Job summary
- Main area
- MHSOP
- Grade
- Band 7/8a
- Contract
- Permanent: Progression post 7/8a
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job ref
- 346-DDM-040-25-A
- Employer
- Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- West Park Hospital
- Town
- Darlington
- Salary
- £47,810 - £62,682 pro rata, per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/11/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Specialist or Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist Progression 7/8a
Band 7/8a
We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.
From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care —our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.
We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.
We’re committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.
We won’t rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.
Job overview
We welcome applications from staff who are currently coming to the end of their training in Clinical or counselling psychology that on successful completion will achieve the required qualification and registration with HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist. Trainee counselling psychologists are eligible to apply for and to be shortlisted for interview and to be offered qualified posts when they are in their 3rd year of the doctoral training and have the following confirmed as completed by the university. This information may be requested prior to interview: a. All clinical competencies. b. 80% of the 450 supervised clinical practice hours (360 hours)
Trainee clinical psychologists are eligible to apply for and to be shortlisted for interview and to be offered qualified posts when they are in their third year of training, as they will have completed their core clinical competencies by this stage of the course.
This vacancy is open to either an experienced Senior Applied Psychologist (Band 8a) or Newly Qualified Applied Psychologist (Band 7) as a development post depending on experience. Successful candidates who are Band 7 will be expected to work towards the competencies of the higher band within an agreed time frame; being regraded to the 8a role upon successful completion.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for a compassionate Applied Clinical Psychologist to join our Darlington Community Team as part of the Mental Health Services for Older People (MHSOP). The post would suit an enthusiastic Psychologist who values co-creation, collaboration and being embedded within a multi-disciplinary team. There are significant opportunities for innovation, service development and improving access to effective MH care for older people and families living with dementia. Core to the role is the provision of governed therapies, formulations and specialist assessment. The postholder will also provide clinical leadership, helping to improve cultures of care including personalised and purposeful care plans guided by need and best practice. There are significant opportunities to support workforce development through supervision and training, and working towards TEWVs ambition to be a trauma-informed organisation.
The post holder will provide specialist assessments, formulation, governed psychological therapies and neuropsychological assessment as well as being part of an active multi-disciplinary team. Alongside direct clinical work, indirect work will include leadership, clinical supervision, training and consultation, as well as supporting trainee, MHWPs and assistant psychologists as relevant.
Working for our organisation
Darlington Community Mental Health Team for Older People are a compassionate team who work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.
We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.
We’re committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
As a service we are keen to support and invest in the ongoing development of our Psychologists through CPD opportunities, so an interest in developing clinical skills across a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches is essential. The Psychologist would have the opportunity to gain experience working with a diverse population, providing brief, crisis-orientated psychological interventions for those experiencing increased acuity of need or risk due to the impact of dementia, frailty and/or functional mental health needs.
You will have professional support from MHSOP Psychological Professions Lead and also opportunity to link with Psychological Professions across community, inpatient, crisis and care homes teams. We are actively involved in a range of research and service evaluations and strong links with Teesside and Newcastle Doctoral training courses with regular opportunities to work with core, specialist and research trainees.
Due to the nature of the role it is essential that applicants are able to travel independently across the locality and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes. If necessary, adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
- Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Trained in clinical supervision (within agreed timescale)
- Trained in care co-ordination (within agreed timescale)
Desirable criteria
- Registration with BPS
- Post-graduate qualification showing evidence of supervised practice in an evidence-based psychological therapeutic model
Experience
Essential criteria
- Working with mental health/learning disability clients (depending on designated service area)
- Multi-disciplinary team working
Desirable criteria
- Experience of joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies
- Experience of CBT, DBT, Psychodynamics, systematic therapy
- Experience of research and audit
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
- Doctoral level knowledge of evidence- based practice relevant to the role
- Doctoral level knowledge of risk assessment and risk management
- Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and undertake care co-ordination/lead practitioner responsibilities
- Undertake complex multiagency working and liaise with multiple systems
- Utilise psychometric tests competently
Desirable criteria
- Experience of joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Respects and has awareness of the advantages of joint working with other experienced professionals in a multidisciplinary setting
- Able to work flexibly and co-operatively as part of a team
- Able to use own initiative and make decisions independently
- Self aware and committed to professional and personal development. Able to accept and respond positively to feedback from supervision
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
- Sarah Mitchell
- Job title
- Psychological Professions Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01325 552015
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