Clinical/Counselling Psychologist
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East London NHS Foundation Trust Clinical/Counselling Psychologist
The closing date is 30 November 2026
Job summary
We are looking to recruit a highly motivated, innovative and inspiring HCPC Registered Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist to our Mental Health Care of Older People's Services in Bedfordshire & Luton.
In line with the ELFT Trust Mission, Values and Strategy, the post holder will ensure the systematic provision of a high-quality comprehensive specialist psychological service to the service users of the Older Adult Community Mental Health Teams and the Memory Assessment Services (MAS) in Bedfordshire and Luton. This includes provision of psychological and neuropsychological assessments, psychological formulations and delivery of highly specialist psychological interventions to service users in community, residential and inpatient settings. Service users seen by the post holder will include people who have experienced high levels of distress and complex mental health difficulties, and people presenting with distressed behavior associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Service users may present with a high level of risk to both themselves and sometimes to other people.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will :
Provide assessment, formulation and psychological interventions.
Consultation to the multi-disciplinary community team and inpatient wards in Bedford and Luton and support in the development of care plans for service users.
Provide supervision to Assistant, Trainee and Clinical Associates in Psychology.
Actively contribute to service development initiatives, audit and research as expected from a senior clinician in the team.
With guidance from the Older People's Psychology Lead, the post holder will liaise closely with psychologists working in other Older People's teams in Bedfordshire and Luton to develop and maintain a high standard of professional practice across the service.
We are willing to consider offering this as a development (preceptorship) post.
About us
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Details
Date posted
30 October 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8a
Salary
Depending on experience Will consider offering a development post starting at Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
363-BED8361271
Job locations
Twinwoods Health Resource Centre
Milton Road
Clapham
MK41 6AT
United Kingdom
Job description
Job responsibilities
We expect all staff to work in line with the Trust's mission, values and strategy with a particular focus on equity. Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for the details of the post.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We expect all staff to work in line with the Trust's mission, values and strategy with a particular focus on equity. Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for the details of the post.
Person Specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology
- HCPC Registration
Desirable
- Relevant specialist post qualification training/ supervision in Neuropsychology and at least two additional psychological therapeutic modalities
- Completed training course in supervision for doctoral psychology trainees.
- Quality Improvement Training
- Reflective Practice and/or working with group dynamics training.
Experience
Essential
- 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 range of care settings
- Experience in providing psychological assessment and intervention for older people presenting with complex mental health difficulties.
- Experience of providing teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- Experience in working in multidisciplinary settings and representing a psychological perspective in teams and services.
- Experience of coproduction with service users, carers, colleagues, stakeholders
Desirable
- Experience of professional management of qualified and pre-qualified clinical psychologists.
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience in the recruitment of psychology staff.
- Experience in contributing to service development, redesign and improvements in secondary mental health services
Knowledge
Essential
- An in depth knowledge and skills in applying clinical risk assessment and management in own and others' clinical caseload
- Able to communicate at a high level verbally and in writing highly complex, technical and sensitive information to clients, families, carers, and a range of professionals and lay people within and outside the NHS.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in older people's mental health services and memory clinic.
- Aware of the potential impact of discrimination & disadvantage on mental health.
Desirable
- Record of having published in either peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books.
Personal/Other
Essential
- Enthusiasm for the field
- Able to contain and work with organisational stress and able to hold the stress of others.
- Respectful approach to service users, families, carers, colleagues and other professionals.
- Willing and able to travel between work sites and to community settings for the delivery of services across Bedfordshire & Luton and London.
Desirable
- Driving license, access to a vehicle and insurance for business travel.
Education & Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology
- HCPC Registration
Desirable
- Relevant specialist post qualification training/ supervision in Neuropsychology and at least two additional psychological therapeutic modalities
- Completed training course in supervision for doctoral psychology trainees.
- Quality Improvement Training
- Reflective Practice and/or working with group dynamics training.
Experience
Essential
- 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 range of care settings
- Experience in providing psychological assessment and intervention for older people presenting with complex mental health difficulties.
- Experience of providing teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- Experience in working in multidisciplinary settings and representing a psychological perspective in teams and services.
- Experience of coproduction with service users, carers, colleagues, stakeholders
Desirable
- Experience of professional management of qualified and pre-qualified clinical psychologists.
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience in the recruitment of psychology staff.
- Experience in contributing to service development, redesign and improvements in secondary mental health services
Knowledge
Essential
- An in depth knowledge and skills in applying clinical risk assessment and management in own and others' clinical caseload
- Able to communicate at a high level verbally and in writing highly complex, technical and sensitive information to clients, families, carers, and a range of professionals and lay people within and outside the NHS.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in older people's mental health services and memory clinic.
- Aware of the potential impact of discrimination & disadvantage on mental health.
Desirable
- Record of having published in either peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books.
Personal/Other
Essential
- Enthusiasm for the field
- Able to contain and work with organisational stress and able to hold the stress of others.
- Respectful approach to service users, families, carers, colleagues and other professionals.
- Willing and able to travel between work sites and to community settings for the delivery of services across Bedfordshire & Luton and London.
Desirable
- Driving license, access to a vehicle and insurance for business travel.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Twinwoods Health Resource Centre
Milton Road
Clapham
MK41 6AT
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Twinwoods Health Resource Centre
Milton Road
Clapham
MK41 6AT
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Principle Counselling Psychologist
Dea Ditchfield
01234275464
Details
Date posted
30 October 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8a
Salary
Depending on experience Will consider offering a development post starting at Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
363-BED8361271
Job locations
Twinwoods Health Resource Centre
Milton Road
Clapham
MK41 6AT
United Kingdom
Supporting documents
Privacy notice
East London NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)
Support links
© Crown copyright
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