Job summary
- Main area
- Lead Clinician
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 373-SMH2480
- Employer
- Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- 1829 Building Countess of Chester Health Park
- Town
- Chester
- Salary
- £55,690 - £62,682 Per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 08/02/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 18/02/2026
Employer heading
Lead Clinician
Band 8a
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Lead Clinician to work with the Cheshire West NHS Talking Therapies Service. The post will
include working closely with the Clinical lead and supporting the Operational Service Manager in the development and delivery of a high quality, responsive, accessible, efficient and evidence based Talking Therapies service across the stepped care model for adults in primary care mental health.
You will liaise and maintain positive relationships with key stakeholders, ensuring that our NHS Talking Therapies Service remains a respected and
valued partner within the changing mental health landscape.
It is essential you have an NHS Talking Therapies therapy and supervisor qualification and are an accredited practitioner, along with experience of
working within an NHS Talking Therapies Service.
Shortlisting to take place 9th Feb.
Interviews to take place 18th or 20th Feb.
Main duties of the job
To take a managerial lead working within the organisational strategy and broad policies in the development and implementation of the West Cheshire NHS Talking Therapies Service.
To ensure that the Service Provision works in effective partnership with the relevant internal and external stakeholders in relation to the West Cheshire Talking Therapies Service.
To provide specialist psychological assessment, therapy and clinical supervision as well as providing consultation and advice on clients’
psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and to other, non-professional carers.
To take a managerial lead working within the organisational strategy and broad policies in the development and implementation of the service
provision on behalf of the Care Group Management team.
To ensure that the Service Provision works in effective partnership with the relevant internal and external stakeholders.
Working for our organisation
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all-age disability care, as well as the provision of three GP surgeries in Cheshire.
We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton and Liverpool.
Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person-centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.
As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible and developing a culture that values differences, and welcome applications from people who have direct experience of accessing our services.
All new starters will commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support you to meet the induction / initial training requirements of the role.
Whether you are just starting out in your career or looking to use your existing skills and experience in a new role, you’ll find something to suit you at CWP.
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
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Post graduate level qualification in relevant psychological therapy
- Relevant supervision qualification
- Appropriate professional registration/Accreditation
Desirable criteria
- Additional psychotherapy qualification
- Core NHS/Social Care professional training
Knowledge and Expertise
Essential criteria
- Post-qualification NHS experience of working as a psychological therapist with adult clients with varied psychological problems
- Experience of engaging and sustaining work with ambivalent clients
- Experience of exercising clinical responsibility for clients’ psychological care within the context of a multi –disciplinary working
Desirable criteria
- Experience of providing teaching and training
- Experience of contributing to policy and service development
- Experience of liaison with other health professionals
Experience
Essential criteria
- A well-developed professional portfolio demonstrating extensive clinical and leadership experience
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with GPs, other clinicians and external stakeholders
- Ability to build effective working relationships across diverse stakeholder groups
- Ability to lead and influence others
- Ability to supervise, mentor and support staff
Desirable criteria
- Experience of liaison with other health professionals
- Experience of providing teaching and training
- Experience of leading on specific projects
- Experience of performance management
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Alan Woodward
- Job title
- Operational Service Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01244 397575
- Additional information
If you consider yourself Neurodivergent and need help to complete your application form, please contact [email protected] or telephone 01244 393100
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