Main area Clinical or Counselling Psychologist Grade Band 8a (or progression role from Band 7 – Band 8a) Contract Permanent: Fixed term opportunity for 12 months also available Hours Full time – 37.5 hours per week Job ref 186-963-26-MH
Employer Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site St Anns House Town Nottingham Salary £49,387 – £64,750 per annum (pro rota for part time) Salary period Yearly Closing 05/11/2026 23:59
Clinical or Counselling Psychologist
Band 8a (or progression role from Band 7 – Band 8a)
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Job overview
Step 4 County South is a psychological assessment and therapy service, which provides a service for people with complex mental health and therapy needs. We straddle primary and secondary care.
We would welcome applications from those who have qualified in 2026. For Band 7 applicants we are able to offer the opportunity to progress to an 8a after one year’s full-time employment and completion of a portfolio to demonstrate competence to work at that level.
Main duties of the job
To provide specialist psychological assessment and therapy.
To offer advice and consultation on clients’ psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues.
To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the Service’s policies and procedures.
To contribute to the psychological therapies pathway development across AMH.
To contribute to the service development in Nottingham County South.
To utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research within the area served by the service where appropriate
To undertake relevant teaching, training and supervision within Step 4 County South, and more broadly in AMH where appropriate.
Working for our organisation
#TeamNottsHC comprises over 11,000 dedicated colleagues who #MakeADifference every day. We deliver intellectual disability, mental health, community health, forensic, and offender healthcare services across Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and South Yorkshire. Our care is provided from over 200 sites, spanning community locations, acute settings, and secure environments, including prisons.
We are one of the largest mental health and community Trusts in the East Midlands and one of Nottinghamshire’s biggest employers. We also host national and regional services, such as the National High Secure Deaf Service and the Nottingham Centre for Transgender Health.
We offer a variety of employee-led staff networks, including Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) groups, the Green Champions network, the Freedom to Speak Up network, the Health and Wellbeing Champions network, and the Menopause Champions network. These networks play a vital role in supporting our diverse workforce and promoting a culture of inclusivity.
The health and wellbeing of our colleagues is a top priority. We invest significantly in this through our in-house occupational health and staff counselling services, supported by a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team.
The Trust is committed to reducing its carbon emissions, with a specialised Energy and Environmental team working to ensure compliance with environmental legislation, enhance our environmental performance, and achieve our net-zero commitment
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The postholder will be an integral part of the step 4 psychological therapies team. For those at band 7 there will be support and supervision from a more experienced psychologist, and the responsibilities will be adjusted accordingly.
There are opportunities for peer supervision and case discussion; supervision of other psychologists/trainees and consultation with those outside of step 4 such as step 3 or LMHT.
Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £20.00 (standard) or £41.00 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first 2 months of employment.
You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. An annual fee of £16 per year applies.
Person specification
Qualifications
- Doctoral level qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (or equivalent)
- Registered with the HCPC
- Professional knowledge acquired through degree, postgraduate studies, clinical supervision
Training
- Post-qualification training including specialist training in specific therapeutic approaches or clinical specialties
Experience
- Relevant experience of working psychologically with adults who have a range of mental health difficulties.
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary setting
- Supervising other clinicians
- Evaluating/auditing professional work
- Teaching mental health professionals about psychological issues.
- Experience of leading on clinically relevant research
- Publication of research
- Involvement in the planning and development of psychological services
- Supervising trainee or other Psychologists
Knowledge
- Risk assessment and risk management
- Knowledge of a range of therapeutic approaches
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology
- Ability to undertake specialist assessments, develop formulations and provide psychological interventions
- Critical awareness of current themes in Adult Mental Health policy and research
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
- Extensive and up-to-date knowledge of relevant theory and research through reading and CPD.
- Extended knowledge in additional interventions/assessments/models
Skills
- Effective verbal and written communication skills and relationship building skills
- Planning skills to organise workload and delivery of client care
- Skills in providing consultation and training to other professional and non-professional groups
- Supervision skills provided to trainee psychologists/qualified psychologists
Values & Behaviours
- All colleagues are expected to demonstrate that they act in line with Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust Values – Trust Honesty Respect Compassion Teamwork.
- All colleagues are expected to demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and how it applies to their role.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to perform the full range of duties
Contractual Requirements
- Travel across Trust sites may be required on occasion.
Additional Information
- We reserve the right to close the post early once we have received a sufficient number of applicants.
- The Trust believes in treating everyone with dignity and respect and encourages applications from all sectors of the community. We guarantee an interview to candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum essential criteria.
- In submitting an application form, you authorise Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to confirm from your previous or current NHS employer and other prior employers; previous NHS service details and personal data held about you. This data will be transferred using NHS Electronic Staff Record and third party systems via an automated process and only used for the purposes of obtaining and maintaining accurate employment records, should you be appointed to the post. Should you require any further information please refer our Privacy Policy shown on the Trust website,
- For eligible posts, DBS disclosures are mandatory before commencement of employment. If you are in a position that is deemed a regulated adult and/or child care role, you will not be able to start your employment until we have received a satisfactory DBS Disclosure. The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Convictions which would otherwise be considered as ‘spent’ will also be checked as part of an Enhanced DBS Disclosure.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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