Job summary
- Main area
- Eating Disorders
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent: Monday to Friday: 09:00 - 17:00
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job ref
- 152-M099.25
- Employer
- Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Kings Park Hospital
- Town
- Bournemouth
- Salary
- £53,755 - £60,504 p.a., pro and rata for part time
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 23/07/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Clinical / Counselling Psychologist
Band 8a
Job overview
We have an exciting opportunity for a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to join our progressive and supportive Dorset All Age Community Eating Disorder Service, which provides assessment, treatment, and ongoing care for individuals of all ages with eating disorders and their families.
This is a full-time/part-time, permanent post. We welcome applications from individuals with experience in eating disorders, as well as those who bring a broader understanding of mental health conditions to support their effective management within our service.
The successful applicant will be primarily based at Kings Park Hospital, Bournemouth, with plans for the service to relocate to St Ann’s Hospital, Poole, in 2027. The role will also involve working from Dorchester, contributing to the wider delivery of care across the locality.
You will be joining an experienced, multidisciplinary team committed to delivering high-quality, NICE-concordant care within a psychologically informed framework. The role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the psychological assessment, formulation, and treatment of individuals with eating disorders, and working collaboratively in a well-established MDT.
Regular clinical supervision and access to a wide range of CPD opportunities will be provided to support your ongoing professional development.
Applications from candidates that require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are unfortunately ineligible to apply for this position.
Main duties of the job
To deliver a highly specialist clinical psychology service to people with an eating disorder and their families, based in the community arm of the Dorset All Age Eating Disorders Service.
Direct clinical work would include specialist assessment and tailored therapeutic interventions for individual and families, as well as developing and facilitating therapeutic group work within the inpatient and day program.
You would play a valuable role within multi-disciplinary team discussion, with regular attendance at the Treatment Reviews - contributing psychological formulations and making recommendations for the ongoing assessment and treatment of patients.
Consultation to and supervision of colleagues within the service and within broader mental health services.
You would be an integral member of the senior staff team, actively contributing to service development and in promoting quality and a compassionate, client-led ethos within the service.
An important part of the Psychologist role is to view and represent people with eating disorders as complex, unique individuals rather than diagnoses and involve them collaboratively in the understanding of their difficulties and the planning of appropriate interventions.
Employment in this post requires an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which the Trust will cover the cost of. Applicants who subscribe to the DBS update service are able to present a valid DBS certificate instead of requiring a new check.
Working for our organisation
At Dorset HealthCare we’re on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined-up healthcare services. We’re a dynamic, forward-looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people.
We do things differently here – it’s one of the reasons the CQC rated us ‘outstanding’ in 2019. It’s also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you’re looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities.
Our 7,000-strong workforce is at the heart of what we do and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities and we celebrate diversity. We’re an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves.
Working with us you’ll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don’t know. And you’ll be working towards our vision to be better every day through excellence, compassion and expertise in all we do.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.
As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare is working in partnership with The Prince’s Trust to support people getting into work, as part of this partnership, we are offering an employability service to support individuals between 16-30 years old with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support please do contact [email protected]
Person specification
Knowledge, Skills and Training
Essential criteria
- Doctoral Clinical Qualification or equivalent Eligible for Chartered Clinical Psychologist status
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.
- Experience of working in eating disorders settings: with complex presentations; assessing, planning, and implementing programmes of care; Care Coordination; caseload management; risk/crisis management; problem resolution
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of legislation, white papers, etc. and implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to those with eating disorders and other mental health difficulties.
- Additional training in evidence-based psychological therapies such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy or RO-DBT.
Job specific experience
Essential criteria
- Clinical experience of working with people with eating disorders across the age range. Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
- Experience of developing, running and supervising groups established on evidence-based practice
- Experience of training staff and disciplines from a range of agencies in mental health issues and in the development and application of evidence based psychological therapies skills.
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnose).
Managerial/supervisory experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of providing clinical supervision to multi-disciplinary staff for both 1:1 work and group-work.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of providing clinical supervision to trainees, assistant psychologists, and other junior grades.
Information Technology
Essential criteria
- Basic IT skills, normally obtained through practice or practical training Demonstrable experience of using word processing, spreadsheet, database and or presentation software
Desirable criteria
- Familiarity with the use of electronic patient records i.e. Rio and System1
Personal qualities/attributes
Essential criteria
- Ability to use a range of assessment materials. (including psychometric tests) Ability to manipulate test materials that require a high level of speed, accuracy, and concentration.
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
- Lee Barker
- Job title
- Community Service Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Please look at the Job Description and Person Specifications attached, we are happy to discuss the role in further detail please contact Lee Barker (Community Service Manager), Cat Birtwell (CBT Lead for Eating Disorders) or Dr Nicus Kotze (Consultant Psychiatrist) on 0300 0191771
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