Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Practitioner Psychologist

The closing date is 24 August 2025

Job summary

We are delighted to have been awarded funding to appoint to this new post for our inpatient wards at the Dept. of Psychiatry. This is part of the trusts ongoing commitment to ensuring our service users have access to the best therapeutic and evidence-based inpatient support. We have two adult wards here and the successful candidate will join a large and growing psychological professions team across East Sussex and within our inpatient and urgent care services. The service is currently at Eastbourne General Hospital but the units are moving to a brand-new purpose build hospital (Coombe Valley Hospital) within the next year. We have recently appointed to another psychology post for Dept of Psychiatry who you will work alongside.

There is considerable scope to be part of exciting developments under way in East Sussex mental health services. We are currently spearheading the establishment of a dedicated Multiple Admissions Patient Pathway (MAPP) with consultant psychologist leadership based on the systemic principles of Open Dialogue.

Main duties of the job

This is post is most likely to be attractive to psychologists who are looking for a different challenge at what is an exciting time for our services. We would also be happy to consider recently qualified psychologists (or trainees soon to qualify) who could be appointed on a Band 7 to 8a development basis, where they would be supported to progress to the higher banding. As such the successful candidate will benefit from expert support and supervision to develop their skills and career within the role. They will work within the multi-disciplinary team and help in providing psychological opinion and formulations, and contribute to the development of psychological thinking, understanding and interventions/ approaches within the multi-disciplinary team. They will also be in a position to offer consultation, assessments and focused, short-term individual and group interventions.

About us

The post holder will be a part of the wider East Sussex Psychological Professions group who work closely together and collaborate to promote and support the development and implementation of effective psychological services across our county. They will also be part of the Trust's Adult Acute Psychological network, which provides specialist guidance and support on governance and best practice, including specialty CPD days.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is a leading teaching and research mental health trust. We were granted teaching status in 2008 in recognition of our research background and our links with the Brighton and Sussex Medical School and other academic institutions. Currently we are in the top 12 mental health trusts in terms of research participants. Applicants with an interest in research will be welcomed.

Working here offers continued training and development, variety and a rewarding challenge, plus the benefits of living in Sussex, by the sea, in the beautiful South Downs or in any one of the exciting towns and cities we have to offer.

Details

Date posted

08 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

354-AE-21178

Job locations

Deptartment of Psychiatry, Eastbourne General Hospital

Kings Drive

Eastbourne

BN21 2UD


Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide direct and indirect clinical psychological intervention to our adult inpatient wards at Department of Psychiatry. This is likely to be one of the two wards with this to be negotiated and shared with other colleagues.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide direct and indirect clinical psychological intervention to our adult inpatient wards at Department of Psychiatry. This is likely to be one of the two wards with this to be negotiated and shared with other colleagues.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology as approved by the HCPC, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Experience in highly specialist psychological assessment and treatment across outpatient, community, primary care, and inpatient settings.
  • Post-qualification experience as a practitioner psychologist with approximately 50 hours of clinical supervision.
  • Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, design and complex data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of applied psychology
  • Experience working with diverse client groups across the lifespan, addressing a wide range of clinical severities, and maintaining a high degree of professionalism in challenging situations
  • Skilled in teaching, training and/or supervision
  • Experience of applying psychology in different cultural contexts and working within a multicultural framework.
  • Experience of representing psychology within the context of multidisciplinary care.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology as approved by the HCPC, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Experience in highly specialist psychological assessment and treatment across outpatient, community, primary care, and inpatient settings.
  • Post-qualification experience as a practitioner psychologist with approximately 50 hours of clinical supervision.
  • Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, design and complex data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of applied psychology
  • Experience working with diverse client groups across the lifespan, addressing a wide range of clinical severities, and maintaining a high degree of professionalism in challenging situations
  • Skilled in teaching, training and/or supervision
  • Experience of applying psychology in different cultural contexts and working within a multicultural framework.
  • Experience of representing psychology within the context of multidisciplinary care.

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

Deptartment of Psychiatry, Eastbourne General Hospital

Kings Drive

Eastbourne

BN21 2UD


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Deptartment of Psychiatry, Eastbourne General Hospital

Kings Drive

Eastbourne

BN21 2UD


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Jo Allen

jo.allen17@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

08 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

354-AE-21178

Job locations

Deptartment of Psychiatry, Eastbourne General Hospital

Kings Drive

Eastbourne

BN21 2UD


Supporting documents

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