Job overview
We are looking for an energetic and enthusiastic Practitioner Psychologist (band 7/8a or 8a). Our team works across each locality to more flexibly meet the needs of service users - and this also allows for greater peer support, and more opportunities to develop specialist skills and interests.
We have a 0.7wte post, with the current post holder moving on to a promotional post.
The successful applicant would work substantively in Hamadryad CMHT (an urban team covering a socially diverse part of South Cardiff), with a small amount protected 'clinic time’ in a neighbouring CMHT. They would join a newly appointed psychologist, and the experienced 8b psychologist.
We can offer 7/8a developmental posts, or 8a posts. The 8a is an excellent opportunity for those looking to progress their career, and we can support you with making the move from band 7. It is also a great way for established 8as to develop their career, offering a chance to pursue special interests and contribute to service development.
We are keen to hear from applicants who are completing training this year: we have a well-established pathway for our 7/8a developmental posts. We offer a development programme giving the opportunity to consolidate training, further develop skills and competencies and to transition to 8a through successful completion.
Main duties of the job
Working in CMHTs offers a rich diversity of experiences. You will provide a range of psychological services to persons with a wide range of complex or enduring psychological distress (individual and group therapy; assessment, including cognitive and other specialist assessments; care planning etc). You will also work with your colleagues to offer advice, formulation, consultation, supervision and training.
Each CMHT has an established in-team psychologist and these posts will add to that provision. This is a rare chance to work alongside professional peers in truly multi-disciplinary teams.
The posts are managed by the service lead for CMHT Psychology, and report to a Locality Lead Psychologist.
We have a well-established framework for reflective, caseload and peer supervision, as well as access to model-specific supervision for people using EMDR, IPT or facilitating our DBT groups. We have accredited BABCP practitioners who can supervise and support people who are themselves looking for full CBT accreditation. There are good in-house opportunities for CPD, including substantive training in Interpersonal Therapy and Open Dialogue Approach.
It is an exciting time to be part of psychology provision in the Community Mental Health Teams for Cardiff & Vale UHB.
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
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click "Apply now" to view in Trac
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.
Welsh language skills are desirable
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Ability to make clinical and service-related judgments involving complex facts requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of several options.
- Ability to contribute to the development of, and to implement, agreed policies and strategic long-term service developments.
- Ability to use the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills to convey and receive highly complex/sensitive information effectively, requiring empathy and reassurance, in a highly emotive atmosphere and the ability to overcome psychological resistance to potentially threatening information, whilst maintaining a high degree of professionalism at all times.
Desirable
- Experience of the development and implementation of policies and strategic long-term service developments.
Experience
Essential
- Experience in applying clinical/counselling psychology in the NHS, including cognitive and structured assessment, formulation, intervention, research and service development.
- Experience of effective multi-disciplinary team working in NHS or equivalent.
- for band 8a: Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients’ psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with mental health/psychological problems in a medical setting; problems presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, in-patient and residential care settings and maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems.
- Experience of teaching/training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- for band 7: Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients’ psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
Qualifications
Essential
- Good Honours degree in Psychology with eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the BPS.
- Post-graduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology accredited by the HCPC (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 as accredited by the BPS) OR (for trainees) doctorate to be completed by end of 2024
- HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist OR (for trainees) eligible by October 2024
Desirable
- 8a Practitioner Psychologist: Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialist areas of psychological practice.
Special knowledge
Essential
- Practitioner Psychologist: Doctoral level knowledge of clinical/counselling psychology theory and practice, assessment, psychological therapies and their application.
- Practitioner Psychologist: Participation with CPD as recommended by the BPS.
Desirable
- 8a Practitioner Psychologist: Post-doctoral training in relevant specialist areas of psychological practice (e.g. assessment of autism; working with psychosis; specific psychosocial approaches).
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical or Counselling) with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in Community Mental Health Teams. It is listed as a Band 7 Psychologist role. The advertised salary is £50,129 - £65,723 per annum pro rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 03 Sep 2026.
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