Clinical Psychologist​/Psychology Practitioner

Overview

North Bedfordshire CAMHS – Clinical Psychologist/Practitioner Psychologist, Band 8b, 37.5 hours per week, permanent. CAMHS Adolescent Mental Health Team/Alternative to Admission Pathway.

We are a diverse and dynamic mental health team working with young people and families. We seek a psychologist to join us to combine our different skills and meet the needs of our service users.

• Based at the North Bedfordshire clinic, working with families with emphasis on adolescents with complex, severe, and enduring mental health problems.
• Provision of specialist advice/consultation/formulation, psychological assessment, liaison with other agencies, psychological interventions, clinical supervision, and teaching of staff and/or students.
• The role includes opportunities for individual development in clinical and leadership skills; time in other specialist clinical areas (e.g., Looked After Children, Eating Disorders, Neurodevelopmental Team) for progression.
• Clinically-led service committed to improving experience and quality of care; encourages curiosity and innovation in clinicians.

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people’s lives by improving quality of life. Our values are:
We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive. We seek people who demonstrate these qualities in working with service users, carers, colleagues, and partner organisations. ELFT is recognised as a centre of excellence for mental health care, innovation, and improvement.

• Date posted: 19 January 2026
• Pay scheme:
  Agenda for Change
• Band:
  Band 8b
• Salary: £64,455 to £74,896 per annum
• Contract:
  
  Permanent
• Working pattern:
  Full-time
• Location:
  
  Bedford CAMHS, 9 Rush Court, Bedford MK40 3JT
• Reference number: 363-SSLB
  7728489

• We are looking for an experienced clinical psychologist with substantial knowledge in child and adolescent mental health, confident in adolescent mental health and crisis/risk management.
• The successful applicant will be located within our North Bedfordshire clinic, working with families with emphasis on adolescents with complex, severe and enduring mental health problems. The role includes specialist advice/consultation/formulation, psychological assessment, liaison with other agencies, psychological interventions, clinical supervision, and teaching of staff and/or students.

Education/Qualification/Training

• Essential:
  Postgraduate Training in Clinical Psychology leading to Practitioner Psychologist Registration with the HCPC; includes models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies, and lifespan developmental psychology.
• Desirable:
  Leadership/Management training; post-qualification training in Eating Disorders; complex adolescent mental health presentations; CBT with children and adolescents; additional specialised areas of psychological practice.

Experience

• Essential:
  Substantial post-qualification NHS CAMHS experience as a clinical psychologist; experience in child and adolescent psychology across diverse client groups and settings; liaison with statutory and voluntary agencies including crisis management; teaching, training, and supervision; risk assessment; CBT for complex problems; NICE-compliant interventions for eating disorders; full clinical responsibility within a multidisciplinary plan; clinical supervision experience; use of clinical outcome measures.
• Desirable:
  Management responsibilities; service development; PROMs/PREMs implementation; expert supervision in cognitive assessments; policy and academic representation; experience of supervising qualified and pre-qualified clinical psychologists.

Knowledge & Skills

• Doctorate-level knowledge of clinical psychology with lifespan development, psychopathology, psychometrics, neuropsychology, and two or more therapies.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and its impact on clinical practice with children and adolescents.
• Specialist knowledge: CBT for adolescents and families; complex adolescent mental health problems; multi-disciplinary assessment and intervention; specialist therapies for complex presentations (e.g.,…