Address

Warneford Hosptial

Warneford Lane

Oxford

OX3 7JX


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Oxford Health NHS Trust

Address

Warneford Hosptial

Warneford Lane

Oxford

OX3 7JX


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Dr Kelly Buffham

kelly.buffham@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

07586516998

Details

Date posted

18 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

267-OA7623882

Job locations

Warneford Hosptial

Warneford Lane

Oxford

OX3 7JX


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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