Consultant Practitioner Psychologist - Adult Mental Health in Bedford

Consultant Practitioner Psychologist - Adult Mental Health in Bedford

Bedford Full-Time 46134 - 56386 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
P

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead and shape high-quality psychological services for adults with mental health challenges.
  • Company: Join Powys Teaching Health Board, a supportive and progressive employer in beautiful rural Wales.
  • Benefits: Enjoy a healthy work-life balance, professional development, and a competitive salary.
  • Other info: Opportunities for Welsh language training and a dynamic, collaborative work environment.
  • Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while advancing your career in psychology.
  • Qualifications: HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist with leadership experience in NHS mental health services.

The predicted salary is between 46134 - 56386 £ per year.

Powys Teaching Health Board is seeking an experienced and inspirational Consultant Practitioner Psychologist to lead our Adult Psychology and Psychological Therapies Service. This is a senior leadership position offering the opportunity to shape and influence the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based psychological services across Adult Mental Health.

As a key member of the Psychology Leadership Team, you will provide strategic, professional and operational leadership, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and psychologically informed services. You will lead and manage a multidisciplinary psychology workforce, oversee clinical governance, workforce development, service improvement, audit and research activities, and promote a culture where staff, service users and carers can thrive.

Alongside your leadership responsibilities, you will maintain a specialist clinical caseload, providing highly specialist assessment, formulation and intervention for adults experiencing complex and severe mental health difficulties across community and inpatient settings.

Main duties of the job

  • Provide strategic, operational and clinical leadership for the Adult Psychology and Psychological Therapies Service, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based psychological care.
  • Lead service planning, development and improvement initiatives, oversee clinical governance arrangements and ensure effective supervision, professional development and workforce support for psychological practitioners.
  • Manage senior clinical staff, leading recruitment and induction processes, coordinating service meetings, monitoring waiting lists and supporting the delivery of accessible, culturally competent and psychologically informed services.
  • Contribute to local, regional and national developments in psychological practice and represent psychology within multidisciplinary and strategic forums.
  • Hold a specialist caseload and provide highly specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for adults with complex and severe mental health difficulties.
  • Offer consultation and supervision to multidisciplinary colleagues, contribute to risk assessment and management, and support evidence-based practice across services.
  • Lead and oversee audit, service evaluation and research activities, using outcomes and evidence to drive continuous service improvement and enhance the quality of care provided across Adult Mental Health services.

About us

Being the smallest Heath Board in Wales means that you won't get lost in the crowd. Everybody at Powys Teaching Health Board is valued for the contribution they make to our varied and diverse portfolio of community-based services. Together, we can continue to make a real difference to our patients and build on our unrivalled reputation.

As a supportive and progressive employer, we actively encourage you to carve out a career with us, through a range of development pathways. We're also lucky enough to be situated in one of the most beautiful rural counties in Britain, let alone Wales! Achieving a healthy 'life work' balance is essential, and something we recognise by prioritising your well-being.

To start your journey with us, and to learn more about what we can offer you please visit: There you will find information about our benefits and values, read staff experiences and more about what our beautiful county has to offer.

Job responsibilities

We are looking for a HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist with substantial post-qualification experience, strong leadership skills and a proven track record of service development within NHS mental health services. This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant contribution to the future of psychological practice across Powys and to improve outcomes for the people and communities we serve.

For further details, please see the attached combined Job Description and Person Specification.

We would particularly welcome applications from Welsh speakers; but even if you don’t speak any Welsh, or want to develop your skills, don’t worry: the health board will support you with training. The post holder will need to offer face to face clinics in one or more clinical bases across the health board, including in Bronllys, Llandrindod and/or Newtown.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

  • Post-graduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology accredited by the HCPC (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 as accredited by the BPS)
  • HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
  • Additional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice through formal post qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice
  • Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
  • Advanced knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for adult mental health
  • Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics
  • Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis
  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of management and leadership

Experience

  • Extensive and demonstrable experience of working as a HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist within services for adults with complex mental health/psychological issues
  • Extensive experience of working with a wide range of patient groups presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, and in-patient
  • Undertaking leadership and/or management roles
  • Teaching, training and professional and clinical supervision
  • Exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan
  • Delivery of evidence based and high intensity psychological interventions
  • NHS recruitment and induction processes
  • Proposing and implementing service development projects that impact beyond own service area.
  • NHS management tasks and negotiating with NHS managers, professionals, colleagues and other agencies
  • Audit and evaluation of clinical services

Skills & Attributes

  • Manage staff (including line management) and negotiate specialty issues
  • Design and implement policies for people with complex psychological needs and to propose service changes that impact beyond that area of activity
  • Select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources, on which expert opinion may differ
  • Communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information
  • Plan delivery of psychology and psychotherapy services to the client group and carers, involving partner agencies
  • Well-developed consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups
  • Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data and for teaching purposes
  • Providing teaching and training to other professional groups
  • Identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate

Other

  • Commitment to working collaboratively with users of services and their care partners to develop and improve services
  • Ability to travel between work sites in a timely manner

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. 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.

Consultant Practitioner Psychologist - Adult Mental Health in Bedford employer: Powys Teaching Health Board

Powys Teaching Health Board is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises employee development and collaboration. With a focus on enhancing financial management within the Primary Care function, employees benefit from meaningful work that directly impacts community health services, alongside opportunities for professional growth in a dynamic environment.

P

Contact Details:

Powys Teaching Health Board Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Consultant Practitioner Psychologist - Adult Mental Health in Bedford

Get Involved in Local Psychological Communities

Join local psychology associations or groups where professionals gather. Whether it’s workshops, conferences, or social events, connecting with others in the field can lead to job opportunities and insider info on unadvertised openings.

Leverage University Career Services

If you’re a recent graduate, don’t forget to tap into your university’s career services. They often have exclusive partnerships with organisations looking for fresh talents, plus access to internships that could lead to full-time roles.

Showcase Your Skills Online

Create a blog or a LinkedIn page where you share insights about psychology theories or current trends. This not only showcases your knowledge but can help you connect with like-minded professionals and potential employers.

Apply Directly Through Our Website

When you find a role like Consultant Practitioner Psychologist - Adult Mental Health at Powys Teaching Health Board, make your application stand out by applying directly through our website. This gives you a better chance to be seen by hiring managers. Plus, tailor your application to highlight your passion for psychology and relevant experiences!

We think you need these skills to ace Consultant Practitioner Psychologist - Adult Mental Health in Bedford

HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
Leadership Skills
Service Development
Clinical Governance
Psychological Assessment
Evidence-Based Practice
Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV with Relevant Experience:In psychology, it’s crucial to highlight your relevant experience, such as internships, research projects, or any volunteer work in mental health settings. Make sure to include specific roles and responsibilities, demonstrating how you've applied theoretical knowledge in real-world situations—this is what gets us excited!

Show Off Your Academic Achievements:Given the nature of psychology, we want to see your academic journey laid out clearly. Include your degree(s), grades, and any specialised courses or certifications that set you apart. If you've got published papers or presentations at conferences, be sure to mention them—it shows your commitment to the field!

Personal Statement: Make It Count:Your personal statement is your chance to shine! Share insights about why you’re passionate about psychology and how this role at Powys Teaching Health Board connects with your career goals. Be honest about your motivations and what you hope to learn—this is key for a full-time position and helps us gauge your fit in our team!

Focus on Soft Skills in Your Application:Psychology is as much about people as it is about theories. Highlight your soft skills such as communication, empathy, and teamwork in your application. These traits are essential in our field and will help us see how you connect with others, so don't hold back in showcasing them!

How to prepare for a job interview at Powys Teaching Health Board

Brush Up on Key Psychological Theories

Before stepping into the interview with Powys Teaching Health Board, revisit key psychological theories that are relevant to the role, like cognitive behavioural therapy or humanistic psychology. Expect to discuss these during your interview, as they want to see how you apply theory to practice.

Bring Real-Life Case Studies

Prepare a couple of case studies or anecdotes that demonstrate your practical experience in psychology. Whether it’s handling a difficult client or designing a psychological assessment, these stories will highlight your skills and help you stand out in your full-time interview.

Familiarise Yourself with Ethical Guidelines

Get comfy with the ethical guidelines set by the British Psychological Society. Be ready to chat about how you ensure ethical practice in your work, as this is crucial in the psychology field, and Powys Teaching Health Board will be keen to know you’ve got integrity.

Showcase Your Continuous Learning

Since you're going for a full-time gig, it’s essential to demonstrate your commitment to ongoing professional development. Bring up any workshops, courses, or readings you’ve engaged in recently. This shows Powys Teaching Health Board that you’re not just there for a job, but genuinely passionate about the field.