Job summary
We are delighted to be recruiting to the post of Practitioner Psychologist for the Evelina London Cleft Service (ELCS). This is an exciting post providing a wide variety of experiences since it is a lifespan service seeing individuals with a range of physical and psychological needs. This is an existing, full-time, permanent band 7 post, to work alongside two other qualified Clinical Psychologists within the ELCS.
We are looking for a motivated Psychologist with an interest in working with children, young people and families as well as adults newly referred or returning for further care. The role involves working closely with professional colleagues in a collaborative manner to provide high quality, holistic care.
We would be delighted to share more about the post. For further information or an informal discussion please contact Dr Jen Rundle, Clinical Psychologist, on jen.rundle1@nhs.net
Anticipated interview date: Wednesday 1st April 2026
Main duties of the job
The ELCS is a multidisciplinary team including nurses, speech and language therapists, surgeons, orthodontists, and paediatric dentists. The standard care pathway takes patients from diagnosis (including supporting parents in the antenatal stage) through to the age of 20 years but the service also sees adults of all ages who are returning for further care. Practitioner Psychologists provide input to children, young people, adults and their families (CYPF) across the age range. Presenting needs can include adjustment, coping with bullying, challenges with self-esteem, preparation for surgery etc. We are a regional service and, whilst the post holder will be based at St. Thomas' Hospital, they will have a remit across our wider region.
Clinical Psychology makes an important contribution to patient care and therefore, the need to develop, monitor and audit Clinical Psychology developments is particularly important in this area. Within the ELCS there is a significant commitment to service development, and the post-holder will be expected to be committed to audit and research and to maintain a focus on continuing professional development (CPD) to keep up-to-date with developments in cleft and more widely in paediatric Clinical Psychology and related child, adolescent and adult mental health issues.
About us
The ELCS was formed in 2000 following a report from the Clinical Standards Advisory Group in 1998 which recommended that the expertise and resources for cleft lip and palate services should be concentrated within a small number of designated centres throughout the UK. The ELCS provides highly specialised care to all patients with a cleft lip and/or palate in the South Thames region.
The service is currently delivered through outpatient and inpatient sites at Guys and St Thomas' Hospital (GSTT) and out-reach clinics throughout the region.
There are currently approximately 4500 active patients in the Cleft Service, with approximately 140 babies with cleft lip and/or palate being born each year in the network. The service follows the entire patient care pathway, from before the birth of the child through to 20 years old and to adults returning for further care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached JD and Person Specification for full information. Please get in touch with Dr Jen Rundle to discuss the position informally.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached JD and Person Specification for full information. Please get in touch with Dr Jen Rundle to discuss the position informally.
Person Specification
Knowledge/ Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level qualification in clinical, educational or health or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained before 1996) as accredited by BPS
- Eligible for membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
- HCPC Registration as Practitioner Psychologist
Previous experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of children, young people and their families and adults with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in a health-related setting.
- Experience of exercising clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment - individually and within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
- Experience of consultation to other staff.
- Experience of working with and addressing issues of diversity - including experience of working within a multicultural framework.
- Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs.
- Experience of developing and carrying out research projects, audit and service evaluation.
Skills
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology related to child and family and / or adult problems and complex statistical analysis.
- Knowledge of cognitive models of development and of clinical psychometrics and neuropsychological assessment.
- Advanced level knowledge of at least two models of psychological therapy relevant to children and families with medical conditions and knowledge of the theoretical and evidence base for them.
- Knowledge of legislation and national policy relevant to work with children and families and adults with physical health conditions and mental health issues including the NSF for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, Every Child Matters and Safeguarding Children.
- Awareness of racial, cultural and diversity differences/issues through attendance of relevant training.
- Highly developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, families and colleagues.
- Well-developed consultation skills to work with the multi-professional group and/or other professional groups in health and education.
- Ability to work independently as an autonomous practitioner with appropriate level of clinical and managerial supervision
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
Desirable
- Specialist knowledge of the literature and issues associated with visible difference and cleft lip and/or palate, in particular.
- Skills in the specialist psychological assessment and treatment of children, young people and adults with visible difference and their families.
Additional Information
Essential
- A commitment to continuing professional development, to partnership working and to reflective clinical practice.
- Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
Person Specification
Knowledge/ Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level qualification in clinical, educational or health or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained before 1996) as accredited by BPS
- Eligible for membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
- HCPC Registration as Practitioner Psychologist
Previous experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of children, young people and their families and adults with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in a health-related setting.
- Experience of exercising clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment - individually and within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
- Experience of consultation to other staff.
- Experience of working with and addressing issues of diversity - including experience of working within a multicultural framework.
- Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs.
- Experience of developing and carrying out research projects, audit and service evaluation.
Skills
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology related to child and family and / or adult problems and complex statistical analysis.
- Knowledge of cognitive models of development and of clinical psychometrics and neuropsychological assessment.
- Advanced level knowledge of at least two models of psychological therapy relevant to children and families with medical conditions and knowledge of the theoretical and evidence base for them.
- Knowledge of legislation and national policy relevant to work with children and families and adults with physical health conditions and mental health issues including the NSF for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, Every Child Matters and Safeguarding Children.
- Awareness of racial, cultural and diversity differences/issues through attendance of relevant training.
- Highly developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, families and colleagues.
- Well-developed consultation skills to work with the multi-professional group and/or other professional groups in health and education.
- Ability to work independently as an autonomous practitioner with appropriate level of clinical and managerial supervision
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
Desirable
- Specialist knowledge of the literature and issues associated with visible difference and cleft lip and/or palate, in particular.
- Skills in the specialist psychological assessment and treatment of children, young people and adults with visible difference and their families.
Additional Information
Essential
- A commitment to continuing professional development, to partnership working and to reflective clinical practice.
- Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
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.
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.
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).
