Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Practitioner Psychologist - Dementia Inpatient

The closing date is 17 July 2025

Job summary

Senior Psychologist (8a ) Forget Me Not Unit, Dementia Inpatient Wards, Swandean, Worthing

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a qualified, HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist to join our inpatient services for people living with dementia in Worthing. The Unit opened in 2021 and was re-designed to be a dementia friendly environment, following advice and support from the University of Worcester. You can see more on this YouTube video: Forget Me Not dementia intensive care unit - YouTube

You will be working all 3 wards as part of the multi-disciplinary teams. The ward staff and leadership team are committed to developing a centre of excellence for the care of people living with dementia and the candidate would be encouraged to contribute to this.

Main duties of the job

You will supervise 3 full time Assistant Psychologists who work in the Unit and be supported by a Consultant Clinical Psychologist who has extensive experience of working within inpatient settings and is also a Licensed Dementia Care Mapping Trainer with the University of Bradford and a Communication and Interaction Trainer. You will be enthusiastic and committed to working with people living with dementia and their families/friends/carers. You will be responsible for providing psychological and neuropsychological interventions in a service where psychology is highly valued. We would welcome applicants with well-developed skills in non-pharmacological approaches to supporting people who are living with dementia, especially individuals who experience distress associated with unmet needs. You will have knowledge and experience in working with clients in relation to risk and safeguarding concerns. Skills in teaching and training are also desirable.

About us

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health, forensic and learning disability services in and across Sussex. The Trust has teaching status and is developing into one of the country's leading teaching mental health trusts. At Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust we are at the forefront for Dementia research. We have recently engaged in a Sussex-wide project, in Communication and Interaction Training (CAIT) with Prof Ian James. Working here offers continued training and development, variety, plus all the benefits of living in Sussex.

If you would like to discuss the role we would welcome contact from you: Sally Stapleton, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, sally.stapleton@nhs.net (07824 434146) or Suesan Summers, Matron, (0300 304 0644) s.summers5@nhs.net

For further information regarding the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust please visit our website www.sussexpartnerhsip.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

03 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

354-AN-20839

Job locations

The Forget Me Not Unit

Arundel Road

Worthing

BN13 3EP


Job description

Job responsibilities

Sussex is a beautiful county with good transport links, vibrant communities, rural areas, and tourist attractions, including the Coast and the South Downs. You will join a friendly, highly-skilled and enthusiastic community of applied psychologists within West Sussex and a broader, highly experienced network of older peoples specialists across Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. You will receive regular clinical and professional supervision as well as a commitment to your own continuing professional development. Our Trust offers a wide range of CPD and the post-holder will have the opportunity to develop special interests and expertise in line with service and team objectives.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Sussex is a beautiful county with good transport links, vibrant communities, rural areas, and tourist attractions, including the Coast and the South Downs. You will join a friendly, highly-skilled and enthusiastic community of applied psychologists within West Sussex and a broader, highly experienced network of older peoples specialists across Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. You will receive regular clinical and professional supervision as well as a commitment to your own continuing professional development. Our Trust offers a wide range of CPD and the post-holder will have the opportunity to develop special interests and expertise in line with service and team objectives.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained before 1996 or outside the UK*] as approved by the HCPC, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
  • For forensic psychologists working in forensic settings: Masters degree (with the award of the British Psychological Society qualification in forensic psychology or equivalent)
  • Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HCPC

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings
  • Demonstrate specialist experience gained postqualification of working as an applied psychologist with evidence of having received a substantial amount of clinical supervision (normally in the region of approximately 50 hours)
  • Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
  • Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
  • Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained before 1996 or outside the UK*] as approved by the HCPC, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
  • For forensic psychologists working in forensic settings: Masters degree (with the award of the British Psychological Society qualification in forensic psychology or equivalent)
  • Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HCPC

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

  • Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings
  • Demonstrate specialist experience gained postqualification of working as an applied psychologist with evidence of having received a substantial amount of clinical supervision (normally in the region of approximately 50 hours)
  • Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
  • Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
  • Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.

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

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

The Forget Me Not Unit

Arundel Road

Worthing

BN13 3EP


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

The Forget Me Not Unit

Arundel Road

Worthing

BN13 3EP


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Sally Stapleton

sally.stapleton@nhs.net

07824434146

Details

Date posted

03 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

354-AN-20839

Job locations

The Forget Me Not Unit

Arundel Road

Worthing

BN13 3EP


Supporting documents

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