Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Psychologist

The closing date is 30 April 2026

Job summary

We are excited to appoint an innovative and experienced Band 8b Clinical Psychologist to work in a well established Enhanced Support Team (EST) in an adult Learning Disability Service in North Essex, in HPFT. The role of the EST is to support people to remain in the community and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions through rapid response, focused assessment, intervention and support and short-term treatment. This is a full time permanent post. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to join an established and dynamic multi disciplinary team where the role of psychology is valued. The post holder will have responsibilities in North Essex, using offices in Kao Park (Harlow), Tekhnicon House (Braintree) and the Lexden Site (Colchester). There will be opportunities for some remote working.

Main duties of the job

This role will involve taking a lead with clinical issues and holding responsibilities for psychological services, primarily for the Enhanced Support Service in North Essex LD service. The post holder will be responsible for carrying out highly specialist psychological assessments and therapeutic interventions for adults across a range of ability levels and offer support for their families and carers, as well as offering advice and consultation on service user psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues.Alongside holding a small caseload, the successful applicant will play a major role in the supervision and management of other members of the psychology service. They will be actively involved in service development and use research skills for audit, research and to contribute to identifying key areas and priorities for psychology service provision. The service has active links with both Essex and Hertfordshire Clinical Psychology Training Programmes and there will be opportunities for teaching, continuing professional development and research, depending on the applicant's interest.

About us

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from theCare Quality Commission.

Our family of over 4,500 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:

Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.

Details

Date posted

20 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£66,582 to £77,368 a year Per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share

Reference number

367-LD&F-10132

Job locations

Tekhnicon House

Springwood Drive

Braintree Essex

CM7 2YN


Job description

Job responsibilities

The postholder will provide a qualified specialist clinical psychology service to adults with learning disabilities and service providers and carers within the North Essex area, both within the community and in-patient services as necessary. The role will include a particular focus on working with service users referred to the Enhanced Support Team. The successful candidate will provide highly specialised specialist psychological assessment and interventions, as well as offering advice and consultation on service user psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and other non-professional carers. They will work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the teams policies and procedures. They will use research skills for audit, service development and research and to contribute to identifying key areas and priorities for psychology service provision.

All staff should comply with the Trusts Anti-Discriminatory Statement, Employee Charter, Trust Policies and Procedures, Code of Conduct and Equality and Diversity

Job description

Job responsibilities

The postholder will provide a qualified specialist clinical psychology service to adults with learning disabilities and service providers and carers within the North Essex area, both within the community and in-patient services as necessary. The role will include a particular focus on working with service users referred to the Enhanced Support Team. The successful candidate will provide highly specialised specialist psychological assessment and interventions, as well as offering advice and consultation on service user psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and other non-professional carers. They will work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the teams policies and procedures. They will use research skills for audit, service development and research and to contribute to identifying key areas and priorities for psychology service provision.

All staff should comply with the Trusts Anti-Discriminatory Statement, Employee Charter, Trust Policies and Procedures, Code of Conduct and Equality and Diversity

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in clinical psychology as accredited by the BPS.
  • Full Registration as a practitioner psychologist with the HCPC

Desirable

  • Accredited as a Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst or equivalent accreditation in Positive Behaviour Support or Applied Behaviour Analysis.
  • Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
  • Post graduate training in Positive Behaviour Support or Applied Behaviour Analysis.

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist at a highly specialist level with people with a learning disability.
  • Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of service users across care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient.
  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention.
  • Previous experience of using Positive Behaviour support with people who have learning disabilities, their families & carers.

Desirable

  • Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in clinical psychology as accredited by the BPS.
  • Full Registration as a practitioner psychologist with the HCPC

Desirable

  • Accredited as a Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst or equivalent accreditation in Positive Behaviour Support or Applied Behaviour Analysis.
  • Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
  • Post graduate training in Positive Behaviour Support or Applied Behaviour Analysis.

Experience

Essential

  • Significant experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist at a highly specialist level with people with a learning disability.
  • Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of service users across care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient.
  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention.
  • Previous experience of using Positive Behaviour support with people who have learning disabilities, their families & carers.

Desirable

  • Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.

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

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Tekhnicon House

Springwood Drive

Braintree Essex

CM7 2YN


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Tekhnicon House

Springwood Drive

Braintree Essex

CM7 2YN


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Psychologist

Alison Spencer

alison.spencer2@nhs.net

07789943708

Details

Date posted

20 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£66,582 to £77,368 a year Per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share

Reference number

367-LD&F-10132

Job locations

Tekhnicon House

Springwood Drive

Braintree Essex

CM7 2YN


Supporting documents

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