Job summary
- Main area
- Psychology
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8b
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Mon-Fri 9-5 with occasional planned out of hours support)
- Job ref
- 301-LBG-25-7491185
- Employer
- Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Flannagan Centre, St Georges Hospital
- Town
- Stafford
- Salary
- £64,455 - £74,896 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/10/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Principal Applied Psychologist - Intensive Support Team - South Staffs
NHS AfC: Band 8b
Job overview
We are seeking an experienced psychological practitioner with excellent communication skills to join our well established and recently expanded Intensive Support Team (IST) in South Staffordshire.
Working as part of our IST, you will provide effective, evidence-based interventions with the aim of improving quality of life, autonomy, psychological wellbeing and reducing the risk of placement breakdowns, inappropriate admissions to specialist hospital and the use of restrictive practices.
You will have experience of Positive Behavioural Support and of working therapeutically with people with learning disabilities in a variety of settings; including working with people who have complex mental and/or physical health needs, autism, and complex behavioural needs. You will be an experienced psychological practitioner who relishes multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working, and someone who can work creatively to secure good outcomes. An active interest in research is also highly desirable.
Your colleagues within the IST will include nurses, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and an assistant psychologist. Support from physiotherapists and psychiatry colleagues are available from the wider Community Learning Disability Team (CLDT).
As a psychologist in the IST, you will benefit from the support of a large number of highly talented, enthusiastic and friendly psychological practitioner colleagues from within the CLDT.
Main duties of the job
To provide highly specialist clinical psychology input to South Staffordshire’s Intensive Support Team (IST). Working as a lead principal psychologist within the multi-disciplinary IST to offer effective, evidence-based interventions with the aim of improving quality of life, skill level (autonomy) and psychological wellbeing and to reduce the risk of placement breakdowns and the use of restrictive practices.
To offer specialist support, advice and clinical supervision to other staff providing psychologically based care and treatment to service users with a learning disability; including Band 7 and 8a Applied Psychologists, Clinical Psychologists in Training, Assistant Psychologists and other qualified colleagues as appropriate.
To provide leadership and advice on the appropriate provision of non-pharmacological interventions to support the adult learning disability service to deliver on its aspirations for the Stopping the Overmedication of People with a Learning Disability and Autistic People (STOMP) agenda; and to deliver services in line with NG 11 (NICE Guideline -Challenging behaviour and learning disabilities: prevention and interventions for people with learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges).
Working for our organisation
Come and work with us at our award-winning NHS Trust, leading the way for trying new and better ways of working to help improve life for our local communities.
We have around 9,000 staff who provide physical and mental healthcare, support for people with learning disabilities, and adult social care across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin. We also run regional and national services, including help for new parents (perinatal care), eating disorders, forensic services, sexual health, and support for people in prison with mental health, drug, or alcohol problems.
We offer great career development for both clinical and non-clinical roles, with ongoing training and support to help you learn and grow.
We are ‘United in our Uniqueness’ and committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome and can be themselves, no matter their background or identity. We want our staff to feel supported and valued, and we aim to build a team that reflects the communities we serve. Together, we can make sure every voice is heard, and every difference is respected.
Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications
Please be aware that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in completing application forms will be monitored to ensure fairness and transparency. If you have used AI you must state this in your application.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To be responsible for psychological input to South Staffordshire’s Intensive Support Team (IST) as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
The post holder will take the lead in developing psychology inputs within the IST, linking in with IST clinicians and the wider Community Learning Disability Team. Propose and contribute to service development specifically within the IST but also the wider Learning Disabilities Service under the guidance of the Professional Lead and Local Lead Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
Providing specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to service user’s care; and to contribute to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care, to the benefit of all users of the service.
MPFT’s Learning Disability Psychological Services colleagues (from both South Staffordshire and Shropshire) meet regularly for joint CPD events and facilitate a number of local special interest groups. You would also have scope within your role to hold a small caseload of people with a learning disability referred to the wider CLDT.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology (or its equivalent), as accredited by the BPS, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional areas of specialised psychological practice.
- Post qualification training in clinical supervision for Doctorate trainees in applied psychology.
- Eligible for chartered status with the British Psychological Society. Eligible for full membership of the Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP) or Division of Counselling Psychology (DCC).
- Currently registered with HCPC.
Desirable criteria
- Registration with BPS
- Additional post graduate level training in one or more therapeutic treatment approaches e.g. cognitive therapy, systemic/family therapy, EMDR
- Qualification in PBS
Experience
Essential criteria
- Substantial experience of working as a qualified psychologist with people with learning disabilities and complex mental health problems; including assessment and clinical interventions for a wide range of presenting problems. To include significant experience of working with people with learning disabilities with complex behavioural needs.
- Experiencing of assessing and diagnosing learning disability.
- Experience of working as a qualified psychological practitioner with people with a diagnosis of a learning disability.
- Experience of working with people who have attracted the label of personality disorder in addition to a learning disability diagnosis.
- Experience of PBS assessment & formulation and practice.
- Experience in the delivery of trauma informed psychological care to adults with learning disabilities.
- Substantial experience of working within multi-disciplinary and multi-agency settings (including with the 3rd Sector).
Desirable criteria
- Experience of providing clinical consultation to other professional staff.
Skills, Knowledge and Abilites
Essential criteria
- • best practice in the delivery of high quality and effective psychological services for people with learning disabilities
- • the psychological needs of people with learning disabilities and autism.
- • the psychological needs of people with learning disabilities with significant and enduring mental health problems
- Skilled in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management and their application within community settings.
- High level skills in the assessment and management of risk.
- Skills in the management of difficult clinical situations; verbal abuse and physical aggression.
Desirable criteria
- Skills in the management of difficult clinical situations; verbal abuse and physical aggression.
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- The ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism when dealing with highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical assault.
- Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and hold the stress of others.
- Enthusiasm and interest in developing psychologically-informed services for people with learning disabilities.
- Ability to provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly challenging situations and challenging behaviours.
- Ability to balance competing service demands.
Desirable criteria
- Ability to demonstrate leadership and management skills.
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
- Gary Worrall
- Job title
- Clinical Services Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01785 221576
- Additional information
Or
Dr Gail Thomas and Dr Jo Thacker, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Director and Professional Lead for Learning Disability Psychological Services;
Tel: 01952 457417
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