Job requirements
Requirements from the employer’s person specification. These describe the role, not your personal match.
Essential
12 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Significant experience of work with personality disorders in a range of settings or agencies.
- Experience
Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
- Qualifications
Qualified Family Therapist
- Qualifications
Registration with HCPC/ UKCP/ other regulatory/professional body.
- Qualifications
Further training in clinical specialist (personality disorders)
- Qualifications
Further training in related area (Personality Disorders).
- Knowledge & Skills
Broad knowledge of specialist services and of the services in the NHS where family therapy is commonly applied.
- Knowledge & Skills
Extensive knowledge of the skills, practice and knowledge base of family therapy.
- Knowledge & Skills
Strong leadership qualities, resilience and ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty.
- Knowledge & Skills
Ability to integrate complex data, make highly skilled evaluations and decisions and take a long term perspective.
- Knowledge & Skills
Highly skilled in specialist interventions with the client group.
- Knowledge & Skills
Advanced psychological/psychotherapeutic assessment and formulation skills including risk assessment.
Desirable
Not listed in the available specification.
Job summary
We are looking for a Specialist Family Therapist to join the newly formed Specialist Family Therapy service, supporting complex patients under the care of Specialist services within Devon Partnership NHS Trust. The post will be based in Exeter for 22.5 hours per week.
This post represents an exciting opportunity for a qualified family therapist to be involved in building and growing a new service. The service will aim to support people who are under the care of Specialist services within Devon Partnership NHS Trust, particularly where those individuals have complex emotional needs.
The post involves working alongside the family therapist to deliver family and systemic therapy as part of an overall care plan. The service will also provide consultation and advice to other teams within the Specialist directorate. The post-holder will provide supervision to the band 7 family therapist.
There will also be opportunities to be involved in service design and development as well as training and workforce development to grow our family therapy offering. There are strong links to other family therapists working within Devon Partnership NHS Trust and opportunities for professional development.
Main duties of the job
You will be an experienced family therapist, with an interest in developing services and growing the profile of the profession. Experience in working with people who have complex emotional needs or other significant clinical complexity would be an advantage.
Opportunities for further training in these approaches are available. We also have collaborative links with the IAPT service that has a long-term conditions team.
Family therapists working in Devon Partnership NHS Trust have excellent links with the Family and Systemic Therapy training programme at the Universities of Exeter and we would like to develop opportunities for service-related research and the provision of training placements.
Your base will be in Exeter, and a physical presence with the team is valued, however, alternative arrangements are possible for example an amount of home working. Please be assured that any alternatives will be discussed fully with you and the organisation. Please ask the appointing manager if you have any questions.
About us
About Devon Partnership Trust
We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.
We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.
We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.
Details
- Date posted: 06 August 2026
- Pay scheme: Agenda for change
- Band: Band 8a
- Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year pro rata (22.5 hours per week)
- Contract: Permanent
- Working pattern: Flexible working
- Reference number: C9369-26-0576
- Job locations: Devon Partnership NHS Trust, Church Lane, Heavitree, EXETER, Devon, EX2 5DY, United Kingdom
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Family Therapist (Band 8a) with Devon Partnership NHS Trust in Dawlish, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Family therapist role. The advertised salary is £57528.00 to £64750.00. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 14 Sep 2026.
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