NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist Older Adults

The closing date is 07 December 2025

Job summary

We are looking to appoint an experienced, HCPC registered Clinical or Counselling Psychologist as Principal Psychologist for Older Adult mental health. The post is an opportunity for a psychologist who values multidisciplinary working to develop skills in leadership and supervision. The post will involve both direct and indirect clinical work with service users, families, and wider systems. The postholder will be expected to work closely with the multidisciplinary team and offer consultation and support with complex cases.

In addition the post holder will provide supervision to more junior psychologists working in NELFT.

The post holder will be based with the Older Adult Mental Health Team and Memory Service in Havering. The postholder will be supported by the Consultant Clinical Psychologists for Older Adult Mental Health and Adult Neuropsychology in addition to the borough lead psychologist. In collaboration with colleagues, the post holder will contribute to expert by experience involvement in service development.

The Trust has strong links with the UCL, UEL and Royal Holloway clinical psychology courses and several Counselling Psychology courses. The postholder will be expected to supervise trainees, engage in service development and evaluation, research projects and teaching, where appropriate.

Main duties of the job

This post will suit an 8a or existing 8b psychologist with broad psychological interests and skills including psychological interventions in mental health, understanding psychological consequences of physical illness, and neuropsychological assessment and formulation. The candidate will be someone who: values multi-disciplinary team working; either has, or is keen to gain, experience in recruitment and developmental support of junior psychologists; is highly specialist in an area of psychological assessment and intervention applicable to old age psychology e.g. evidence-based interventions relevant to late onset mental health, 'graduates' of adult mental health services, adjustment to neurodegeneration or physical illness, including family interventions. Some prior experience in neuropsychological assessment is required, with support available to refresh and update skills.

About us

Our Values 2025 - 2030

Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.

They are:

We are kind.
We are respectful.
We work together with our communities.

These three values help us tostrive to provide the best care by the best people.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period.

Starting with Us

NELFT places great importance on new starters being properly welcomed into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks, including mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will also have the opportunity to meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend several drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,313 to a maximum of £5,436 p.a. pro rata for part time).

High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,192 to a maximum of £2,011 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Date posted

25 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum pro rata (plus HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

395-PP145-25

Job locations

26 Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood

Havering

RM3 0QA

Job description

Job responsibilities

Provide clinical leadership to the specialist care pathway and all psychological practitioners working in the specialist care pathway.]
Further develop the specialist care pathway.

Take responsibility for assessment, treatment and systematic outcome measurement in the specialist care pathway.

Ensure a high quality, timely, accessible and evidence-based psychological service is available to all service users who need it.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Provide clinical leadership to the specialist care pathway and all psychological practitioners working in the specialist care pathway.]
Further develop the specialist care pathway.

Take responsibility for assessment, treatment and systematic outcome measurement in the specialist care pathway.

Ensure a high quality, timely, accessible and evidence-based psychological service is available to all service users who need it.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Professional Qualification in Clinical Psychology at doctorate or equivalent level. HCPC registration

Experience

Essential

A thorough knowledge of evidence based clinical practice and a commitment to keeping abreast of new evidence based practice developments in old age psychology

Experience

Essential

Knowledge, understanding and experience of working with service users from diverse ethnic, economic and cultural backgrounds

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge of neuropsychological assessment measures. Experience or interest in assessment of Neurodegenerative Disorders

Skills

Essential

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.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Professional Qualification in Clinical Psychology at doctorate or equivalent level. HCPC registration

Experience

Essential

A thorough knowledge of evidence based clinical practice and a commitment to keeping abreast of new evidence based practice developments in old age psychology

Experience

Essential

Knowledge, understanding and experience of working with service users from diverse ethnic, economic and cultural backgrounds

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge of neuropsychological assessment measures. Experience or interest in assessment of Neurodegenerative Disorders

Skills

Essential

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.

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

Certificate of Sponsorship

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

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

26 Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood

Havering

RM3 0QA

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

26 Gubbins Lane, Harold Wood

Havering

RM3 0QA

Employer's website

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