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Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust
About
We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.
From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care —our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.
We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.
We’re committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.
We won’t rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.
Contact
- Address
- Trust Headquarters
- West Park Hospital
- Edward Pease Way
- Darlington
- County Durham
- DL2 2TS
- Contact Number
- 01325 552000
Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist
Accepting applications until: 23-Dec-2025 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 23-Dec-2025 23:59
Key details
Location
- Site
- Lanchester Road Hospital
- Address
- Lanchester Road
- Town
- Durham
- Postcode
- DH1 5RD
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Salary
- Salary
- £47,810 - £62,682 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (NHS AfC: Band 8a)
Specialty
- Main area
- Psychology
We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.
From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care —our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.
We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.
We’re committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.
We won’t rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.
Job overview
This post offers an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and innovative psychologist who is passionate about the delivery of autism informed mental health care to work across the whole of the TEWV footprint supporting all colleagues to provide the best service possible for autistic children, young people and adults.
The Trustwide Autism Service consists of a supportive multidisciplinary team whose role is to offer specialist autism consultation, supervision and training for all TEWV staff across all specialities and corporate services.
We are seeking to appoint an Applied Psychologist who is passionate about delivering autism informed mental health services. The vacancy is open to an existing Band 8A psychologist or a Band 7 psychologist wishing to progress in their career. We will also consider offering a preceptorship option for a newly or recently qualified clinical or counselling psychologist who may not yet meet the essential criteria; to progress from a band 7 into the band 8a position.
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The post holder will have a key role in providing autism consultation, training and supervision across all clinicians and within corporate services but will have a particular remit to support the delivery of autism informed governed psychological therapies and the development of autism informed formulations.
In addition, the post holder will offer reflective practice opportunities and consultation for the rest of the Trustwide Autism Service, as well as the supervision of an Assistant Psychologist.
There is a huge opportunity to contribute to service evaluation and development with the chance to innovate and to develop new initiatives that promote autism informed care within the Trust.
Applicants should have significant experience in providing mental health services for autistic adults and/or children and competencies in an evidence based psychological therapy. They will also be able to work comfortably and effectively in a non-direct way, supporting TEWV colleagues across all specialities to work in an autism informed way and to embed reasonable adjustments for autistic children and adults within their work. The successful applicant will be enthusiastic, motivated, and demonstrate a commitment to delivering excellent health care and evidence-based practice.
Working for our organisation
There are excellent opportunities for peer support/supervision with the team as well as for CPD activities. The Trustwide Autism Service has a commitment to ensuring that we keep up to date with research and developments within the field and there is an expectation that all team members participate in this.
Our service has strong links with the Doctoral Clinical and Counselling Psychology Programmes at Teesside University. The post holder will be involved in offering trainee placements and University teaching will be encouraged and supported to offer research supervision.
This post is full time. Please note that the role is Trustwide and there is a key requirement to travel across the whole of the TEWV footprint in line with demand for our input across all services and localities..
Psychological professions staff will be expected to display the Trust values at all times, working as part of the collective leadership team with shared accountability and responsibility for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of patient care is delivered in a patient centred manner. They will also contribute to ensuring the culture of our services is built upon the Trust Values and the trust's strategy - Our Journey To change (OJTC).
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.
Psychologists & Psychological Therapists provide key leadership roles within the Trust. To support this we have developed leadership profiles for each psychology band and the profile card associated with this post is attached on NHS Jobs. You can find more information about the NHS Leadership Academys Healthcare Leadership Model and the profiles at their website.
We welcome applications from staff who are currently coming to the end of their training in Clinical or counselling psychology that on successful completion will achieve the required qualification and registration with HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist. Trainee counselling psychologists are eligible to apply for and to be shortlisted for interview and to be offered qualified posts when they are in their 3rd year of the doctoral training and have the following confirmed as completed by the university. This information may be requested prior to interview: a. All clinical competencies. b. 80% of the 450 supervised clinical practice hours (360 hours)
Right to Work in the UK
Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom (UK) are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Please note that from January 2021, to work in the UK all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship unless you have permission to work via another route. Non UK / RoI candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here Browse: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Please provide full and accurate details of your current immigration status on the application form. Overseas applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Your current immigration status will not be considered as part of the shortlisting or interview process.
Please note that not everyone needs a ‘Skilled Worker’ visa. If you are applying for a vacancy in health or adult social care, you may be eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead, subject to role meeting the required conditions.
We are able to offer sponsorship for a Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visa, subject to candidate and position eligibility. Please review the job eligibility guidance for skilled workers here: Skilled Worker visa: Your job - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and for the Health and Care Worker visa here: Skilled Worker visa: eligible healthcare and education jobs - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Please note: if the job you are applying for does not meet the eligibility criteria above, we will be unable to offer you sponsorship and you will need to explore whether you may be eligible to apply for an alternative immigration route which will secure your Right to Work in the UK before you apply. If you are in the UK already on a visa, please ensure you have no restrictions that would prevent you from taking this post.
AI in Recruitment
We are aware that Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is increasingly being used to generate responses for application forms. Applications for this role should be written by the applicant and if, during shortlisting, a Recruiting Manager believes AI has been used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Fixed Term Posts
If the contract type on the vacancy states 'Fixed Term' this would mean the vacancy is being advertised to address a temporary need for the duration stipulated on the advert, however, in the event that permanent funding is secured for the post the successful applicant will be confirmed in post on a permanent basis.
Internal applicants must ensure that prior to applying they have agreement from their current line manager that they can be released on a secondment basis.
Support with applications
We have computers facilities available in our libraries (Durham, Middlesbrough, and Darlington) to support applicants. If you would like to access to a laptop for your application, please contact the library team to arrange a time to visit, please email: [email protected] . We will always endeavour to make this available however we cannot guarantee that we will be able accommodate this before the vacancy closes.
Trust Welcome Day
Here at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Foundation NHS Trust, we want you to have a positive experience when you start your new role with us. To ensure you have great welcome, for all new starters joining the Trust, we offer two start dates per month on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of that month.
On your start date, you will be invited to our in person Trust Welcome Day at our Flatts Lane Centre, Middlesbrough. Your first day will be engaging and informative, it will allow you to meet and network with a range of Trust staff, learn more about us and what we offer. For certain clinical roles, your Welcome Day may then be followed up with additional mandatory/statutory clinical training.
Applying for this post
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from individuals who have experience of mental ill health or learning disabilities. Our service users and carers tell us our staff should be consistently concerned with maintaining and improving care with pride, empathy and compassion.
This job advert may close as soon as sufficient suitable applications have been received. If interested please apply for this post as soon as possible.
In order for your application to be successfully processed we will require references from your current and previous employer(s) which must cover a minimum period of three years. Please ensure that the reference section of your application is completed appropriately giving the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current and previous line manager(s). If this section is not fully completed your application may not be processed.
If your application is successful, the information you give on your application form will be used to create and be retained on your electronic staff record and to provide access to core Trust systems.
Please note that if the post you are applying for requires a DBS check, you will be required to also subscribe to the DBS Update Service, if successful, and thereafter renew your subscription each year. The Trust will reimburse the subscription fee.
After applying via the NHS Jobs link, you will be taken to our preferred Third party recruitment system so submit your application. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, that as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website.
By applying for this post you are agreeing to Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail. You should check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.
Additional Information
Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust is committed to the protection of staff, service users and visitors to the Trust from second hand smoke and currently operates a no smoking policy which ensures all buildings and grounds are smoke free.
Applicant requirements
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
- HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
- Trained in clinical supervision (within agreed timescale)
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Evidence of training in autism (awareness and/or diagnostic)
Desirable criteria
- Post-graduate qualification showing evidence of supervised practice in an evidence-based psychological therapeutic model
Experience
Essential criteria
- Working as a qualified applied psychologist within the designated service including a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and a range of clinical severity across a range of care settings.
- Multi-disciplinary team working experience
- Experience of supporting the work of other clinicians indirectly
- Experience of supervising other clinicians
- Experience of service development
- Experience of service evaluation and audit
- Experience of teaching/training
Desirable criteria
- Experience of delivering one or more GPTs
- Experience of developing training packages
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Doctoral level knowledge of evidence-based practice relevant to the role
- Risk assessment and risk management
- Clinical governance
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to this client group and mental health (autism)
- Audit and research methodology
- Neuro-affirmative practice
Documents
- Job Description and Person Specification - Band - 8a (PDF, 268.3KB)
- Job Description and Person Specification - Band 7 (PDF, 263.9KB)
- Band 7 Leadership & Model Card (PDF, 40.8KB)
- Band 8a - Leadership & Model Card (PDF, 129.1KB)
- Mindful Employer Recruitment (PDF, 93.4KB)
- Probationary Period Procedure (PDF, 244.1KB)
- Our Journey to Change (PDF, 1.0MB)
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr Elspeth Webb
- Job title
- Trustwide Autism Clinical Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
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