Practitioner Psychologist, Bariatric

Practitioner Psychologist, 8a
- Bariatric

The closing date is 18 March 2026

Practitioner Psychologist 8a:
Bariatric Services

Fixed term 18 months 0.1wte

We are delighted to offer this opportunity to re‑instigate specialist psychology services to tier 4 bariatric surgery. GHFT delivers approximately 100 bariatric surgeries per annum (range 50-100). It is a statutory requirement of NG246 (2025) and BOMSS (British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery) to provide Clinical Psychology in the bariatric MDT and psychological assessment for bariatric surgery. The Practitioner Psychologist is considered a vital part of the team.

This post has been vacant for a while, and we seek to employ someone at fixed term 18 months in the first instance with a view to trialling different ways of providing this service in the small number of hours available.

We encourage potential applicants to get in touch with both the psychology and the bariatric team for further information and discussion.

Additional working pattern details:
Postholder required to work Fridays for the MDT.

We are seeking a skilled and compassionate HCPC‑registered practitioner psychologist to provide a specialist psychology service to tier four bariatric surgery and work alongside the multidisciplinary teams to address the psychological needs of these patients. To manage and hold clinical responsibility for a specialist caseload and provide highly specialist assessment and interventions focusing on identifying and treating complex psychological issues associated obesity specifically in the context of bariatric surgery intervention.

To provide highly specialist advice, consultation, supervision and training as appropriate to colleagues within the Service and to work effectively within the multi‑disciplinary health team. To contribute to service evaluation, audit, research and policy development. To promote psychological thinking in collaboration with MDT colleagues. To provide clinical and/or research supervision to less experienced psychologists.

• To apply specialist knowledge and psychological skills to support individuals, with psychological changes related to weight management and bariatric surgery including assessments, formulation, therapeutic interventions, family / carer support, and teaching and consultation to the wider multi‑disciplinary healthcare team.
• To deliver patient group education sessions that support self‑management and psychological adjustment.
• To undertake comprehensive pre‑surgical consultations which include psychologically based risk assessments and risk management planning.
• To actively involve people in developing and agreeing their own care plan, to act as an advocate and ensure that there is proper regard for their dignity, choice, self‑esteem, racial, cultural, sexual, generational and religious needs and preferences.
• To work in partnership with the multi‑disciplinary team and other care partners as required.
• Effective communication of highly complex, delicate and often unwelcome information to patients, carers and staff within a highly emotive atmosphere, in a rapidly changing context. This involves working alone with patients who may be in a highly emotional or distressed state. This requires a high level of communication skills.
• Provide specialised advice, supervision and consultation on care, therapy, and psychological aspects of health to multidisciplinary teams and HCPs.
• Take responsibility for managing own time, planning of patient clinics and other clinical work. Organising workload of, and supervising trainees / students / assistant psychologists where appropriate.
• To have responsibility for maintaining clear and accurate patient records in the department and in hospital health care records, including letter writing and reports to other health care colleagues and other relevant agencies.
• Application of current evidence based interventions in clinical/counselling/psychology.
• There will be a frequent requirement for intense concentration during sessions and exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances. This may include occasionally dealing with verbally or physically aggressive…