Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the leadership triumvirate for Assessment & Treatment Services across West Yorkshire and Barnsley, delivering specialist inpatient care for people with a learning disability. Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust & South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust work in partnership to deliver services from the Horizon Centre, Wakefield & the Najurally Unit at Lynfield Mount Hospital, Bradford, with Leeds & York Partnership Foundation Trust providing governance.
Our ambition is to develop a West Yorkshire Centre of Excellence, delivering high-quality specialist inpatient care through a collaborative, trauma-informed approach, supporting people as close to home as possible. We are seeking a compassionate, motivated Consultant Clinical Psychologist committed to making a difference & helping realise this vision.
As the non-medical clinical lead, the Consultant Clinical Psychologist will work alongside the Programme Lead & Medical Lead to support service development at local and strategic levels. The role includes leadership & governance responsibilities for psychological practitioners and the wider MDT, ensuring safe, effective practice & staff development.
The successful candidate will have experience working with people with complex learning disabilities & mental health needs, including behaviours that challenge, using evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches to reduce distress & promote wellbeing and social inclusion.
Main duties of the job
Please see JD/PS. The Job Purpose includes:
- Provide specialist, evidence-based psychological therapies, making autonomous clinical decisions within own scope of practice.
- Provide clinical leadership, supervision, consultation and specialist advice on psychological therapies and psychological aspects of care.
- Lead service and policy review, development and specialist teaching in psychological therapies across the West Yorkshire Assessment and Treatment Unit (WY ATU).
- Take lead responsibility for the development and implementation of NICE-compliant psychological interventions within the WY ATU.
- Ensure clinical effectiveness by leading audit, service evaluation, research and service improvement activities relevant to the WY ATU.
- Provide specialist psychological advice to the Programme Lead on service development.
- Act as an Approved Clinician for identified service users and/or work towards Approved Clinician status.
- Work as part of the WY ATU leadership triumvirate to influence strategic direction, ensure clinical engagement, and deliver high-quality services with robust governance, reporting to the WY ATU Strategic Partnership Group.
As Non-Medical Clinical Lead, the post holder will also:
- Lead the non-medical workforce in relation to the strategic direction of inpatient and community learning disability services across West Yorkshire.
- Work alongside triumvirate colleagues to embed quality, safety and continuous improvement across the clinical pathway.
About us
Everything we do is underpinned by our core values: -
We Care- We act with respect and empathy, and always value difference
We Listen- We understand people's views and respond to their individual needs
We Deliver- We develop and provide excellent services and support our partners
We will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements to enable staff to balance their work and home lives and support staff by offering a fantastic range of benefits including :
Increase mileage rates for > 3500
A wide range of health and wellbeing support packages
A range of internal and external development and learning opportunities
Plus many more.
We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.
Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. It is in the candidate's best interest to apply as soon as possible
Closing Date: 31st January 2026
Shortlisting Date: W/C 2nd February 2026
Interview Date: TBC
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please read the attached Job description and person specification for further details about this role.
Right to Work in the UK
Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trusts eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.
As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT).
Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please read the attached Job description and person specification for further details about this role.
Right to Work in the UK
Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trusts eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.
As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT).
Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate level training in clinical or applied psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical, psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS, or a BPS Statement of Equivalence.
- Eligibility for Chartered Clinical Psychologist status.
- Undertaken post-qualification further training in a specialised area of psychological practice e.g. neuropsychology, CBT, CAT, DBT, solution focused therapy, analytical therapy, systemic / family work etc.
- Leadership training
- If not yet an approved clinician a preparedness to train and seek registration as an approved clinician
Desirable
- Teaching (clinical practice) qualification/certificate or equivalent experience.
- Training in advanced clinical supervision.
- Training in trauma informed care.
- Trained and registered as an Approved Clinician
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in relevant area of mental health practise.
- Extensive experience of providing successful clinical leadership within multi service, multidisciplinary mental health provider context
- Experience of teaching, training, supervision and consultation.
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
- Significant post qualification experience and training (at least 5 years).
Desirable
- Experience as a consultant psychologist/psychological therapist.
Knowledge
Essential
- Significant clinical knowledge relevant to service area
- Evidence based psychological therapies and approaches relevant to service area.
- Doctoral / master's level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis.
- Able to contain explore and formulate an understanding of high levels of distress both directly with patients and indirectly via supervision or case reviews with other staff.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
Desirable
- Demonstrable knowledge of the theory and practice of leadership and management in mental health services
- Highly specialist clinical knowledge relevant to a service area.
Skills
Essential
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers, and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Well developed skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Well developed skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, psychological formulation, intervention, and management.
- Well developed skills in individual and group work and in programme planning and systemic interventions.
- Able to make autonomous decisions using judgement.
- Ability to supervise learners and other staff.
- Competent teaching skills.
Desirable
- Writing for publication skills.
Attitude/Approach
Essential
- Commitment to ethos of the clinical service and MDT working.
- Aware of racial, culture, sexuality and gender issues and their impact on mental health and in therapy
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate level training in clinical or applied psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical, psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS, or a BPS Statement of Equivalence.
- Eligibility for Chartered Clinical Psychologist status.
- Undertaken post-qualification further training in a specialised area of psychological practice e.g. neuropsychology, CBT, CAT, DBT, solution focused therapy, analytical therapy, systemic / family work etc.
- Leadership training
- If not yet an approved clinician a preparedness to train and seek registration as an approved clinician
Desirable
- Teaching (clinical practice) qualification/certificate or equivalent experience.
- Training in advanced clinical supervision.
- Training in trauma informed care.
- Trained and registered as an Approved Clinician
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in relevant area of mental health practise.
- Extensive experience of providing successful clinical leadership within multi service, multidisciplinary mental health provider context
- Experience of teaching, training, supervision and consultation.
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
- Significant post qualification experience and training (at least 5 years).
Desirable
- Experience as a consultant psychologist/psychological therapist.
Knowledge
Essential
- Significant clinical knowledge relevant to service area
- Evidence based psychological therapies and approaches relevant to service area.
- Doctoral / master's level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis.
- Able to contain explore and formulate an understanding of high levels of distress both directly with patients and indirectly via supervision or case reviews with other staff.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
Desirable
- Demonstrable knowledge of the theory and practice of leadership and management in mental health services
- Highly specialist clinical knowledge relevant to a service area.
Skills
Essential
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers, and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Well developed skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Well developed skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, psychological formulation, intervention, and management.
- Well developed skills in individual and group work and in programme planning and systemic interventions.
- Able to make autonomous decisions using judgement.
- Ability to supervise learners and other staff.
- Competent teaching skills.
Desirable
- Writing for publication skills.
Attitude/Approach
Essential
- Commitment to ethos of the clinical service and MDT working.
- Aware of racial, culture, sexuality and gender issues and their impact on mental health and in therapy
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.
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.
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
Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Najurally Centre, Lynfield Mount Hospital but working across both West Yorkshire ATUs
To Be Decided (convenience of the service and individual)
Bradford
BD18 3LD
Employer's website
https://www.bdct.nhs.uk/current-vacancies/ (Opens in a new tab)
