NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Clinical / Counselling Psychologist

The closing date is 23 February 2026

Job summary

We are seeking a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist, or a Psychological Practitioner with a core profession, to provide maternity cover to join our Acute and Inpatient & Home Treatment Psychology Service. The post is within the Home Treatment Team pathway. This is a fixed-term, 0.6 FTE post until October 2026.

The role is advertised at Band 8a, though Band 7 applicants are encouraged to apply. The job plan will be adjusted in line with Band 7 competencies.

Main duties of the job

The Acute and Rehab psychology service is an exciting and dynamic team of psychological professionals working in crisis settings - home treatment crisis teams, psychiatric inpatient wards and a range of other settings.

The successful applicant would join our well respected and exciting Acute Psychology Service. We are passionate about tackling social inequalities and making therapy accessible to everyone. Our work focuses on supporting people from marginalised communities. Those who may not usually have the chance to access therapy, and creating welcoming, inclusive spaces where they feel seen and supported.

The team are at the forefront of national developments in inpatient and acute working. We are actively involved in research and keen to recruit people who share that vision of contributing to best practice, national guidelines and an evidence base. For example, a number of our team were involved in contributing to the psychological services for acute adult mental health BPS/ACP-UK guidelines.

We are committed to supporting staff development through our in-house CPD package, and where funding allows, we aim to open up further training opportunities in models like Systemic Family Therapy, EMDR, FLP, and CBT for psychosis.

About us

Our Values 2025 - 2030

Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.

They are:

  • We are kind.
  • We are respectful.
  • We work together with our communities.

These three values help us tostrive to provide the best care by the best people.

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period.

Starting with Us

NELFT places great importance on new starters being properly welcomed into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks, including mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will also have the opportunity to meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend several drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Goodmayes, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,313 to a maximum of £5,436 p.a. pro rata for part time).

High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,192 to a maximum of £2,011 p.a. pro rata for part time).

Details

Date posted

10 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

Depending on experience Dependant on experience

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

395-PP178-25

Job locations

Tantallon House, Goodmayes Hospital

Ilford

IG3 8XJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

You would be part of the wider Acute Psychology Service.

The post holder will undertake assessment and brief psychological interventions for the most complex presentations who have presented in crisis to develop safety and stabilisation skills. The post holder will contribute to safe therapeutic discharge plans in order to enhance recovery and prevent relapse.

The Home Treatment Teams (HTT) offer crisis assessment, crisis intervention and brief therapeutic interventions to service users experiencing a significant crisis in their mental health and psychological well being. The HTTs receive a wide breadth of referrals which provides opportunities to work with and a variety of presentations using different therapeutic approaches.

The role of the Psychological practitioner in the HTTs includes:

  • providing and encouraging the use of psychological formulations to inform overall care planning
  • offering assessments and brief psychological interventions to service users
  • developing the psychological skill set of the multidisciplinary team through provision of training / teaching / supervision /consultation and reflective practice
  • liaising with other teams / services to support discharge plans / onward referrals.
  • Service development and evaluation / audit

We are looking for enthusiastic, committed and skilled clinicians who can work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, to provide a range of clinical services. The individual will have excellent opportunities to gain experience of multilevel and integrated service provision and to further develop skills of complex case assessment, formulation and the application of evidence based psychological interventions, both individual and in groups.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application.

Please get in touch for more information if you are interested in the vacancy.

Job description

Job responsibilities

You would be part of the wider Acute Psychology Service.

The post holder will undertake assessment and brief psychological interventions for the most complex presentations who have presented in crisis to develop safety and stabilisation skills. The post holder will contribute to safe therapeutic discharge plans in order to enhance recovery and prevent relapse.

The Home Treatment Teams (HTT) offer crisis assessment, crisis intervention and brief therapeutic interventions to service users experiencing a significant crisis in their mental health and psychological well being. The HTTs receive a wide breadth of referrals which provides opportunities to work with and a variety of presentations using different therapeutic approaches.

The role of the Psychological practitioner in the HTTs includes:

  • providing and encouraging the use of psychological formulations to inform overall care planning
  • offering assessments and brief psychological interventions to service users
  • developing the psychological skill set of the multidisciplinary team through provision of training / teaching / supervision /consultation and reflective practice
  • liaising with other teams / services to support discharge plans / onward referrals.
  • Service development and evaluation / audit

We are looking for enthusiastic, committed and skilled clinicians who can work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, to provide a range of clinical services. The individual will have excellent opportunities to gain experience of multilevel and integrated service provision and to further develop skills of complex case assessment, formulation and the application of evidence based psychological interventions, both individual and in groups.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application.

Please get in touch for more information if you are interested in the vacancy.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Has a core psychological profession

Desirable

  • Relevant additional training

Experience

Essential

  • Strong assessment skills for risk

Desirable

  • Worked in crisis settings
  • Worked with MDTs
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Has a core psychological profession

Desirable

  • Relevant additional training

Experience

Essential

  • Strong assessment skills for risk

Desirable

  • Worked in crisis settings
  • Worked with MDTs

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

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Tantallon House, Goodmayes Hospital

Ilford

IG3 8XJ


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

Address

Tantallon House, Goodmayes Hospital

Ilford

IG3 8XJ


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Principal Psychologist

Dr Lai Tang

Lai.Tang@nelft.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

10 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

Depending on experience Dependant on experience

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

395-PP178-25

Job locations

Tantallon House, Goodmayes Hospital

Ilford

IG3 8XJ


Supporting documents

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