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Job summary

Main area
Practitioner Psychologist
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
354-AC-21144
Employer
Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Sussex Partnership NHS Trust, Drayton House
Town
Oving, Chichester
Salary
£53,755 - £60,504 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
09/09/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust logo

Practitioner Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 8a

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.

Job overview

Practitioner Psychologist (Full time, band 8a or band 7 preceptorship to b8a) Dementia Assessment Service (DAS) and Dementia and Older People's Mental Health Service (DOPMHs), Chichester

We are very excited to be advertising this new full-time Band 8a HCPC registered Psychology Practitioner post working with people with dementia and older people with mental health problems in Chichester, Midhurst and Bognor. This post will also be open to those interested in a band 7 preceptorship, where there will be a clear development plan to progress to a band 8a Practitioner Psychologist post in the same service. Applications from trainee psychologists due to qualify in Sept 2025 would be very welcome. We would be happy to consider candidates interested in working across teams/ specialties in a split post e.g. DOPMH and Working age adult posts or split with acute services. We can be flexible in developing these opportunities and would welcome informal discussions. We would consider applications from Systemic/CBT therapists with the relevant experience. The post holder will be expected to travel across the geographical area covered by the team. There is a lot of variety in the role as part of the post sits in the Community mental health team (DOPMH) and part in the Dementia Assessment Service (DAS). We are keen to discuss with applicants how we can use their interests and experience to develop the role. 

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will have the opportunity to work with people with a wide range of complex mental health problems, their families and carers.  You will be part of a highly-skilled and supportive multi-disciplinary teams based in Chichester.

You would be working alongside other Practitioner Psychologists, a Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioner and trainee Clinical Psychologists. The post-holder will ideally be familiar with working in an NHS setting. We would welcome applicants able to provide both direct and indirect psychological work, preferably with experience of team consultant/formulation and working in care home settings. Knowledge and skills in neuropsychology would be welcome but not essential. Applicants should have an understanding of non-pharmacological approaches to support people with dementia and experience of supporting clients whose behaviour is described as challenging.

Working for our organisation

The successful candidate will join a friendly, highly-skilled and enthusiastic community of psychologists in West Sussex SOAMHS services across our community and acute teams.  In West Sussex Psychology services, we are very keen to offer development opportunities to our newly qualified staff. You will receive regular clinical supervision from an experienced clinical psychologist and DOPMH specialist as well as a commitment to your own continuing professional development. Our Trust has an exciting range of CPD opportunities and the post-holder will be encouraged to develop special interests and expertise in line with service and team objectives. We have a newly qualified peer support group and the Trust is focused on developing staff wellbeing initiatives.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health, neurodevelopmental and learning disability services across Sussex. The Trust has teaching status and is developing into one of the country’s leading teaching mental health trusts.  Psychological therapies are highly valued in Sussex Partnership and Psychological therapists occupy a range of senior positions across the Trust, it is a great Trust to work in as a Psychologist. Working here offers continued training and development, variety, plus all the benefits of living in Sussex. Sussex is a beautiful county with good transport links, vibrant communities, rural areas, and tourist attractions, including the Coast and the South Downs. We would welcome informal visits and / or a telephone call to tell you more about our service and this post. The Trust has been rated by the CQC as Good overall and Outstanding for care.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained before 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.
  • *For forensic psychologists working in forensic settings: Masters degree (with the award of the British Psychological Society qualification in forensic psychology or equivalent).
  • gist with the Health Professions Council (HCPC).
Desirable criteria
  • Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Tina Lee
Job title
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07825 780 626
Additional information

We welcome an informal chat and look forward to speaking with you

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