Job summary
- Main area
- Addictions
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Fixed term: 6 months (End date March 31st 2027 to meet needs of service)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (8am-4pm are the preferred working hours)
- Job ref
- 001-PST059-0726
- Employer
- Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Cardiff Royal Infirmary
- Town
- Cardiff
- Salary
- £50,129 - £57,365 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 06/08/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Practitioner Psychologist - INTERNAL
NHS AfC: Band 7
WHO WE ARE:
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Board in the UK, employing over 16,000 staff and providing over 100 specialist services. Serving a population of around 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst also working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone and to delivering excellent care and support.
Our mission is “Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together”. We have recently refreshed our strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, which sets out the Health Board’s Vision for improving the health and wellbeing of the populations we serve by 2035 through the delivery of our strategic objectives; Putting People First, Providing Outstanding Quality, Delivering in the Right Places, and Acting for the Future. We have challenging times ahead, but we are confident that by tackling these challenges together, we can support people to live healthier lives and reduce the unfair differences in the prevalence of illness and health outcomes we see in our communities today. We aspire to deliver outstanding care and treatment for people when they need it, where they need it; care that compares well with the best in the world, but to do so, we need to transform how we deliver services over the next decade and beyond.
We are a values-driven organisation and out goals will only be realised if our values are at the heart of everything we do. Created by colleagues, patients and their families and carers, our values are:
· We are kind and caring
· We are respectful
· We have trust and integrity
· We take personal responsibility
OUR REGION:
Wales has much to offer with miles of stunning coastline, UNESCO world heritage sites and beautiful countryside. Cardiff, the thriving Welsh capital, has something for everyone. It is a fantastic city to live and work in with an abundance of sports, arts and cultural attractions. Situated to the west of Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan offers a combination of beautiful Welsh countryside and a dramatic natural coastline, as well as charming towns including Penarth and Cowbridge. Those seeking more culture may find themselves drawn to the National Museum, St Fagan’s Museum of Welsh Life or the Millennium Centre, home of the Welsh National Opera. Whether city life or rural living, Cardiff and the Vale offers the best of both worlds.
The salary scale for a Band 3 has been adjusted as part of the NHS Agenda for Change pay award for 2026/2027 and will be implemented in August 2026 backdated to 01 April 2026 where applicable.
Job overview
PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL ONLY ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM STAFF CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY CARDIFF AND VALE UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Principal Practitioner Psychologist to join the Buvidal Psychological Support Service (BPSS), delivering trauma-informed psychological interventions for individuals affected by substance use difficulties across Cardiff and the Vale.
This post is a fixed term/secondment for 6 months until March 31st 2027 to meet needs of service. If you are interested in applying for the secondment position, you must obtain permission from your current line manager prior to applying for this post.. Applications are welcomed from trainee clinical psychologists due to qualify in 2026.
The post holder will join an established, psychology-led service providing person-centred, tiered interventions for clients prescribed Buvidal (long-acting buprenorphine). While Buvidal offers significant benefits, some clients experience resurfacing trauma and/or mental health difficulties impacting recovery. The service delivers evidence-based approaches including stabilisation work, CFT, MI, TF-CBT and EMDR.
You will work within a supportive multidisciplinary team across NHS, Local Authority and third-sector services, with strong opportunities for professional development and supervision. Newly qualified applicants will be appointed at Band 6 until HCPC registration is confirmed.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Main duties of the job
-
Provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and intervention for individuals with substance use and co-occurring mental health difficulties, often linked to complex trauma
-
Deliver trauma-informed, evidence-based interventions (e.g. stabilisation, TF-CBT, EMDR) within a tiered model
-
Support clients prescribed Buvidal to maintain recovery and improve psychological wellbeing
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Work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team, including NHS, Local Authority and third-sector partners
-
Contribute to engagement and retention in treatment for individuals who may find services difficult to access
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Undertake risk assessment and management as part of routine clinical practice
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Provide psychological consultation and advice to colleagues to support trauma-informed care
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Contribute to the ongoing development, evaluation and improvement of the BPSS model
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Maintain accurate, timely clinical records in line with professional and organisational standards
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Participate in clinical and managerial supervision with the Highly Specialised Clinical Psychologist
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Contribute to audit, service evaluation and quality improvement activity
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Develop supervisory skills and support trainees or junior team members where appropriate
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Engage in continuing professional development (CPD) and reflective practice
Working for our organisation
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 17,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving over 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone, delivering excellent care and support.
Our mission is “Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together”, and our vision is that every person’s chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. Our 10-year transformation and improvement strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, is our chance to work collaboratively with the public and our workforce to make our health board more sustainable for the future.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click “Apply now” to view in Trac.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Post-graduate Doctorate in Clinical / Counselling Psychology accredited by the HCPC (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 as accredited by the BPS).
Experience
Essential criteria
- A wide range of experience in applying clinical/counselling psychology in the NHS
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in addictions
Experience
Essential criteria
- Research, service evaluation, audit experience
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.
Welsh language skills are desirable
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lucie James
- Job title
- Clinical Psychologist/Service Lead BPSS
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07974083685
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