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Job summary

Main area
Forensic/Clinical Psychology
Grade
8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
373-SMH2450
Employer
Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Soss Moss Site,
Town
Macclesfield
Salary
£55,690 - £62,682 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
09/09/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FoundationTrust logo

Clinical Psychologist

8a

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, empathic and optimistic  Clinical Psychologist to work within the Forensic Services.  The Service consist of two inpatient low secure wards: one for men who are neurodiverse and one for men with Mental Health experiences; both service user groups with complex risk patterns. The services are  integrated with community based forensic inreach and outreach services and wider regional forensic services at different levels of security. 

 

We are looking for applicants who have experience of,  or committed to, working with people with mental health difficulties and/or Intellectual Disabilities and Autism (with significant risk histories) who can demonstrate skills and motivation to support  service users in their recovery and increased quality of life and safe move onwards from hospital. 

 

The post is offered as a permanent 8a position for an experienced Clinical Psychologist, and applications are also welcome from recently /soon to be qualified individuals 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.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will provide in depth psychological assessments (including structured professional judgement tools), individual and systemic formulations, evidence based specialised psychological interventions (direct and indirect), and clinical supervision and training to internal and external agencies.

The successful candidate will work alongside fully integrated enthusiastic and innovative multi-disciplinary staff teams who are fully supportive of psychological approaches. 

We are a warm and friendly team and importance is placed on your own supervision and ongoing CPD. Training in assessments and evidence based interventions will be provided throughout your time within the team.

There will be very supportive and close  links to the other Clinical Psychologists across the trust including others in preceptorship roles and in particular Clinical Psychologists within Forensic, Step Down  and Learning Disability services.

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 doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) or post graduate doctoral level training in forensic psychology
  • HCPC registered
Desirable criteria
  • Psychotherapy Qualification
  • Supervision Qualification
  • Core professional training

Knowlede and Expertise

Essential criteria
  • Skills at conducting complex psychological assessments and interventions 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 colleagues within and outside the NHS
  • Evidence of continuing professional development
  • Skills in providing consultation to other professionals and non professional groups
Desirable criteria
  • Expertise in liaison with other health professionals
  • Experience of providing teaching and training
  • Expertise in contributing to policy and service development

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Post qualification experience working as a clinical psychologist with adult service users with varied psychological problems
  • Experience of engaging and working with ambivalent clients
  • Experience of exercising clinical responsibility for service users' psychological care within the context of multidisciplinary teams and care plans
Desirable criteria
  • 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 service users with complex psychological needs
  • Experience with neuropsychological assessment

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardWe are a Living Wage EmployerVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyJob share policyAge positiveCare quality commission - GoodDisability confident employerNHS Rainbow Badge - BronzeDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - Gold

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr Rebecca Swarbrick
Job title
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01625862501
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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