Band 8b Practitioner Psychologist - Cancer Psychology Service

Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 27 April 2025

Job summary

A unique opportunity has arisen for a Practitioner Psychologist to join the Cancer Psychology Service as part of University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) NHS Foundation Trust.

The Cancer Psychology Service works with patients receiving cancer care across UHB offering an integrated service into a large specialty. The service is currently prioritising patients with the highest level of need whilst we continue to seek expansion to meet the level of demand. In addition to contributing to the clinical service, the postholder will have the opportunity to contribute to scoping of needs and business case development to support the advancement of the service. The postholder will be working under an 8C Cancer lead.

The applicant will ideally have experience of working in cancer care and physical health settings (particularly acute medical settings), but our principal aim is to recruit a psychologist with the right passion and skills to support the development and delivery of a gold-standard service.

The are large regional and national networks of psychologists working in cancer care and you will be well supported and connected in this regard. You will also be a valued colleague in our Clinical Health Psychology Service and the Psychological Professionals workforce at Birmingham & Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Main duties of the job

You will need to be able to demonstrate a highly developed understanding of the psychological aspects of cancer care and how this may interact with pre-existing vulnerabilities and mental health.

In additional to patient-facing work (across a range of modalities/settings), you will be working closely with doctors, nurses and allied health professionals to provide high quality care, and you will need strong skills in consultation, supervision and teaching as part of our multidisciplinary teamwork.

Our mission is to provide excellent psychological care and support for patients and staff, which is compassionate, inclusive and committed.If you thrive on challenge, creativity and a dynamic and supportive work environment, in which psychological thinking is highly valued in the wider multi-disciplinary teams, along with the opportunity to shape the future of the service, this is the job for you.

This is a 37.5 hours per week post and our preference would be for a single postholder, but we would consider job-shares if practical.

About us

Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, as well as specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.

Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people's lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.

Date posted

14 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

436-7012102-A

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Mindelsohn Way

Birmingham

B15 2GW


Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Training and Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling/Health Psychology. The completion of which includes the study of models of psychopathology, psychometric and neuropsychological assessment, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
  • Registered as a Clinical/Counselling/Health Psychologist with the Health and Care Professionals Council

Desirable

  • Post-doctoral training in two or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice that are relevant in a Clinical Health Psychology setting.
  • Significant management and or leadership training.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Experience , knowledge, and skills in working with people with physical health conditions.
  • An understanding of the specific needs and difficulties of people within the speciality the post is based with.
  • Substantial post qualification experience of working with a variety of client groups of working age with wide-ranging presenting problems that reflect the full spectrum of clinical complexity and severity.
  • Relevant post-qualification experience, and formal training in supervision, enabling the post holder to independently supervise clinical psychology trainees in accordance with relevant criteria adopted by local University Clinical/Counselling Psychology Training Course criteria
  • Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
  • Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care.

Desirable

  • Experience of working in acute physical health settings and particularly life-limiting illness (if relevant to the post)
  • Experience of adapting psychological therapy to physical health conditions and settings.
  • Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
  • Experience of service development and quality improvement.

Skills

Essential

  • Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups.
  • In depth knowledge of clinical governance and clinical risk management.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development consistent with expected standards of the HCPC and the British Psychological Society and relevant subdivisions (Division of Clinical Psychology, Division of Counselling Psychology, etc.) and other relevant professional bodies.
  • Highly developed skills, commensurate with doctoral level training and/or post qualification training and experience, in the formulation of highly complex problems from a psychological perspective and in the implementation of highly specialist psychological therapies, interventions and management techniques that are appropriate for use with highly complex presenting problems. Able to deliver established/evidenced based psychological therapy to fidelity.

Desirable

  • Experience of effective redesign and improvement methodologies.
Person Specification

Training and Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling/Health Psychology. The completion of which includes the study of models of psychopathology, psychometric and neuropsychological assessment, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
  • Registered as a Clinical/Counselling/Health Psychologist with the Health and Care Professionals Council

Desirable

  • Post-doctoral training in two or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice that are relevant in a Clinical Health Psychology setting.
  • Significant management and or leadership training.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Experience , knowledge, and skills in working with people with physical health conditions.
  • An understanding of the specific needs and difficulties of people within the speciality the post is based with.
  • Substantial post qualification experience of working with a variety of client groups of working age with wide-ranging presenting problems that reflect the full spectrum of clinical complexity and severity.
  • Relevant post-qualification experience, and formal training in supervision, enabling the post holder to independently supervise clinical psychology trainees in accordance with relevant criteria adopted by local University Clinical/Counselling Psychology Training Course criteria
  • Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
  • Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care.

Desirable

  • Experience of working in acute physical health settings and particularly life-limiting illness (if relevant to the post)
  • Experience of adapting psychological therapy to physical health conditions and settings.
  • Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
  • Experience of service development and quality improvement.

Skills

Essential

  • Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups.
  • In depth knowledge of clinical governance and clinical risk management.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development consistent with expected standards of the HCPC and the British Psychological Society and relevant subdivisions (Division of Clinical Psychology, Division of Counselling Psychology, etc.) and other relevant professional bodies.
  • Highly developed skills, commensurate with doctoral level training and/or post qualification training and experience, in the formulation of highly complex problems from a psychological perspective and in the implementation of highly specialist psychological therapies, interventions and management techniques that are appropriate for use with highly complex presenting problems. Able to deliver established/evidenced based psychological therapy to fidelity.

Desirable

  • Experience of effective redesign and improvement methodologies.

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

Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Mindelsohn Way

Birmingham

B15 2GW


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Mindelsohn Way

Birmingham

B15 2GW


Employer's website

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

For questions about the job, contact:

Acting Lead for Clinical Health Psychology

Sahil Suleman

sahil.suleman@nhs.net

01213714455

Date posted

14 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

436-7012102-A

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Mindelsohn Way

Birmingham

B15 2GW


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)