Job summary
- Main area
- Early Intervention in Psychosis
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8b
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 22.5 hours per week (TBC in discussion with successful candidate - likely to include Mondays & Wednesdays)
- Job ref
- 363-CH7345423
- Employer
- East London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Vivienne Cohen House
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £72,921 - £83,362 per annum pro rata Inc HCAs
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 30/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading

Early Intervention in Psychosis Lead Psychologist
NHS AfC: Band 8b
ELFT has long been recognised as a centre of excellence for mental and health care, innovation and improvement. So it is a very exciting time for you to come and work for us. Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated Band 8b registered clinical psychologist to work across the City and Hackney EQUIP and Heads Up Teams. EQUIP provides an assertive and responsive service to adults aged 18 – 65 for up to 3 years during their recovery from a first episode of psychosis. The service covers the City of London and London Borough of Hackney. Emphasis is placed on maximising wellbeing and on social, psychological, physical and educational/vocational recovery. The team works to standards set for early intervention in psychosis teams and participates in the annual National Clinical Audit on Psychosis. The team also works closely with the early detection team, HEADS UP, which provides support to those who are at risk of developing psychosis, and actively connects with local community groups in order to improve detection rates of this group.
This post would be suitable for someone with significant experience, a strong interest in psychosis and early intervention and a collaborative approach to leadership. The successful candidate will be responsible for the provision of psychology across EQUIP and Heads Up. They will also work closely with the operational lead and consultant psychiatrists as a member of the senior management team.
Main duties of the job
The principal psychologist role provides leadership to and management of the psychology staff within the service, as well as contributing to the senior management team within the service. The post holder will work alongside clinical and/or counselling psychologists already in post to support individuals who are experiencing or at risk of developing first episode psychosis and their families/carers.
The post holder will supervise and line manage the psychological professions in the team and lead on other aspects of governance required to deliver an effective service.
Whilst there may be opportunities for a small caseload as well as supporting the team with complex assessments and psychological consultations, the main focus of the role is on the team’s provision of effective and timely psychological interventions in accordance with NICE guidelines for Early Intervention in Psychosis, and ensuring that the psychological professionals are suitably led and supported towards that aim.
Working for our organisation
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• Provide and/or coordinate clinical & managerial supervision for the psychologists in EQUIP and Heads Up (henceforth referred to as “the teams”), placing the service user at the centre of service planning and delivery
• Ensure that staffing provision within the psychological profession is in line with service need and the established budget and to develop relevant and meaningful job plans for that group
• Lead on recruitment processes for psychological professionals
• Oversee the effective administration of the waiting list, including allocation of work to specific team members
• Oversee and lead on the development of psychology provision for first episode psychosis in EQUIP and Heads Up in line with national guidance and other early intervention services across East London
• Provide specialist assessment and formulation of service users with complex presentations
• Potentially provide specialist evidence-based intervention to service users, including CBT for psychosis and Family Intervention
• Offer psychotherapeutic insights, consultation, supervision and teaching to team members as appropriate
• Participate as an active member of the EQUIP and Heads Up senior leadership team in regards to service development, evaluation and research
• Represent EQUIP and Heads Up psychology in Psychological Professionals Leadership meetings, both within City and Hackney as well as trust wide in East London
• Leading on innovation in the team with regards to developing care pathways that best meet the needs of the service users in collaboration with users, carers, other statutory and voluntary sector organisations
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology
- HCPC registration
- Clinical Supervision Training
- Trained in Behavioural Family Therapy/other family interventions
Desirable criteria
- Management Training
- Other relevant specialist training or qualifications
Experience
Essential criteria
- Substantial experience of working as a qualified clinical/counselling psychologist in a community mental health setting
- Substantial experience of providing CBTp in a community setting
- Work within at least 2 therapy modalities
- Research experience
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
- Experience of developing and delivering specialist training programmes
- Experience of supervising professional and clinical practice of qualified and unqualified staff
- Identification of need and development of services to meet need
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts
Desirable criteria
- Management skills
- Experience of working in an early intervention service with first episode psychosis
- Experience in systemic interventions/working with families
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to work creatively, co-operatively, reliably and consistently as an independent practitioner, as a mentor and supervisor, and in multi-disciplinary and team settings
- Competent in use of keyboard skills and basic IT packages – word processing, excel, e-mail and internet, powerpoint
- Ability to provide a culturally-competent and non-stigmatising service including an awareness of the potential impact of discrimination and disadvantage on mental health
Aptitude/Values
Essential criteria
- Enthusiasm for a broad range of psychological phenomena, and an interest in models of service delivery
- Able to manage effectively frequent exposure to highly distressing/highly emotional circumstances and exposure to traumatic circumstances
- Respectful approach to service users, families, carers, colleagues and other professionals
- Able to articulate the value added by psychological interventions within the context of multi-disciplinary mental health services, while showing respect for the expertise of others
- Must be capable of accountability for own work, of autonomous clinical practice, of being guided by precedent and of working towards defined results
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
- Susan Sturdy
- Job title
- Operational Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07769 557 072
- Additional information
Marion Bates, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, 020 4614 5685
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