Job summary
- Main area
- Psychology
- Grade
- Band 8b
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 246-GYW7632403
- Employer
- Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Lothingland Community Unit
- Town
- Lowestoft
- Salary
- gross per annum pro rata
- Closing
- 02/02/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist
Band 8b
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust provides child and adult mental health services, learning disability, wellbeing, older people's and eating disorder services across Norfolk and Suffolk.
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and want to reflect the diversity of our local communities within our teams. We welcome applications from all talented individuals with the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience
Job overview
Are you an experienced Practitioner Psychologist looking to join a dedicated and welcoming Community Learning Disabilities Team?
The North Suffolk Community Learning Disabilities Service welcomes applications from HCPC registered practitioner psychologists to join our friendly, person-centred team. If you value collaboration, innovation, and making a positive impact, we’d love to hear from you.
You will be required to provide clinical supervision, in line with your experience.
In this role, as an experienced clinician, you’ll deliver high-quality psychological care to adults with learning disabilities, shaping the support around them and promoting independence. You’ll work within a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team alongside partner agencies, ensuring a flexible and responsive approach. We also encourage you to develop your own specialist interests within the field. As services are delivered across our catchment area, some travel will be required.
We have close links with the University of East Anglia from whom we take clinical psychology trainees on a regular basis.
Based in Oulton, near Lowestoft, the location offers the perfect balance of professional fulfilment amidst the lifestyle benefits of the beautiful Suffolk coast and Broads National Park. We look forward to hearing from you.
Main duties of the job
Clinical Delivery: Maintain a clinical caseload, delivering high-quality psychological interventions within our community learning disabilities services. Provide clinical guidance and leadership within the team, ensuring high standards of psychological care.
Service Development: Expanding access to psychological assessment, formulation, and evidence-based interventions, enhancing collaboration, treatment choice, and effectiveness.
Supervision & Line Management: Offer supervision to psychological professionals and trainees, fostering a culture of learning and excellence within learning disabilities services.
Training & Development: Helping to deliver and embed psychologically informed practices within our multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) and in wider services, supporting evidence-based models of psychological care.
Staff Wellbeing & Resilience: Promote staff wellbeing by leading reflective supervision and providing support to enhance resilience and retention.
Service User Engagement: Lead and promote collaborative service development, empowering service users to actively shape psychological services through meaningful co-creation.
Innovation & Research: Collaborate with local universities to support teaching and supervise doctoral trainees. Contribute to research and quality improvement initiatives.
Working for our organisation
At Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT), we are proud of our commitment to delivering innovative, compassionate, and person-centred care. Our team is dedicated to upholding the TALK values: Teamwork, Accountability, Learning, and Kindness, creating an environment where service users and staff thrive.
We value diversity and inclusion, and actively welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are committed to supporting the growth and development of psychological professionals through strong partnerships with local universities, offering opportunities for teaching, research, and supervision of doctoral trainees.
You’ll be joining a forward-thinking team where innovation is encouraged, and quality improvement is a priority. Together, we aim to provide safer, kinder, and better care to our communities. If you’re ready to make a difference, we want to hear from you!
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached Job Description (including Person Specification) for the Band 8b role for a detailed breakdown of responsibilities and key requirements. Applications are welcomed from both clinical and counselling psychologists.
Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology, or its equivalent, including eligibility for chartered status with the BPS
- Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of CPD in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
- Masters level degree following Batchelors degree
- Formal training in autism diagnosis
Experience
Essential criteria
- Specialist complex psychological assessment and treatment of people with a wide range of mental health problems, of varying severity and complexity.
- Extensive experience of working as a qualified clinical or counselling psychologist and evidence of specialist knowledge gained through practice and ongoing training
- Teaching, training and delivering clinical supervision.
Desirable criteria
- Experience in learning disabilities services
- Experience with assessment of neurodiversity (autism/ADHD)
- Supervision of clinical or counselling psychology trainees at doctorate level
Skills
Essential criteria
- Assessment, evaluation and management of risk associated with mental ill health and related psychopathology
Desirable criteria
- Experience in the use of diagnostic systems/processes relating to autism and other neurodiversity
- Familiarity in depth with at least two models of interpersonal psychotherapy delivered within a learning disabilities service
- Experience in treating PTSD and therapeutic use of trauma informed approaches
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in difficult to treat groups (e.g. neurodiversity, personality disorder, dual diagnosis, people with additional disabilities etc.)
Desirable criteria
- Practitioner level knowledge of at least two models of psychological therapy
- Knowledge of assessment and diagnosis in neurodiversity (autism / ADHD)
Other
Desirable criteria
- Experience of providing specific support intervention and strategy for staff
- Experience in more than one specialism in more than one type of setting (e.g. learning disabilities, older adults,community, inpatient
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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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
- Clive Hudson
- Job title
- Associate Director of Learning Disabilities
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01502 535020
- Additional information
For an informal conversation or further information, please contact the Associate Director of Learning Disabilities Psychology, Clive Hudson ([email protected]) or the Clinical Team Leader, Andy Crumly ([email protected])
If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, click APPLY today! We welcome discussions about your needs for a flexible post.
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