Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist/Psychological Therapist

Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist/Psychological Therapist

Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist/Counselling Psychologist/Psychological Practitioner

Band 8a 0.6 22.5 hours/week

Acute Mental Health Services, based at Hammersmith and Fulham Mental Health Unit

We are looking for an experienced psychological professional, with enthusiasm for working in acute mental health services. The post offers a unique opportunity to work on a male ward that is part of Culture of Care, a national quality improvement programme centred in safe, trauma informed, therapeutic and equity focused patient care.

The post-holder will work collaboratively with the ward’s multi-disciplinary team, providing assessment, formulation and brief interventions to service users and their families. Reflective practice, team formulation, consultation and post‑incident support are an integral part of the psychological therapies service. They will also supervise clinical psychology trainees and master students.

The post holder will join a welcoming psychological therapies team, and we encourage applications from experienced therapists who may have not worked in acute mental health services but who have enthusiasm for and interest in developing a career in these unique services and settings.

Providing a full and comprehensive psychological therapies service to the acute ward, including assessments, formulation and brief interventions for service users and their families.

Be an integrated member of the multi‑disciplinary team to ensure approaches to care are safe, formulation driven and trauma informed.

Develop the multi‑disciplinary team’s psychological understanding through teaching, team formulation, consultation and supervision.

Provide post‑incident support.

Contribute to implementation of RAID, a psychological approach to working with behaviours that challenge, through facilitation of training and embedding this into MDT practice. This part of service priorities on reducing restrictive practice through implementing Positive and Caring Environments strategy.

To be proactively involved in the quality improvement programme for Culture of Care.

Opportunity for service development and research.

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation. Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’. The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Natalie Hawkins Job title: Consultant Psychotherapist Email address: natalie.hawkins5@nhs.uk