Job vacancy: Principal Practitioner (Clinical) Psychologist, Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust, Eastbourne

Job summary

Main area: Child Psychology
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 8b
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Part time - 30 hours per week
Job ref: 354-CS-21716

Employer: Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
Employer type: NHS
Site: SWIFT SFS, Maywood
Town: Eastbourne
Salary: £62,215 - £72,293 pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 25/08/2025 23:59

Principal Practitioner (Clinical) Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 8b

Come and join us

We're looking for people who share our values (compassion, accountability and optimism) to help us provide high quality care to the patients, carers, families and local communities we serve. We specialise in providing NHS mental health and learning disability services.

So what can we offer you in return?

We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don't forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

REQUIREMENTS :See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

In order to be a successful Principal Psychologist Practitioner in our team you will be:

- Registered with HCPC with a core professional qualification as a Clinical Psychologist.

- Experienced working in mental health with Children and Young People who have experienced adverse childhood experiences.

- Have post-qualification band 8A experience (or equivalent).

- Enjoy working autonomously.

- Feel confident in a leadership position.

This is a part time role of 4 days. Part-time hours can be considered but would require commitment of a minimum 22.5 hrs per week.

An informal discussion is strongly recommended, and you are welcomed to contact Rachel Swann, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, to discuss - [email protected].

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or outside the UK] as approved by the HCPC, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HCPC)

Desirable criteria

Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.

Knowledge/Experience

Essential criteria

Significant assessed experience of working as a qualified psychologist.
Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, in-patient and residential care settings severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients’ psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology.
Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group.
Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups.

Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.

We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children’s social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.

Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.

Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - Bronze

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name: Rachel Swann
Job title: Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Email address: [email protected]

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Job summary

Employer heading

Principal Practitioner (Clinical) Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 8b

Job overview

Main duties of the job

Working for our organisation

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Desirable criteria

Knowledge/Experience

Essential criteria

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

Documents to download

Further details / informal visits contact

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