Clinical Psychologist (Band 8a)

Job content

Job Summary

Are you interested bringing your experience and creativity to a clinical or counselling-based Psychologist role? We have a band 8a Psychologist role available within our friendly, supportive Community Mental Health team.

As an HCPC registered psychologist you will work within the community mental health pathways, providing psychological assessment, formulation, and therapy to adult and older adult patients with complex co-morbid physical and mental and emotional health problems.

You would lead and/or contribute to service development and evaluation. Liaising with a wide range of partners is central to the role..

This full-time post (37.5 hours), 9am-5pm is based in Bridgwater, Somerset. We would consider consolidated hours/hybrid working for the right candidates and there is free on-site parking!

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is a trailblazer for the Community Mental Health Framework and as such we are dismantling the traditional barriers to accessing care. We have greatly expanded our mental health staffing in the organisation to enable people to access the right interventions, at the right time and in the right place. Part of the psychological workforce development has been training a cohort of Clinical Associate Psychologists (CAP) - the second Trust nationally to do this.

Main duties of the job

• You’ll be responsible for providing highly specialised psychological assessment and treatment with clients.
• Be able to carry a clinical caseload, and to offer direct clinical interventions to service users, including evidence-based therapy where appropriate, and/or flexible, innovative interventions to enable, empower and engage with service users at different stages of the change cycle.
• Be able to think creatively, embrace co-production and work with colleagues to help us offer a wide-ranging, flexible and positive response to people seeking support for their mental health.
• You would be joining a highly skilled team who are trained in a variety of psychological approaches including CAT, CBT, EMDR, DBT, Art Therapy and Systemic family therapy. These approaches aim to identify, promote, and discover an individual’s strengths, and resilience to enable them to ’thrive not just survive’.
  
  

We will support you to develop as a clinician and as a clinical leader, through management and clinical supervision, having access to training and development opportunities within and outside the Trust.

This is a great opportunity to join a well-established network of psychological therapists and psychologists integrated with wider community mental health services.

You will also be joining a team who occasionally like to socialise; we go out for meals, enjoy team nights out and get-togethers if that’s your thing!

About Us

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust was awarded the Health Service Journal Award for Mental Health Trust of the Year in 2021.

As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, continuing professional development and regular informal conversations around career progression, annual recognition awards to celebrate and recognise our colleagues achievements throughout the year and not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.

We work hard to make sure that inclusion is part of everything we do. We know that true inclusion means we’re able to provide the best care for our patients and provide a fulfilling career for all our colleagues.

The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone’s throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London - there is truly something for everyone!.

We Have Six Active And Impactful Colleague Networks. These Networks Provide a Safe Space For Colleagues To Share Their Experiences And Learn From One Another, But Also Influence Change Across Our Trust

• Multicultural Network
• Women’s Network
• Armed Forces’ Network
• LGBTQ+ Network
• Lived Experience Network, for colleagues living with disabilities
• Autistic Colleague Network
  
  

Job Description Job Responsibilities

You would be responsible for providing psychological clinical leadership and specialist interventions regarding the care of service users with complex, severe and enduring mental health difficulties within the community mental health setting, to ensure that the care provided is effective, well led, responsive and compassionate.

Please See Full Job Description Attached For More Details.

Person Specification QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING Essential

• Doctoral Clinical / Counselling Psychology qualification or equivalent
• Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
  
  

Desirable

• Relevant specialist CPD qualification or post-qualification training in psychological therapy
• Management training/ qualification
• Clinical supervision training
  
  

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE Essential

• Significant specialist post qualification experience in the field of severe mental illness.
• Experience of work across service settings and agencies.
• Clinical and audit work within specialist area.
• Teaching/training with range of staff and other professions.
• Supervision experience with all grades of staff.
• Working with clients presenting risk to self and/or others.
  
  

Desirable

• Experience managing Services
  
  

Skills and Abilities Essential

• Highly developed In-depth knowledge of specialist therapeutic interventions with the client group, including at least two subspecialty areas, underpinned by comprehensive theoretical knowledge.
• Advanced assessment and formulation skills.
• Knowledge of legislation and its implications for clinical practice and professional management, including complex child protection issues.
• Change and project management techniques
  
  

Desirable

• Understanding of Health Services Management and Policy
  
  

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bridgwater CMHS

Glanville House

Bridgwater

TA6 5AT

Employer’s website

https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)