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Principal Clinical Psychologist - ILS Team

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 05 May 2025

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Job summary

As part of our transformation of community mental health services we are currently expanding the Intensive Life Skills team. This post would be initially based in the Stafford and Cannock locality, with a rolling expansion across Staffordshire.

We are looking for someone with passion, integrity and enthusiasm who will welcome the opportunity to support, develop and influence the service. Experience with working with people who have experienced trauma and attachment difficulties and present with complex emotional needs is essential.

This is an interesting new post which will have considerable input to the service development work being undertaken as part of the Mental Health Transformation as well as having a leadership role within the Intensive Life Skills Pathway. The Intensive Life Skills team uses a Structured Clinical Management approach to addressing complex needs in our service users and you will join a team of existing psychologists and psychological therapists as well as nurse practitioners and other multi-disciplinary colleagues who offer a range of individual therapies including EMDR, MBT, CFT, CBT and IFS. Group interventions are also strongly supported and the opportunity to develop this offer further will be encouraged. Psychological thinking is actively promoted with the team through assessment, formulation and supervision. In addition, there is a strong peer network of psychologists within MPFT.

Main duties of the job

  • To work as a Principal Psychologist in the service, providing clinical input directly to people with complex mental health problems and their families/carers, as well as supporting the ILS team to use strategies that enhance the psychological well-being of people who use this service and their families and/or carers.
  • To provide a specialist formulation-based clinical psychology service within the ILS pathway to adults, their families/carers. To work face to face with clients at the team base, in local NHS settings or other care environments, or at their home as necessary.
  • To be responsible for conducting psychological assessments, deriving information from self-report measures, rating scales, psychometrics (where necessary), direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client's care, interpreting complex data and giving feedback effectively and with sensitivity.
  • To offer clinical supervision to team colleagues to help develop psychological skills in the team. The team welcomes Trainee Clinical Psychologists and provides teaching to the local Doctorate in Clinical Psychology courses.

About us

By joining Team MPFT, you will be helping your communities and in return for this, we will support you by:

  • Supporting your career development and progression.
  • Excellent NHS Pension scheme
  • Generous maternity, paternity, adoption leave
  • Options for flexible working
  • Up to 27 days annual leave (increasing with service up to 33 days) and the opportunity to purchase additional annual leave.
  • Extensive Health and Wellbeing support and resources
  • If you work in our community teams, we pay for your time travelling between patients.
  • Lease car if you complete more than 500 business miles per annum, fully insured and maintained (including tyres), mileage paid at lease car rate
  • Salary sacrifice car - fully insured and maintained (including tyres), your gross pay is reduced by the cost of the vehicle before tax, NI and pension deductions are calculated, mileage paid at business rates
  • Salary sacrifice bikes up to £2k
  • Free car parking at all trust sites
  • Free flu vaccination every year
  • Attractive relocation package
  • Citizens Advice support linked with a Hardship Fund for one off additional support up to £250 (if the criteria is met)

And more. We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive organisation and there is a choice of staff networks that help you meet like-minded people.

Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications

Date posted

16 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year Pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

301-JC-25-7139149

Job locations

West Staffordshire

Stafford

ST16 3AG


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please check out the below videos showcasing why MPFT is a great place to work and to grow your career:

Why Work for Mental Health Services at MPFT - YouTube

Development and Progression Within Mental Health Services at MPFT - YouTube

The Intensive Life Skills Pathway is a multi-disciplinary mental health team providing assessment and intervention for adults experiencing complex emotional difficulties across East and West Staffordshire as part of the Adult Mental Health Service.

The multi-disciplinary team works in a highly psychologically minded way and are passionate about working with service-users who present with high levels of emotional distress and who often have histories of complex trauma and/or adverse experiences. Applicants should have an interest in working with this client group, and an experience of relevant evidence-based interventions.

The pathway utilises Structured Clinical Management (SCM) as a core therapeutic model, combining individual and workshop-based interventions. A range of additional therapeutic models are utilised including attachment theory, behavioural theory, Compassion-Focussed Therapy, EMDR, Trauma-Focussed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mentalisation-Based Treatment, and DBT informed interventions.

The successful candidate will be expected to undertake psychological assessments and formulation of complex clinical presentations, with some focus on trauma and attachment. Therapy will be provided on an individual and group basis, in line with assessed needs and complementary to the pathway model.

There will be a requirement to provide clinical supervision to colleagues within the pathway. The role will also involve engaging with service development & evaluation. Regular clinical supervision will be offered, along with a range of supervisory and developmental opportunities. The team has good links with the nearby Clinical Psychology Doctorate course based at Staffordshire University.

For further information please contact Dr Kate Stapleton, Consultant Clinical Psychologist (Kate.Stapleton@mpft.nhs.uk) or Charlotte Potter-Walker, Pathway Manager (charlotte.potter-walker@mpft.nhs.uk) We would love to talk to you!

).

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please check out the below videos showcasing why MPFT is a great place to work and to grow your career:

Why Work for Mental Health Services at MPFT - YouTube

Development and Progression Within Mental Health Services at MPFT - YouTube

The Intensive Life Skills Pathway is a multi-disciplinary mental health team providing assessment and intervention for adults experiencing complex emotional difficulties across East and West Staffordshire as part of the Adult Mental Health Service.

The multi-disciplinary team works in a highly psychologically minded way and are passionate about working with service-users who present with high levels of emotional distress and who often have histories of complex trauma and/or adverse experiences. Applicants should have an interest in working with this client group, and an experience of relevant evidence-based interventions.

The pathway utilises Structured Clinical Management (SCM) as a core therapeutic model, combining individual and workshop-based interventions. A range of additional therapeutic models are utilised including attachment theory, behavioural theory, Compassion-Focussed Therapy, EMDR, Trauma-Focussed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mentalisation-Based Treatment, and DBT informed interventions.

The successful candidate will be expected to undertake psychological assessments and formulation of complex clinical presentations, with some focus on trauma and attachment. Therapy will be provided on an individual and group basis, in line with assessed needs and complementary to the pathway model.

There will be a requirement to provide clinical supervision to colleagues within the pathway. The role will also involve engaging with service development & evaluation. Regular clinical supervision will be offered, along with a range of supervisory and developmental opportunities. The team has good links with the nearby Clinical Psychology Doctorate course based at Staffordshire University.

For further information please contact Dr Kate Stapleton, Consultant Clinical Psychologist (Kate.Stapleton@mpft.nhs.uk) or Charlotte Potter-Walker, Pathway Manager (charlotte.potter-walker@mpft.nhs.uk) We would love to talk to you!

).

Person Specification

Training

Essential

  • Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical/counselling psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
  • Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice or therapeutic intervention as required for specific clinical post
  • HPC registration as a clinical/counselling psychologist with eligibility for Chartered Status
  • Trained in Clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees

Desirable

  • Qualification and/or accreditation in one or more therapeutic interventions/ therapy i.e. EMDR; MBT; DBT; CBT T
  • Registration with BPS

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist at a highly specialist level.
  • Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings
  • Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.

Desirable

  • Considerable experience of working with people with complex and challenging mental health problems, those who present with high risk and significant suicidal intent and those who have experienced trauma and attachment difficulties

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Skills in the use of complex methods of Psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
  • Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical, and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside of the NHS.
  • Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.
Person Specification

Training

Essential

  • Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical/counselling psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
  • Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice or therapeutic intervention as required for specific clinical post
  • HPC registration as a clinical/counselling psychologist with eligibility for Chartered Status
  • Trained in Clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees

Desirable

  • Qualification and/or accreditation in one or more therapeutic interventions/ therapy i.e. EMDR; MBT; DBT; CBT T
  • Registration with BPS

Experience

Essential

  • Substantial experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist at a highly specialist level.
  • Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings
  • Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.

Desirable

  • Considerable experience of working with people with complex and challenging mental health problems, those who present with high risk and significant suicidal intent and those who have experienced trauma and attachment difficulties

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

  • Skills in the use of complex methods of Psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
  • Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical, and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside of the NHS.
  • Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

West Staffordshire

Stafford

ST16 3AG


Employer's website

https://www.mpft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

West Staffordshire

Stafford

ST16 3AG


Employer's website

https://www.mpft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Dr Kate Stapleton

kate.stapleton@mpft.nhs.uk

03007907000

Date posted

16 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year Pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

301-JC-25-7139149

Job locations

West Staffordshire

Stafford

ST16 3AG


Supporting documents

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