Job summary
Band 7 / 8a Practitioner Psychologist - Acute Inpatient Mental Health (0.8wte), North Birmingham.
Are you a skilled and compassionate Practitioner Psychologist ready to contribute to a dynamic and supportive inpatient team? We are looking for a Band 7/8a Practitioner Psychologist to join our acute mental health wards in North Birmingham.
What we're looking for:
- HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical/Counselling/Forensic).
- Experience in working with adults with severe and complex mental health needs.
- Confidence working in fast-paced, acute care settings.
- Strong communication, formulation, and team-working skills.
- Commitment to trauma-informed, compassionate, and person-centred care.
- For Band 8a: Significant post-qualification experience and evidence of leadership, supervision, and service development.
What We Offer
- Supportive psychology and MDT environment with regular supervision and CPD opportunities.
- Access to a thriving and innovative psychology department within the Trust.
- Opportunities to be involved in research, service improvement, and reflective practice initiatives.
- Flexible working arrangements and part-time applications welcome.
- Staff health and wellbeing services, including peer support and access to Employee Assistance Programmes.
Main duties of the job
About the Role
- Provide psychological assessments, formulations, and interventions for adults on acute inpatient wards.
- Work closely with ward teams to develop psychologically informed care plans and contribute to risk assessments and discharge planning.
- Offer consultation and training to MDT colleagues.
- Participate in service development, audit, and quality improvement initiatives.
- Contribute to the supervision of Assistant Psychologists, Trainee and/or other Psychological Professions staff (dependent on banding).
About us
Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, as well as specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.
Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people's lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Post qualification experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with complex difficulties across adult secondary or tertiary care settings.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with acute care needs.
- Experience of working therapeutically with 'difficult to reach' clients with complex mental health and behavioural needs.
Training and qualifications
Essential
- Satisfactory completion of a Health and Care Professions Council/British Psychological Society accredited postgraduate professional training course allowing registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Pre-qualification training or additional qualifications in an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or other psychological therapy
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Well developed theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of psychological theory and its application to formulation and intervention.
- Awareness and understanding of the differential needs of people from black and minority ethnic groups and of the service issues arising within a multicultural urban area.
- Skills in providing psychological advice and consultation to professionals and non professionals
- Ability to communicate complex clinical and or condition related information that is sensitive and challenging to service users, carers, families and colleagues and their families
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific 'difficult to treat' groups (e.g. personality disorder, risk behaviours, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).
- High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and DoH policy and implementation guidelines in relation to mental health in general and the client group with which this post is concerned.
Personal
Essential
- Is a 'team player' and has demonstrated ability to work and deliver to team and organisational objectives
- Able to reflect on and manage own emotions and those others when faced by challenging behaviour, including frequent verbal abuse and occasional threatened physical abuse
- Able to work independently and reliably in accordance with trust policies, service principals and professional codes of practice
Desirable
- Personal experience of mental health problems
Other
Essential
- Ability to accept and utilise supervision acceptably.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Post qualification experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with complex difficulties across adult secondary or tertiary care settings.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with acute care needs.
- Experience of working therapeutically with 'difficult to reach' clients with complex mental health and behavioural needs.
Training and qualifications
Essential
- Satisfactory completion of a Health and Care Professions Council/British Psychological Society accredited postgraduate professional training course allowing registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Pre-qualification training or additional qualifications in an accredited Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or other psychological therapy
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Well developed theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of psychological theory and its application to formulation and intervention.
- Awareness and understanding of the differential needs of people from black and minority ethnic groups and of the service issues arising within a multicultural urban area.
- Skills in providing psychological advice and consultation to professionals and non professionals
- Ability to communicate complex clinical and or condition related information that is sensitive and challenging to service users, carers, families and colleagues and their families
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific 'difficult to treat' groups (e.g. personality disorder, risk behaviours, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).
- High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and DoH policy and implementation guidelines in relation to mental health in general and the client group with which this post is concerned.
Personal
Essential
- Is a 'team player' and has demonstrated ability to work and deliver to team and organisational objectives
- Able to reflect on and manage own emotions and those others when faced by challenging behaviour, including frequent verbal abuse and occasional threatened physical abuse
- Able to work independently and reliably in accordance with trust policies, service principals and professional codes of practice
Desirable
- Personal experience of mental health problems
Other
Essential
- Ability to accept and utilise supervision acceptably.
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.
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.
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).
