Principal Clinical Psychologist

Hywel Dda University Health Board

The closing date is 11 May 2025

Job summary

We would like to welcome an experienced Clinical Psychologist into our Older Adult Mental Health Service who can demonstrate the following:

Compassion whilst working with and supporting the rights and equalities of older people experiencing mental health difficulties in later life.

Expertise to help us shape the way we transform and deliver specialist mental health care pathways for our aging population.

Added value in our efforts to develop, support and upskill our workforce in psychologically informed practice in the face of a changing population demographic.

Main duties of the job

Oversee and coordinate the provision of high quality, highly specialist, psychological services to service users in the older adult mental health service (geographically dispersedcommunity&inpatient);

Clinical, professional&managerial governance responsibility for psychological practitioners;

Lead role assessing, developing and implementing psychological interventions: including specialist psychological assessment; formulation; intervention; evaluation; consultation and teaching:

Deliver highly specialist clinical supervision to other psychologist, psychological therapy practitioners and non-psychology staff;identifyingand address learning&training needs;

Work autonomously (within professional guidelines,policy&procedures) and exercise responsibility for systematic governance of psychological practice within service;

Assist the Head of Service and Consultant Psychologist with the design, implementation and coordination of service delivery and improvement projects across the service;

Expertise and skills (direct application in the older adult population or transferrable) in a range of psychotherapeutic modalities as well as applied clinical risk management, including clinical experience of suicide prevention, risk management, care and treatment pathways, aligning with service delivery priorities.

About us

Hywel Dda University Health Board is the planner and provider of NHS healthcare services for people in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and its bordering counties. Our 12,000 members of staff provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services to almost 400,000 people across a quarter of the landmass of Wales. We do this in partnership with our three local authorities and public, private and third sector colleagues, including our volunteers, through:

Four main hospitals: Bronglais General in Aberystwyth, Glangwili General in Carmarthen, Prince Philip in Llanelli and Withybush General in Haverfordwest.

Five community hospitals: Amman Valley Hospital and Llandovery Hospital in Carmarthenshire, Tregaron Hospital in Ceredigion and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Pembrokeshire.

Two integrated care centres (Aberaeron and Cardigan, Ceredigion).

Community facilities, including:

48 General Practices (GP surgeries), 49 Dental Practices, 98 Community Pharmacies (chemists), 44 General Ophthalmic Practices (including eye health and low vision services), 38 sites providing mental health and learning disability services, care within your own homes

Highly specialised and tertiary services commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, a joint committee representing seven health boards across Wales.

Date posted

22 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£63,150 to £73,379 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

100-PST002-0225-B

Job locations

Carmarthenshire/Ceredigion/Pembrokeshire - To be confirmed

Carmarthenshire/Ceredigion/Pembrokeshire - To be confirmed

SA31 3BB


Job description

Job responsibilities

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Three county remit: negotiable base, can be in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion or Pembrokeshire.

You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.

The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Interviews will be held on 23/05/2025

Job description

Job responsibilities

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Three county remit: negotiable base, can be in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion or Pembrokeshire.

You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.

The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Interviews will be held on 23/05/2025

Person Specification

Qualifications & Knowledge

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology (or its equivalent for those who commenced training prior to September 2001) as accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
  • Registered with Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as qualified Clinical / Counselling Psychologist.
  • To have advanced specialist and practical knowledge of clinical assessment, formulation and psychological treatments as well as experience in working psychologically in all core specialities being a) adult mental health; b) child and adolescent mental health; c) older adults mental health and d) learning disabilities
  • To have advanced knowledge of specific models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and cognitive psychology, two or more distinct Psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
  • Short specialist courses
  • Demonstrate further advanced specialist training
  • Specialist training in the delivery of clinical supervision
  • Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of Psychology.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS.
  • Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group

Desirable

  • Post-doctoral recognised training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of Specialised Psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. people with complex mental health difficulties, personality disorder, dual diagnosis, people with additional disabilities etc.).
  • High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised Psychological therapies

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course with presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
  • Post qualification experience working in at least one clinical speciality
  • Experience of highly specialist Psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings.
  • Experience of working flexibly and sensitively with a wide variety of client groups, 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 exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan
  • Significant experience of teaching, training and clinical supervision of staff
  • Further advanced specialist and practical clinical experience over a significant number of years

Desirable

  • Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
  • Experience of clinically leading and operationally managing staff
  • Experience of working within a multicultural framework

Language Skills

Essential

  • For non-Welsh speakers, commitment to learn conversational Welsh

Desirable

  • Welsh Speaker (Level 1)
Person Specification

Qualifications & Knowledge

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology (or its equivalent for those who commenced training prior to September 2001) as accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
  • Registered with Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as qualified Clinical / Counselling Psychologist.
  • To have advanced specialist and practical knowledge of clinical assessment, formulation and psychological treatments as well as experience in working psychologically in all core specialities being a) adult mental health; b) child and adolescent mental health; c) older adults mental health and d) learning disabilities
  • To have advanced knowledge of specific models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and cognitive psychology, two or more distinct Psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
  • Short specialist courses
  • Demonstrate further advanced specialist training
  • Specialist training in the delivery of clinical supervision
  • Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of Psychology.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS.
  • Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group

Desirable

  • Post-doctoral recognised training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
  • Knowledge of the theory and practice of Specialised Psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. people with complex mental health difficulties, personality disorder, dual diagnosis, people with additional disabilities etc.).
  • High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised Psychological therapies

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course with presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
  • Post qualification experience working in at least one clinical speciality
  • Experience of highly specialist Psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings.
  • Experience of working flexibly and sensitively with a wide variety of client groups, 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 exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan
  • Significant experience of teaching, training and clinical supervision of staff
  • Further advanced specialist and practical clinical experience over a significant number of years

Desirable

  • Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
  • Experience of clinically leading and operationally managing staff
  • Experience of working within a multicultural framework

Language Skills

Essential

  • For non-Welsh speakers, commitment to learn conversational Welsh

Desirable

  • Welsh Speaker (Level 1)

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

Hywel Dda University Health Board

Address

Carmarthenshire/Ceredigion/Pembrokeshire - To be confirmed

Carmarthenshire/Ceredigion/Pembrokeshire - To be confirmed

SA31 3BB


Employer's website

https://hduhb.nhs.wales/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Hywel Dda University Health Board

Address

Carmarthenshire/Ceredigion/Pembrokeshire - To be confirmed

Carmarthenshire/Ceredigion/Pembrokeshire - To be confirmed

SA31 3BB


Employer's website

https://hduhb.nhs.wales/ (Opens in a new tab)


For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Dr Helen Greves

helen.greves@wales.nhs.uk

07971090119

Date posted

22 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£63,150 to £73,379 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

100-PST002-0225-B

Job locations

Carmarthenshire/Ceredigion/Pembrokeshire - To be confirmed

Carmarthenshire/Ceredigion/Pembrokeshire - To be confirmed

SA31 3BB


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Hywel Dda University Health Board's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)