This principal clinical psychologist post sits in the Initial Response Service at Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust, a 24/7 single point of access for mental health care. The work centres on leading psychologically informed triage, risk management and consultation for crisis presentations, alongside supervision of IRS staff and service redesign. Demand peaks outside normal working hours, so the postholder must be able to work flexibly, and one day a week is direct clinical work. Links extend to CRHT and the NHS 111 mental health option.
What the job involves
- Provide psychological leadership across IRS, CRHT and the NHS 111 mental health option
- Lead psychologically informed triage, formulation, risk assessment and risk management for complex, urgent and crisis presentations
- Deliver expert clinical consultation on managing crisis presentations
- Provide structured consultation and supervision to IRS staff
- Support NHS 111 clinicians with formulation, risk assessment and psychologically informed decisions
- Develop and align psychological practice across IRS, CRHT and NHS 111 to evidence-based standards, including a standardised approach to safety planning, decision-making and risk formulation
- Deliver training, reflective practice sessions and post-incident reflections to multidisciplinary teams
- Support trauma-informed, autism-informed and psychologically informed care
- Contribute to patient safety processes, after-action reviews and report production
- Provide one day a week of direct clinical work
- Develop integrated pathways with system partners including NHS 111, primary care, crisis services and acute care
- Lead and support urgent care service transformation, pathway development and continuous quality improvement
Qualifications
- Doctoral-level clinical psychology training or equivalent, with eligibility for BPS chartered status
- Further post-qualification postgraduate training in one or more specialised areas of psychological practice
Registration & licences
- Registration as a practitioner psychologist with the HCPC
Experience
- Specialist complex psychological assessment and treatment across a wide range of mental health problems
- Extensive experience working as a qualified clinical psychologist
- Experience with a wide variety of client groups and presenting problems, staying professional with highly emotive and distressing cases
Skills & knowledge
- Use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management
- Assessing and managing risk linked to mental ill health and related psychopathology
- Communicating complex, highly technical and sensitive information to clients, families, carers and professionals inside and outside the NHS
- Theory and practice of specialised therapies for difficult-to-treat groups, such as personality disorder and dual diagnosis
- Practitioner-level knowledge of at least two models of psychological therapy
- Legislation and its implications for clinical practice with people who have mental health problems
Other
- Commitment to continuing professional development, partnership working and reflective clinical practice
- Identifying and applying clinical governance mechanisms to support and maintain clinical practice
- Ability to travel independently
- Physical intervention training, kept current as the role requires
Nice to have
- CPD in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
- Representing psychology within multidisciplinary teams in clinical and organisational settings
- Experience of clinical work in a setting relevant to the post
- Producing reports suitable for public presentation and medico-legal settings
- High-level knowledge of assessing and evaluating psychological therapies
- Experience working within a multicultural framework
- Experience providing specific support interventions and strategies for staff
What’s offered
- NHS pension
- In-house and external training programmes
- Career progression
- Starting annual leave of 27 days, rising to 33 days with length of service, plus paid bank holidays
- Staff physiotherapy service
- NHS discounts
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Band 8b Principal Clinical Psychologist employer: The Methodist Church in Britain
Plymouth Community Homes is an exceptional employer that prioritises innovation and collaboration in driving technology and digital transformation. With a strong commitment to employee growth, we offer flexible working arrangements and a supportive work culture that encourages professional development and meaningful contributions to the community. Join us in shaping the future of our organisation while enjoying a rewarding work-life balance in a vibrant location.
Contact Details:
The Methodist Church in Britain Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Band 8b Principal Clinical Psychologist
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Some tips for your application 🫡
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How to prepare for a job interview at The Methodist Church in Britain
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Brush up on your clinical knowledge, particularly in areas relevant to the role at The Methodist Church in Britain. Expect questions about diagnosis, treatment plans, and patient management. Be ready to discuss case studies or even do some role-playing with hypothetical patient scenarios for a more practical assessment.
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