Location
Chester, England
Salary
£49,387 - £64,750 per annum
Profession
Psychologist
Grade
Band 8
Deadline
21 Jul 2026
Contract Type
Fixed term: 12 months (The post holder will be required to cover all CMHTs within the locality)
Posted Date
07 Jul 2026
Medical Protection — the side of locally employed doctors from £83

Job overview

Do you want to work in a friendly, professional and patient-focused Community Mental Health Team where your skills, knowledge and experience would be valued?

We are hoping to welcome a Clinical Psychologist to our team. The post is offered as a 12-month fixed term 8a position for an experienced Clinical Psychologist, and applications are also welcome from recently qualified individuals with HCPC registration, who have a keen desire to work in this area. For newly qualified applicants, the post will be offered as a development post, band 7-8a, in line with the trust’s Preceptorship and Development post protocol.

The position is full time at 37.5 hours per week and is based across the East locality with bases in Macclesfield and Crewe. The service operates 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. You would be joining a well-established and supportive multi-disciplinary team that is always looking to evolve and adapt to changing practices in mental health care. The position includes actively engaging in service development as well as focusing on personal and professional growth.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work autonomously, within a multi-disciplinary team, to provide evidence-based psychological assessments and interventions to adults and older adults presenting with complex and enduring mental health difficulties.

As well as delivering individual and group interventions, the successful applicant will contribute to the psychological thinking within the team through formulation, consultation, and joint working with colleagues across the CMHT. This includes supporting the team to develop psychologically informed care plans and offering guidance on risk and recovery-focused approaches.

The role also involves contributing to the effective running of the service, including maintaining accurate clinical records, supporting referral pathways, and participating in service development.

Excellent communication, formulation, and therapeutic skills are essential for this post. Applicants should have a sound working knowledge of common mental health disorders, trauma-informed practice, and relevant legislation including the Mental Health Act and NICE guidelines.

We are a friendly and supportive team upholding the core values of CWP. We offer a thorough induction period, which includes shadowing established team members.

Access to transport for work purposes is essential as the post may involve visits to individuals homes.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please download a copy of the job description (see ‘documents to download’ section below) for full details of the main responsibilities for this role.

At CWP, our recruitment selection processes are based on both competence (see person specification for details) and values.

CWP recruits people that can demonstrate the Trust’s Values in their everyday life and we use a values-based approach in our interviews, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.

Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trust’s Values and think about how these align with your own personal values. The supporting information section in your application should reflect your understanding of the Trust’s Values and associated behaviours and you should provide examples from your work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviours.

An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page. Further help and support for completing your application can be accessed via our website. If you need any further guidance to help you complete your application, contact our recruitment team via email at: [email protected] or by calling 01244 393100.

If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer ‘YES’ to the question: ‘Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?’

Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.

The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post and encourages applications from armed forces reservists or cadet force adult volunteers.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team CWP very soon!

Person specification

Experience

Essential

  • Expertise in neuropsychological assessment

Desirable

  • Experience of liaison with other health professionals
  • Experience of providing teaching and training
  • Experience of contributing to policy and service development.
  • Experience of working with adults with complex mental health difficulties.
  • Experience with clients who are on the autistic spectrum
  • Experience of working with groups

Qualifications

Essential

  • Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996)
  • HCPC registration

Desirable

  • Additional Psychotherapy qualification
  • Supervision qualification

Knowledge and Expertise

Essential

  • Skills in conducting complex psychological assessment and intervention frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
  • Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex and /or clinically sensitive information to clients and professional colleagues within and outside the NHS
  • Evidence of continuing professional development.
  • Skills in providing Consultation to other professionals and nonprofessional groups

Desirable

  • Experience of liaison with other health professionals.
  • Experience of providing teaching and training.
  • Experience of contributing to policy and service development.

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Applying for this NHS job

This advert is for Clinical Psychologist with Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust in Chester, North West, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Psychologist role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £64,750 per annum. The contract type is Fixed term: 12 months (The post holder will be required to cover all CMHTs within the locality). The application deadline is 21 Jul 2026.

Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (07 Jul 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.

For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.