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Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust

About

We provide NHS care and treatment for people living in south east England. Our mental health services provide care and treatment for people with conditions such as psychosis, depression, anxiety, dementia and personality disorder. Our vision is to provide outstanding care and treatment you can be confident in.

Contact

Address: Swandean; Arundel Road; Worthing; West Sussex; BN13 3EP
Contact Number: 01903 843000

Find out more

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Open

Ref: 354-PC-20695(F) Vacancy ID: 7310454

Principal Practitioner Psychologist

Accepting applications until: 27-Jul-2025 23:59

Vacancy status: Open

Accepting applications until: 27-Jul-2025 23:59

Location

Gwefan: Conquest Hospital or EDGH
Tref: Hastings
Cod post: TN37 7RD
Major / Minor Region: West Sussex

Contract type & working pattern

Contract: Permanent
Oriau: Full time - 37.5 hours per week

Salary

Cyflog: £62,215 - £72,293 per annum
Cyfnod cyflog: Yearly
Gradd: (NHS AfC: Band 8b)

Specialty

Prif leoliad: Mental Health

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.

Swydd-ddisgrifiad a phrif gyfrifoldebau manwl

Job responsibilities

You will be a member of the East Sussex Healthcare (ESHT) Critical Care team. As the Principal Practitioner Psychologist, you will also be a member of the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust's Clinical Health Psychology team, which holds the leadership, governance and supervision for the post on behalf of ESHT.

The role necessitates on-site working. However, there may be scope for occasional remote access therapy sessions.

To join our team, you will:

· Be passionate about supporting critical care patients and/ or their relatives with understanding and managing the psychological experiences of critical illness, recovery and care;

· Confident working with a range of clinical professionals and communicating complex psychological concepts in an understandable way;

· Be compassionate and passionate about supporting individuals who are critically unwell, recovering or supporting a loved one who is caring for someone who is/ has been critically unwell;

· Understand the impact of 'hidden illness', long term recovery, the psychological sequalae of critical illness - especially grief, loss, transition and trauma reactions;

· Have knowledge and skill in the application of psychological theory and practice in physical health settings;

· Be aware of the latest evidence base and national strategies in critical care.

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

· You will have completed 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;

· You will have experience of working with a range of models including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology;

· You will have extensive experience of working with patients with a wide range of mental health presentations, including those with complex difficulties, and of working with wider multidisciplinary teams;

· You will have experience of taking full clinical responsibility for a patient's psychological care plan and intervention;

· You will have experience of managing and supervising other clinical staff, including trainee clinical psychologists and physical health staff.

Desirable

· Prior experience of working in a critical care context;

· Experience of working with patients who present with grief, loss and trauma reactions;

· Experience of working within a physical healthcare setting.

See JD and PS for full details.

For further information please contact hiring manager:

Dr Susan Hennessey, Consultant Clinical Lead for Clinical Health Psychology, [email protected]

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.

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.

Person specification

Qualifications

Meini prawf hanfodol

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)

Knowledge/Experience

Meini prawf hanfodol

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
Knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies
Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the H CPC.
Formal training in supervision of other psychologists