Job overview
THIS POST IS FIXED TERM/SECONDMENT FOR 9 MONTHS DUE TO MATERNITY COVER
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN APPLYING FOR THE SECONDMENT POSITION, YOU MUST OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM YOUR CURRENT LINE MANAGER PRIOR TO APPLYING FOR THIS POST
We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Principal Practitioner Psychologist or Senior Practitioner Psychologist to work in FTC , a service for children and young people with learning disabilities and complex presentations associated with behaviours that challenge, that sits within the Mental Health & Learning Disability Delivery Unit of Swansea Bay University Health Board (SBUHB).
FTC is a small service that covers Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, and interfaces with children’s services across this patch. The service is made up of Behaviour Specialists, Assistant Behaviour Specialists, and a Nurse Practitioner. The successful candidate would clinically lead the service and provide clinical supervision and support to the staff within FTC. The service is operationally managed by one of the Behaviour Specialists. The Mental Health & Learning Disability Delivery Unit are keen to ensure and optimise psychology provision to this vulnerable client group founded in the Health Board Values: Always Improving, Working Together and Caring for Each other
Main duties of the job
The post holder is expected to have significant experience in the field, have a solid understanding and skills in Positive Behavioural Support. You are expected to provide high standard psychological assessment, formulation and intervention to the client group and clinically support FTC staff. You will provide consultation from the team.
Clinical supervision will be provided by the Lead Consultant Psychologist. There will be opportunity for peer supervision and support within the Mental Health & Learning Disability Delivery Unit and wider psychology network in SBUHB, including other psychologists working with children and young people.
The psychology network is keen to nurture and retain psychology staff and support continued professional development and growth. They have close links with Swansea and Cardiff Academic Institutions and are keen to nurture the growth of evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence. Ongoing collation of outcomes and data to help inform continued service development are key to this post and the growth of the profession. Within Psychology, we have established a stepped career pathway for Psychology that affords support and mentorship for psychologists working in the area. The successful post holder would be part of a cohesive team at FTC and also be part of the wider Mental Health & Learning Disability Psychology group.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached job description and person specification for a detailed outline of the job requirements. This is available for you bilingually, in English and Welsh.
Person specification
Essential
Essential
- Good Honours degree in Psychology. Eligibility for British Psychological Society Chartered status. Post-graduate Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the British Psychological Society. Registered with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist, and eligible for full membership of a BPS division of applied psychology (e.g. clinical, counselling, forensic) Clinical supervision training for supervising Doctoral trainees.
- Doctoral level advanced specialist knowledge of clinical psychology theory and practice, psychological therapies and their application, neuropsychological and psychometric assessment and interpretation. Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practised within clinical psychology. Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management. Evidence of Continuing Professional Development as recommended by the BPS and HCPC.
- Substantial assessed experience of working as a qualified and senior clinical psychologist, normally including significant post-qualification experience within the designated speciality where the post is located, or relevant transferable skills. Assessed experience of working effectively as a qualified and senior level practitioner psychologist in the designated speciality, or relevant transferable skills.
- Demonstration of further specialist training/experience through having received extensive and demonstrable clinical supervision of working as a specialist Practitioner Psychologist or an alternative agreed by the Director of Psychology. Specialised psychological assessment and treatment of a range of clients across a wide range of care settings. Working with client groups across an increasing range of clinical severity. Exercising full clinical responsibility for clients’ psychological care, with experience of co-ordinating care within the context of multi-disciplinary care-planning. Providing teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- The ability to demonstrate a high level of competence to work within the designated speciality. Well-developed skills in the supervision of other staff, including Trainee Psychologists. Well-developed skills in effectively communicating very complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information, both orally and in writing, to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS. Developed skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups. Capable of maintaining a high degree of professionalism and safe clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and behaviours that challenge.
- Managed staff who deal with highly distressing situations, severely challenging behaviours and other stressors. The ability to use a variety of complex multi-media materials for a range of purposes such as teaching and training. Capable of effective workload management when facing competing demands. The ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of multidisciplinary colleagues.
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice. Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult-to-treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc). Knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies. Recognised qualification in supervision. Record of publications in peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books.
- Application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts. Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care. Experience of professional management of qualified clinical psychologists and other staff.
essential
Essential
- Ability to travel within the geographical area. Ability to work hours flexibly. Good attendance record. Basic IT skills.
Desirable
- Welsh Language Skills are desirable levels 1 to 5 in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in Welsh Ability to demonstrate leadership and management skills. Advanced IT skills
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Clinical Psychologist 8a or Clinical Psychologist 8b with Swansea Bay University Health Board in Swansea, Swansea, Wales. It is listed as a Band 8 Psychologist role. The advertised salary is £58,379 - £78,530 per annum pro rata. The contract type is 9 months (Fixed term / Secondment for 9 months due to maternity cover funding). The application deadline is 01 Jul 2026.
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