Job summary
- Main area
- Adult Inpatient Psychological Services - Clinical / Counselling Psychologist
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 364-A-9036
- Employer
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Derwent Centre
- Town
- Harlow
- Salary
- £48,270 - £62,626 per annum incl. 5% Fringe High Cost Allowance
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 29/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading
7/8a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist - Inpatient Psychology Services
Band 8a
About Us
EPUT provides community health, mental health and learning disability services to support more than 3.2 million people living across Bedfordshire, Essex and Suffolk. Also:
- We are among the largest employers in the in the East of England region, with more than 10,000 staff working across more than 200 sites.
- We run the COVID-19 vaccination programme across mid and south Essex and Suffolk and north east Essex.
EPUT was formed on 1 April 2017 following the merger of North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT). A new leadership team was established at the Trust in 2020.
Our vision and values
Our Vision
“To be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care”.
Our Purpose
“We care for people every day. What we do together, matters”.
Our Values
- We Care
- We Learn
- We Empower
Our strategic objectives
- We will deliver safe, high quality integrated care services.
- We will enable each other to be the best that we can.
- We will work together with our partners to make our services better.
- We will help our communities to thrive.
Our services
- Mental Health Services
- Community Health Services
- Learning Disabilities Services
- Social Care
Find out more about the services we offer in our service directory.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a 1 WTE band 7/8a (Preceptorship) Clinical/Counselling Psychologists to join our Adult Inpatient Psychological Services Team at the Derwent Centre in Harlow.
You will be joining us at a time of implementation of the new Inpatient Operating Model, which also aims to realise EPUTs commitment to become a trauma informed organisation.
We have a proven track record of valuing and investing in our staff. Many of our Consultant Psychologists have been promoted within EPUT. We value staff well-being and understand the importance of flexible working to maintain a work/home life balance and offer different configurations, including compressed hours. Part time and job-share applications are welcome for discussion.
Registration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is essential and eligibility for registration with a professional body (BPS).
Applications from newly qualified clinical/counselling psychologists or those about to complete training are welcomed under a preceptorship arrangement.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for someone with experience of working with a range of presentations, who can formulate complexity and risk, and who works well within an MDT. Experience of in-patient settings is desirable but not essential. If you have experience of working with complex needs and trauma and enjoy the benefits and challenges of working in an MDT, please get in touch.
The post holder will join a team of Psychological Practitioners, including CPs, CBT therapists, APs, CAPs, and Arts Therapists. Excellent assessment, formulation and intervention skills are essential, as is an ability to work with service users in crisis.
Our commitment to caring for our staff will be clear in the duties of this role, which includes supervisory responsibilities, as well as teaching, training, debriefs and reflective practice for our ward staff. You will provide representation of psychology at meetings, offering psychological perspectives on case discussions and formulations. Your contributions to service development will also be welcomed.
Join EPUT for a wealth of benefits:
- A commitment to develop your career
- A preceptorship arrangement for newly qualified Clinical/Counselling Psychologists (when criteria have been fulfilled, usually 6-12 months post induction)
- A relocation package of up to £8000 pro rata (under specific terms)
- Access to Staff Networks, including: BAME; LGBTQ+; Faith; Carers; Disability
Working for our organisation
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer
- Access to Staff Networks, including: BAME; LGBTQ+; Faith; Carers; Disabilities
- Flexible working
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
We, the Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team aim to understand the impact of trauma and adverse experiences on an individual’s crisis presentation within the hospital setting. We work together with our MDT colleagues to ensure our Service Users experience purposeful inpatient admissions and timely discharges. The psychological services team are playing a particularly key role at this time, following the publication of the new Trauma Informed Operating Model for Adult Acute Inpatient Services. This is a great time to join us at such an exciting time of service development and innovation that this model affords.
EPUT’s Adult Inpatient Psychological Services team cover 6 inpatient sites across Essex. Each site has a Principal Lead overseeing the area. Our team is comprised of Principal/Senior Practitioners, Arts Psychotherapists, trainees and CAPS. We acknowledge the excellent day-to-day work of our staff team and pride ourselves on innovative and creative practice and our nationally recognised staff training packages.
Although based in an inpatient setting, strong links are encouraged with colleagues across the trust to facilitate transitions in and out of hospital of our service users experiencing a mental health crisis, and to ensure continued psychological service provision as appropriate.
This vacancy potentially attracts up to £6,000 training budget, calculated pro rata, available after 6 months successful probation, to be utilized within 3 years of appointment. Please note this offer is dependent of successful service agreement.
As well as applicants from the UK, we encourage overseas candidates to apply for this role. We welcome diversity within our organisation. We can offer guidance for candidates coming from overseas about settling into working in the UK and we have a programme to provide a ‘buddy’ for you, i.e. a member of the Psychological Services Directorate who has also emigrated to join us at EPUT and can guide you through as you settle into your new home. We understand that, as an overseas candidate, you will have gone through excellent training in your country of origin and we encourage you to join us
The Psychological Services Directorate enjoys good links with and supervises Trainee Clinical Psychologists from The University of East Anglia, University of Essex and University College training schemes. Clinical research, teaching and specialised interests are encouraged as well as formal courses. Members of the directorate have enjoyed secondments and learning opportunities across the Trust.
For more detailed information about the post, please see attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Person specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Doctoral level training in Clinical/Counselling Psychology OR equivalent Psychological Therapy training (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
- HCPC Registration and eligibility for BPS accreditation
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Good oral communication skills based on fluency on the English Language.
Desirable criteria
- Post accreditation training in additional specialised areas of psychological practice e.g. CBT, CBTp, EMDR, DBT, CAT or other..
- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists/psychological therapists
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of mental health legislation, NHS Constitution, CPA and risk assessment and management.
- British Psychological Society Code of Professional Conduct.
- Knowledge of psychological therapies and the application of current models of practice, specialist assessment tools and outcomes frameworks including specialist area of practice.
- Ability and knowledge to select and apply psychological specific interventions in the delivery of the Trust’s multi professional pathways and in accordance with mental health evidence-based recommended interventions.
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS for Clinical/Counselling Psychologist and OR recommended by BABCP/BACP for Psychological Therapists
- Experience of working as a qualified clinical/counselling psychologist or psychological therapist for a minimum of two years
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
- Dr Karin Sjostrom
- Job title
- Principal Clinical Psychologist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07811 005570
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