Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Clinical Psychologist

The closing date is 15 April 2026

Job summary

We are looking to recruit a passionate and dynamic HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist (0.9 wte) to join our West Sussex children and young people's Neurodevelopmental Pathway. The post is based at New Park House, Horsham but covers West Sussex, including Chichester and Worthing. The CAMHS Neurodevelopmental Pathway is a CAMHS specialist service that offers diagnostic assessments for autistic spectrum condition for young people aged 11 years+ and ADHD for young people aged 6 years up to 18 years. We are a strengths based service and take an evidenced-based and neurodivergent positive approach to the work we do.

The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic Clinical Psychologist with previous knowledge and experience of providing specialist neurodevelopmental assessments and working with complex needs.

The successful candidate will be joining a specialist multi-disciplinary team and will work closely with the clinical service manager. In addition to conducting neurodevelopmental and psychometric assessments you will also participate in consultation and training and provide clinical/professional supervision to assistant psychologists, trainee psychologists and other clinicians in the team. You will also participate in systematic clinical governance and contribute to audit, service development and quality improvement.

We offer and support hybrid and flexible working, we require staff to be on site for 60% of their working week.

Main duties of the job

To provide a qualified, high-quality specialist psychology service.

To be responsible for high quality assessments and managing assessment clinics. To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the planning and prioritising of own workload.

To use analytical and judgment skills and be responsible for taking clinical management decisions in complex clinical issues.

To clinically supervise assistant psychologists, trainee psychologists and junior psychologists, psychological therapists or counsellors and other staff as appropriate.

To professionally supervise and, when appropriate, manage, assistant psychologists and trainee psychologists

To complete assessments of those referred to the service and outcome this in a timely manner in line with code of Conduct

To provide consultation, mentorship, supervision as appropriate.

To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the service/team.

To contribute to the development, evaluation and monitoring of the team's operational policies and services.

To utilise research skills to undertake service evaluation, audit and research as appropriate and disseminate the results in the service.

About us

At SPFT we provide mental health and learning disability care for children, young people and adults across Sussex and for children.

Working in Sussex:

Travel easily between coast and countryside, with a blend of picturesque villages and seaside towns

Embrace the city life with great access to visit Brighton and London

With easy access to Gatwick and Heathrow and excellent railway links across the UK there is plenty of opportunity for adventure

We'd love you to join our organisation that is rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by the CQC. Our staff agree, in our recent staff survey 82% told us that they recognise that care for patients is our top priority.

Key staff survey results include:

70% highlighting flexible working opportunities as a key point for satisfaction at work

79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work within their team

77% identifying the opportunities to show initiative in their roles

Details

Date posted

01 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,528 to £64,750 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

354-CS-21863-A

Job locations

New Park House

North Street

Horsham

RH12 1RJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

REQUIREMENTS

Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology (or it's equivalent).

Experience of working with young people with neurodevelopmental conditions and working with complex needs.

Extensive experience of working within a multidisciplinary team.

Experience of supervising staff.

Wide knowledge of local and national policies.

MAIN DUTIES

To carry out specialist neurodevelopmental assessments of young people referred to the service.

To carry out specialist neurodevelopmental assessments of young people referred to the service.

Provide Clinical supervision to assistant psychologist, trainee psychologists and other members of the ND team ensuring high quality practice within the team.

Leading and participating in multidisciplinary team discussions and in risk and care planning.

Offering training and consultation to team members and other services

Lead in service evaluation, audits, policy implementation to improve care standards and ensure adherence to clinical guidelines.

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

Job description

Job responsibilities

REQUIREMENTS

Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology (or it's equivalent).

Experience of working with young people with neurodevelopmental conditions and working with complex needs.

Extensive experience of working within a multidisciplinary team.

Experience of supervising staff.

Wide knowledge of local and national policies.

MAIN DUTIES

To carry out specialist neurodevelopmental assessments of young people referred to the service.

To carry out specialist neurodevelopmental assessments of young people referred to the service.

Provide Clinical supervision to assistant psychologist, trainee psychologists and other members of the ND team ensuring high quality practice within the team.

Leading and participating in multidisciplinary team discussions and in risk and care planning.

Offering training and consultation to team members and other services

Lead in service evaluation, audits, policy implementation to improve care standards and ensure adherence to clinical guidelines.

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

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. ?? A
  • Professionally registered as a Clinical Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HCPC)

Desirable

  • Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology

Knowledge and 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 post-qualification of working as an applied psychologist
  • 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
  • Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision
  • Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC.

Skills

Essential

  • Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively
  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment formulation and management
  • Ability to plan and manage a complex work load with competing demands.
  • IT skills - ability to use a computer and input information to the Trust patient information record

Approach and Values

Essential

  • Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and those of the Trust
  • Ability to travel across sites
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. ?? A
  • Professionally registered as a Clinical Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HCPC)

Desirable

  • Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology

Knowledge and 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 post-qualification of working as an applied psychologist
  • 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
  • Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision
  • Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC.

Skills

Essential

  • Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively
  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment formulation and management
  • Ability to plan and manage a complex work load with competing demands.
  • IT skills - ability to use a computer and input information to the Trust patient information record

Approach and Values

Essential

  • Demonstrate support for the values and beliefs of the Care Group and those of the Trust
  • Ability to travel across sites

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

New Park House

North Street

Horsham

RH12 1RJ


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

New Park House

North Street

Horsham

RH12 1RJ


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Service Manager

Patience Clarke

patience.clarke@nhs.net

07720346244

Details

Date posted

01 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,528 to £64,750 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

354-CS-21863-A

Job locations

New Park House

North Street

Horsham

RH12 1RJ


Supporting documents

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