Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Practitioner Psychologist or CBT therapist

The closing date is 02 June 2025

Job summary

Are you a skilled and compassionate Psychological Therapist seeking to make a real difference for individuals affected by complex trauma? We're looking for a Senior Practitioner Psychologist or CBT Therapist to join our Psychological Skills Service (PSS). This full-time post offers a great opportunity for a newly qualified therapist on a preceptorship pathway.

You'll complete trauma-informed assessments and formulations, helping service users and teams understand how past trauma shapes present challenges and guiding care planning. You'll hold a small caseload, delivering trauma-focused therapies including TF-CBT, Compassion Focused Therapy, EMDR, and co-facilitating a schema therapy group.

Alongside direct clinical work, you'll provide leadership, training, supervision, and consultation to colleagues and external services. If you're interested in developing psychoeducational resources for staff, service users, and carers, you'll be a perfect fit.

Based in Peterborough, you'll join a close-knit team and collaborate with colleagues across Peterborough and Cambridge. The service is clinically led by an 8C psychologist, supporting a dynamic and compassionate team culture.

https://www.cpft.nhs.uk/the-psychological-skills-service-/

Main duties of the job

You will be conducting comprehensive psychological assessments to produce a trauma informed formulation and treatment plan for service users who have experienced complex trauma. You will write reports and provide explanations to service users that help them to make sense of why they are struggling and why we are suggesting specific therapies. You will have a small caseload of service users and will be delivering therapies focused on trauma processing (TF-CBT and EMDR) and will have opportunities to co facilitate a schema therapy group.

You will also be providing leadership (leading on areas of the service such as our trauma stabilisation group), training, supervision, and consultancy to staff within the team and to other services who refer into this pathway. We are keen to continue to develop more psychoeducational materials that could be available for staff service users and carers so someone interested and experience in creating content would be a great fit for this post.

You will undertake risk assessments related to psychological interventions and manage risks in accordance with best practice guidelines and organizational policies.

About us

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high-quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting andempowering them to lead a fulfilling life.

Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services, not only via inpatient and primary care settings, but also within the community. These services include children's, adult and older people's mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.

To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high-calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.

Please be advised we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.

Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.

For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at www.cpft.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

19 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

310-MASMH-7162249

Job locations

Town Hall

17 Bridge Street,

Peterborough

PE1 1HJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

  • Conduct comprehensive psychological assessments and develop individualized trauma informed treatment plans

  • Deliver evidence-based therapies for people who have complex PTSD and other difficulties relating to complex trauma (e.g. EMDR/ TF-CBT) using practice-based evidence with service users who have difficulties where there is not an established evidence base.

  • To provide individual and group supervision to more junior staff in the team and to staff in other services who also work with this population

  • To promote and support the implementation of Trauma Informed Care in all aspects and areas of their work

  • To supervise assistant psychologists and CAPs delivering group and structured short term interventions addressing gaps in services

  • Deliver therapeutic interventions in group and individual format in therapies including TF-CBT, EMDR, CFT, CAT, Schema and DBT.

  • Take autonomous responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of service users

  • Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, adjusting treatment plans as necessary.

  • Be available to junior members of the team for ad hoc advice regarding risk, boundaries and responses to service users

  • Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to provide holistic care and support to service users.

  • Contribute to service development, research, and evaluation to enhance the quality of care provided, leading on specific working groups developing interventions or materials

  • To attend interface meetings with community teams, the IAPT and personality disorder services to help think through the best services to provide treatment and support to individuals

  • To provide highly specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals.

Risk

  • Undertake risk assessments related to psychological interventions and manage risks in accordance with best practice guidelines and organizational policies.

  • Ensure appropriate action is taken to mitigate risks and safeguard service users.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.

  • Conduct comprehensive psychological assessments and develop individualized trauma informed treatment plans

  • Deliver evidence-based therapies for people who have complex PTSD and other difficulties relating to complex trauma (e.g. EMDR/ TF-CBT) using practice-based evidence with service users who have difficulties where there is not an established evidence base.

  • To provide individual and group supervision to more junior staff in the team and to staff in other services who also work with this population

  • To promote and support the implementation of Trauma Informed Care in all aspects and areas of their work

  • To supervise assistant psychologists and CAPs delivering group and structured short term interventions addressing gaps in services

  • Deliver therapeutic interventions in group and individual format in therapies including TF-CBT, EMDR, CFT, CAT, Schema and DBT.

  • Take autonomous responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of service users

  • Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, adjusting treatment plans as necessary.

  • Be available to junior members of the team for ad hoc advice regarding risk, boundaries and responses to service users

  • Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to provide holistic care and support to service users.

  • Contribute to service development, research, and evaluation to enhance the quality of care provided, leading on specific working groups developing interventions or materials

  • To attend interface meetings with community teams, the IAPT and personality disorder services to help think through the best services to provide treatment and support to individuals

  • To provide highly specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals.

Risk

  • Undertake risk assessments related to psychological interventions and manage risks in accordance with best practice guidelines and organizational policies.

  • Ensure appropriate action is taken to mitigate risks and safeguard service users.

Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology AND Registered as Practitioner Psychologist with HCPC. OR PG Dip in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (or its equivalent eligible for BABCP accreditation) AND Eligible for BABCP accreditation.
  • Professional training which supports the ability to provide high intensity clinical interventions ; OR Post graduate qualifications / training in trauma-focussed psychological therapies e.g.TF-CBT, EMDR (Level 3), NET, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy or other.

Desirable

  • Undertaken training in the supervision of trainee clinical psychologists.
  • Undertaken post-qualification further training in -Acceptance and Commitment therapy -Compassion focused therapy -Working with ASD -CAT -Schema therapy
  • Accreditation in EMDR

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of service users across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings.
  • Experience of working with service users with complex trauma
  • Experience of supervising Trainee Clinical Psychologists and/or other psychological therapists

Desirable

  • Experience of supervising assistant psychologists and trainees
  • Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
  • Experience of working with people who are neurodiverse and adapting interventions

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent assessment and formulation skills in regards to C-PTSD, with a thorough understanding of up-to-date theory. High level of competency in trauma-focused psychological therapies.
  • 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.

Desirable

  • Proven ability in carrying out clinical audits.

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential

  • Specialist knowledge of complex trauma
  • Knowledge of legislation in relation to the service user group and the setting, and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies to patients specifically ACT, compassion focused therapies, CBT

Other

Essential

  • Ability to travel in the local area
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enabling formation of networks with professionals within the Trust and from other agencies to promote effective team working with clients
Person Specification

Education / Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology AND Registered as Practitioner Psychologist with HCPC. OR PG Dip in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (or its equivalent eligible for BABCP accreditation) AND Eligible for BABCP accreditation.
  • Professional training which supports the ability to provide high intensity clinical interventions ; OR Post graduate qualifications / training in trauma-focussed psychological therapies e.g.TF-CBT, EMDR (Level 3), NET, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy or other.

Desirable

  • Undertaken training in the supervision of trainee clinical psychologists.
  • Undertaken post-qualification further training in -Acceptance and Commitment therapy -Compassion focused therapy -Working with ASD -CAT -Schema therapy
  • Accreditation in EMDR

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of service users across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings.
  • Experience of working with service users with complex trauma
  • Experience of supervising Trainee Clinical Psychologists and/or other psychological therapists

Desirable

  • Experience of supervising assistant psychologists and trainees
  • Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
  • Experience of working with people who are neurodiverse and adapting interventions

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Excellent assessment and formulation skills in regards to C-PTSD, with a thorough understanding of up-to-date theory. High level of competency in trauma-focused psychological therapies.
  • 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.

Desirable

  • Proven ability in carrying out clinical audits.

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential

  • Specialist knowledge of complex trauma
  • Knowledge of legislation in relation to the service user group and the setting, and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies to patients specifically ACT, compassion focused therapies, CBT

Other

Essential

  • Ability to travel in the local area
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enabling formation of networks with professionals within the Trust and from other agencies to promote effective team working with clients

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Town Hall

17 Bridge Street,

Peterborough

PE1 1HJ


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Town Hall

17 Bridge Street,

Peterborough

PE1 1HJ


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Melanie Staley

melanie.staley@cpft.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

19 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

310-MASMH-7162249

Job locations

Town Hall

17 Bridge Street,

Peterborough

PE1 1HJ


Supporting documents

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