Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Practitioner Psychologist

The closing date is 28 May 2025

Job summary

We are looking to recruit HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist(s) (Clinical/Forensic/Counselling) to join our psychology teams within Working Age Adult services.

The role covers two in-patient units, Oaklands acute inpatient ward, and Connolly House, inpatient rehabilitation service.

Applications are welcome from suitably qualified candidate(s) for this post;

as one fulltime position covering both units

OR

as two part time positions, each position covering one unit

The successful applicant(s) will have opportunities for training for example in family interventions in psychosis; CBT for psychosis - in particular 'Feeling Safe' (Freeman et al), Slow-Mo (Garety et al)).

Oaklands Ward is a 16 bedded purpose built acute inpatient psychiatric unit which provides a service to working age adults with acute mental health problems.

Connolly House is a 12 bedded purpose built in-patient psychiatric rehabilitation unit which provides holistic individualised recovery focussed care. The unit has close links with other inpatient Rehabilitation units in the trust and the Rehabilitation hub.

Both units are in Chichester and within walking distance of each other. Both have well established and consistent Multi-disciplinary teams.

Main duties of the job

As a Senior Practitioner Psychologist, you will work closely with the MDT in both Oaklands and Connolly House to ensure a trauma-informed, therapeutic culture is promoted and embedded with collaborative service user engagement. You will work closely with the 8b Principal Psychologist to provide leadership around the implementation of evidence-based interventions.The role includes providing individual and group evidence-based interventions for people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties. Formulation skills will be an important part of the role as you lead on team formulation which is valued part of MDT working and care planning.

About us

We provide mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across Sussex and for children and young people in Hampshire.

Working in Sussex:

Travel easily between coast and countryside, with a blend of picturesque villages and seaside towns there's always new experiences to be enjoyed

Embrace the city life with great access to visit Brighton and London

With easy access to Gatwick and Heathrow and excellent railway links across the UK there is plenty of opportunity for adventure

Details

Date posted

14 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share

Reference number

354-AC-21123

Job locations

Oaklands Centre for Acute care

Graylingwell Drive

Chichester

PO196GS


Job description

Job responsibilities

As a senior member of our Psychological Therapies team in West Sussex, you will be required to offer supervision to psychological therapists within the service as well as contributing to the senior leadership team. You will have regular clinical and professional supervision including specialist clinical supervision (i.e. EMDR, DBT, CBT). We have a strong network of diverse and supportive psychology colleagues who meet regularly as part of peer networking across West Sussex and the wider SPFT.

Job description

Job responsibilities

As a senior member of our Psychological Therapies team in West Sussex, you will be required to offer supervision to psychological therapists within the service as well as contributing to the senior leadership team. You will have regular clinical and professional supervision including specialist clinical supervision (i.e. EMDR, DBT, CBT). We have a strong network of diverse and supportive psychology colleagues who meet regularly as part of peer networking across West Sussex and the wider SPFT.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or outside the UK], including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, approved by the HPC
  • Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HPC)

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings.
  • Demonstrate specialist experience gained postqualification of working as an applied psychologist with evidence of having received a substantial amount of clinical supervision (normally in the region of approximately 50 hours)
  • Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
  • 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 the threat of physical abuse
  • Experience of the application of applied psychology in different cultural contexts and experience of working within a multicultural framework
  • Knowledge of guidance and legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialist psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc)
  • Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
  • Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HPC
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or outside the UK], including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, approved by the HPC
  • Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HPC)

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings.
  • Demonstrate specialist experience gained postqualification of working as an applied psychologist with evidence of having received a substantial amount of clinical supervision (normally in the region of approximately 50 hours)
  • Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
  • 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 the threat of physical abuse
  • Experience of the application of applied psychology in different cultural contexts and experience of working within a multicultural framework
  • Knowledge of guidance and legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialist psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc)
  • Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
  • Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HPC

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

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Oaklands Centre for Acute care

Graylingwell Drive

Chichester

PO196GS


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Oaklands Centre for Acute care

Graylingwell Drive

Chichester

PO196GS


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Operations Manager

Lucy Delaney

lucy.delaney2@nhs.net

07765806893

Details

Date posted

14 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share

Reference number

354-AC-21123

Job locations

Oaklands Centre for Acute care

Graylingwell Drive

Chichester

PO196GS


Supporting documents

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