Clinical Psychologist - CAMHS Poole in Christchurch

Job summary

Are you an experienced and motivated Principal Clinical Psychologist looking to make a meaningful impact within a Core CAMHS team? In Dorset, we are transforming our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services into a Family Mental Health model that embraces and adopts the THRIVE framework. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to service development and innovation, supporting a whole-family approach grounded in compassion, collaboration, and shared decision-making.

In this role, you will provide highly specialist psychological assessment and intervention to children and young people, alongside their families, within a multidisciplinary team. Working within the THRIVE framework, you will contribute to delivering evidence‑based, person‑centred care, ensuring that psychological formulation and thinking are embedded at the heart of service delivery.

You will offer a range of therapeutic interventions, alongside consultation, training and supervision to colleagues, working closely with partners across education, social care and the voluntary sector to support integrated care.

You will receive regular clinical supervision from the Clinical Lead Psychologist, alongside access to ongoing training and development opportunities.

The Clinical Psychologist role is a permanent, full‑time post of 37.50 hours per week. The service operates Monday to Friday between 9:00am and 5:00pm. We are flexible in how these hours are worked, and this can be discussed further at interview.

Main duties of the job

• To conduct thorough psychological assessments, formulating problems and delivering evidence‑based programmes of care with children and families who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties.
• To regularly review and monitor outcome of assessment and effects of treatment in line with goal‑based outcomes and the care programme approach.
• To plan and prioritise own workload whilst coordinating with colleagues in the CAMHS locality teams so service users do not wait longer than necessary for a planned intervention.
• To plan and chair multi‑disciplinary/ multi‑agency professional and family meetings (e.g. care planning/ discharge planning). To implement the participation agenda.
• To provide specialist psychology supervision, training and consultation to colleagues working across agencies, with the approval of the Team Leader. To contribute to recruitment and selection of less senior staff.

About us

At Dorset HealthCare we're on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined‑up healthcare services. We're a dynamic, forward‑looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people.

We do things differently here - it's one of the reasons the CQC rated us 'outstanding' in 2019. It's also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you're looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities.

Our 7,000‑strong workforce is at the heart of what we do and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities and we celebrate diversity. We're an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves.

Working with us you'll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don't know. And you'll be working towards our vision to be better every day through excellence, compassion and expertise in all we do.

Details

Date posted 13 August 2026

Pay scheme Agenda for change

Band Band 8a

Salary £57,528 to £64,750 a year p.a.

Contract Permanent

Working pattern Full‑time, Part‑time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number 152-M162.26A

Job locations

• Delphwood
• Ashdown Close
• Poole
• BH17 8WG
• United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

We understand that using AI can be a useful and supportive tool when completing your application. However, we have also seen an increase in the over‑reliance of AI tools which is negatively impacting applications as they remove candidates individuality, and it becomes much harder to get a sense of who you are and your authentic experience. If you do use AI, it should be used to enhance your application and not to create your supporting statement in its entirety. If we suspect you have used AI to create your supporting statement and this does not match your experience, we may withdraw your application.

As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact dhc.wideningparticipation@nhs.net

Applications from candidates that require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are unfortunately ineligible to apply for this position.

Person Specification

Knowledge, skills and training

Essential

• 2:1 honours degree in Psychology or better. Eligibility for Graduate Membership of BPS.
• Post‑graduate doctorate in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or those in lateral transfer or with Statement of Equivalence) as accredited by the BPS or HPC.
• Specialist Supervisory training.
• Clinical supervision for trainee and assistant clinical psychologists
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology
• Knowledge of legislation, white papers, etc. and implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to CAMHS

Desirable

• Extended skills and training specifically related to child and adolescent mental health

Job specific experience

Essential

• Training to work as a qualified clinical psychologist.
• Clinical experience with children and adolescents mental health
• Ability to sit in a restricted position for a substantial proportion of the working time
• Ability to concentrate intensely for long periods of time
• Ability to deal with exposure to highly distressing/ emotional circumstances

Desirable

• Ability to undertake clinical audits
• Leadership experience
• Management experience

Information Technology

Essential

• Ability to use a computer and Internet for word processing, keeping electronic notes, spreadsheets, presentations, teaching and information seeking purposes

Personal Qualities/Attributes

Essential

• Must be capable of working on own initiative and acting independently
• Need to tolerate working conditions which may be unpleasant and where there is some exposure to vandalism and aggressive incidents.
• Ability to communicate highly complex, sensitive information where there may be barriers to understanding or where professional opinions may differ and to form relationships where there may be barriers to these relationships being formed.
• Ability to use a range of assessment materials (including psychometric tests). Ability to manipulate test materials that require a high level of speed, accuracy and concentration.
• Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to "hold" the stress of others.

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Ability to conduct complex risk assessments and develop appropriate strategies to minimise risk.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the BPS and HPC and working to professional guidelines. Must be capable of working on their own initiative and acting independently
• Subject to the provisions of the Equality Act, able to travel using own vehicle on Trust business.
• Demonstrable skills in written and spoken English to a standard which enables the post holder to carry out the full range of duties and responsibilities of the role effectively

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.

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

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

Address

• Delphwood
• Ashdown Close
• Poole
• BH17 8WG
• United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/work-for-us (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Service Manager

Sue Quigley

Susan.Quigley@nhs.net

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)