Principal Clinical​/Counselling Psychologist

This is a newly configured role, providing clinical input and leadership to one of our functional mental health wards in Barnstaple, North Devon.

The successful candidate would be joining passionate, dedicated and supportive colleagues. Managed by the Inpatient Psychology Professional Lead, they would also be able to link in with other Psychologists across the county based in OPMH as well as the Arts Psychotherapist who works on the ward and community based psychological professional colleagues in the locality.

We would consider applications from newly qualified Psychologists or those about to qualify on a band 7-8a preceptorship basis.

Join our supportive, friendly Directorate. We are happy to be approached for informal discussions about the role, so do get in touch.

You would be contributing to developing trauma informed care, supporting others in psychologically informed practice and CPD to help us deliver a responsive and high quality clinical service.

There would be opportunities to conduct extended assessments, formulation; brief interventions and work with families and staff teams.

We are committed to providing placements for Trainee Practitioner Psychologists and Psychotherapists and the candidate would be expected to contribute to these.

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile;

making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

The principal purpose of the job is to improve the psychological health & wellbeing of people within the post holders specialist field of practice. To support in-patient and Adult Community Mental Health Teams and their leadership to deliver high quality services in line with national professional guidance, NICE recommendations and other national policy documents, as part of an overall care pathway.

This will be achieved in this post through undertaking the following areas of responsibility:

1. Contributing a psychological perspective to the leadership, organisation and operation of OPMH inpatient services.

2. To ensure the systematic provision of a high quality psychological service in specialist field of practice both in in-patient wards and community settings, as a key component of integrated mental health and wellbeing services across Devon Partnership NHS Trust.

3. Providing clinical leadership and supervision for less experienced staff, trainees and volunteers employed by or attached to the psychology service.

4. Carrying a specialist caseload of clients and providing advice and consultancy to patients and professionals.

5. To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within professional and Trust guidelines as lead specialist.

6. The post…