7/8a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist - Inpatient Psychology NE

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a 1.0 WTE Band 7/8a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to join our Adult Inpatient Psychological Services Team in Colchester.

This newly created role offers an excellent opportunity to help shape and enhance psychological provision within our two male and female acute wards.

The successful candidate will provide specialist assessment, formulation, therapy, interventions and consultation for people experiencing acute mental health crises.

You will join a supportive, compassionate and forward-thinking psychological team committed to improving outcomes for people experiencing acute mental health difficulties, while also prioritising staff wellbeing, professional development and opportunities for innovation

We value staff wellbeing and offer a range of flexible working options, including compressed hours. Part-time and job-share applications are warmly welcomed.

If you are passionate about trauma-informed care, enjoy working in dynamic multidisciplinary teams, and want to help shape the future of inpatient mental health services in Essex, we would love to hear from you!

Applications from newly qualified clinical/counselling psychologists or those about to complete training are welcomed under a development post arrangement.

Registration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is essential as well as eligibility for registration with a professional body (BPS).

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will have a strong interest in inpatient mental health care and working with people experiencing acute mental health crises. They will be skilled in undertaking specialist psychological assessment, formulation and intervention with individuals presenting with a wide range of severe and complex mental health difficulties.

The post holder will work closely with multidisciplinary colleagues to develop psychologically informed understandings of crisis presentations, helping teams make sense of complexity and identify pathways towards recovery. The ability to formulate risk, make professional recommendations and contribute confidently to clinical decision-making alongside ward team is central to this role.

A key aspect of the role will be supporting and developing staff and will include supervision of junior staff. The post holder will also contribute to teaching, training, reflective practice groups, post-incident debriefs and psychologically informed consultations, helping to build the confidence and psychological skills of ward teams.

The successful candidate will represent psychology within a range of clinical, operational and strategic forums, offering psychological perspectives to case discussions, formulations, care planning and service developments. They will work in partnership with colleagues across inpatient services to promote best practice and enhance the quality of care for our patients.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Adult Inpatient Psychological Services Team is committed to delivering high-quality psychological care to people experiencing acute mental health difficulties during their inpatient admission. We work collaboratively with multidisciplinary and Care Unit colleagues to support recovery-focused care, helping service users make the most of their admission and achieve timely, meaningful discharges.

Our service spans six inpatient sites across Essex, with each site led by a Principal Psychologist. We are a large, supportive and innovative team comprising Principal and Senior Psychologists, Arts Psychotherapists, Clinical Associate Psychologists (CAPs), Assistant Psychologists and Trainees. We are proud of both the dedication of our staff and our commitment to service development, with innovations including nationally recognised staff training programmes and significant investment in inpatient psychological services.

This is an exciting time to join the team. We actively encourage creativity, service improvement, leadership development, teaching and research. Strong links with the University of East Anglia and University of Essex and provide excellent opportunities to contribute to the training and supervision of future psychologists. Staff are supported to pursue specialist interests, research, formal training and wider learning opportunities across the Trust.

We are committed to supporting our staff to thrive in their roles. As part of a large and supportive psychological service, the successful candidate will have access to regular clinical and managerial supervision, specialist therapy supervision, reflective practice spaces, case discussion forums, and opportunities to connect with and learn from the wider psychological services team. We place a strong emphasis on professional development, peer support and creating a culture where staff feel valued, connected and supported in managing the complexities of inpatient work. We offer flexible approaches to working wherever possible. Part-time, job-share and flexible working requests are welcome and will be considered.

We are able to offer this post as a band 7 development post (to an 8a) for the right candidate.

We currently have several opportunities available across Adult Inpatient Psychological Services. If you would like to be considered for more than one role, please indicate this in your application and outline any preferences. To support applicants and streamline the recruitment process, we would normally seek to interview you once and consider you for all relevant posts.

Please contact Dr Sophie Bellringer, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, sophie.bellringer@nhs.net (07583136523) for further discussion.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.