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Job summary

Main area
Pain Management
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Part time
  • Flexible working
18 hours per week
Job ref
216-LT-DD8034600
Employer
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Marjons University
Town
Plymouth
Salary
£49,387 - £64,750 Dependent on experience
Closing
22/06/2026 23:59

Employer heading

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust logo

Applied Psychologist/Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 8a

Job overview

This post is offered at either Band 7 (developmental) or Band 8a (senior) level, depending on the experience and competencies of the successful candidate.

At Band 7, the post holder will work as a developing specialist pain management psychologist, providing high-quality psychological assessment and intervention for individuals with persistent pain as part of a multidisciplinary team. They will work with a degree of autonomy within clearly defined clinical frameworks, receiving regular clinical supervision, and contributing to service delivery, audit, and development activities.

At Band 8a, the post holder will function as a senior specialist psychologist, delivering highly specialist psychological care for complex and high-risk presentations in persistent pain. They will work with a high level of clinical autonomy and be responsible for providing clinical leadership within the multidisciplinary team, including supervision of other staff, contributing to service development and innovation, and supporting the strategic direction of the service.

***Please note that applications from temporary workers who have been engaged with the Trust for a minimum of 3 months are welcome.***

Main duties of the job

Across both levels, the role will contribute to the delivery of evidence-based psychological interventions, multidisciplinary team working, and the ongoing development of a high-quality pain management service

  • Within a busy Pain Clinic, work as part of a close inter-disciplinary team. 
  • Develop, co-ordinate, facilitate and deliver generic and specialised pain management programmes.
  • Work autonomously within the pain clinic to deliver intensive 1:1 intervention.
  • Assess highly complex pain patients for 1:1, group work and specialist medical procedures.
  • Act as a highly specialist resource to the wider professional community (Applicable for Band 8a)
  • Support policy implementation and service development.
  • Participate in audit and research.

 

Working for our organisation

We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY.

If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment manager for this post who will put you in touch with the recruitment team. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • Interpret and integrate complex data from a variety of sources including psychometric tests, direct and indirect observations, and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in their care.
  • Formulate a care pathway for either group or individual work, as appropriate.
  • Assessment for group work includes careful consideration of group dynamics and individual motivational factors (including stages of change).
  • Utilise Motivational Interviewing skills during assessment and intervention.
  • Work as part of an inter-disciplinary team in the development, delivery and evaluation of generic and specialised PMPs and group based programmes
  • Provide evidence-based short-medium term intervention for clients experiencing psychological barriers to effective management of their chronic pain condition.
  • Following a comprehensive and rigorous psychological assessment, provide feedback to an interdisciplinary team to inform upon the appropriateness of invasive procedures such as implantation of spinal cord stimulator (applicable for Band 8a)
  •  Act at all times in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society.

For further information please see attached job description

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council
Desirable criteria
  • Additional qualifications in health-specific clinical psychology, especially pain management.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria
  • Demonstrable experience of using evidence based psychological interventions for the assessment and treatment of a wide variety of psychological problems.
  • Demonstrable experience of providing both group based and individual interventions.
Desirable criteria
  • Demonstrable experience of teaching or training other professional in psychological concepts.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Disability confident leaderArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Defence 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 Annily Dee
Job title
Principal Psychologist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01752 431832
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