Senior Clinical/ Counselling Psychologist/ CBT Therapist

NHS; Leeds; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job description

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our award-winning community Adult Eating Disorder service on a fixed term 1 year contract and/or secondment opportunity covering maternity leave. As a senior psychologist/CBT therapist you will be responsible for leading aspects of psychological therapies delivery within the service, support psychological and trauma informed thinking and enhance psychological safety within the multi-disciplinary team. The role will be fully supported by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist and, as such, presents an ideal opportunity for someone hoping to make the transition from a Band 7 role into a more senior position.

The role offers the chance to develop leadership skills in terms of providing supervision, consultation and facilitating formulation sessions for the multi-disciplinary team (MDT), but also has an emphasis on carrying out assessments and offering individual and group psychological therapy to service users. There are various exciting projects within the team, and you will be encouraged to contribute to areas of interest that are in line with service development priorities. The role will offer opportunities for training and you will be supported to develop within the role.

You should have a highly specialist level of skill and knowledge in models of psychological therapy, and ideally be familiar with models recommended for use with people with eating disorders.

Main duties of the job

The role offers the chance to develop leadership skills in terms of providing supervision, consultation and facilitating formulation sessions for the multi-disciplinary team (MDT), but also has an emphasis on carrying out assessments and offering individual and group psychological therapy to service users. There are various exciting projects within the team, and you will be encouraged to contribute to areas of interest that are in line with service development priorities. The role will offer opportunities for training, and you will be supported to develop within the role.

You should have a highly specialist level of skill, knowledge and experience in models of psychological therapy and be familiar with models recommended for use with people with eating disorders.

You should be able demonstrate the ability to be flexible and adaptable in your approach as well as being innovative, dynamic and enthusiastic in working collaboratively with a skilled and experienced MDT.

About us

The Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LYPFT) is the main provider of Mental Health and Learning Disability services in Leeds. We also provide specialist inpatient services in York and some highly specialised services across the country. As a teaching trust with strong links to local universities, we are a centre of excellence for teaching, research and development.

There are many benefits of working for LYPFT including fantastic employee wellbeing support, 27 - 33 days annual leave, flexible working and remote working arrangements, the NHS Pension Scheme, coaching, support and opportunities for career development and training and education support alongside a range of exclusive discounts and payment schemes including for cars, extra leave days and more NHS Discount Offers.

Applicants should be aware that any individual requiring a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only (this does not include Healthcare Support Workers). This is an essential requirement, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you do not meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Date posted: 10 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8a

Salary: £53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum

Contract: Fixed term

Duration: 12 months

Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time

Reference number: 173-18025-EDRS

Job responsibilities

1. To provide a psychological therapy service to service users within CONNECT: The West Yorkshire Adult Eating Disorder service.
2. To provide highly specialist psychological assessment and therapy for individuals with eating disorders, but also those who present with other physical and mental health difficulties, including trauma presentations.
3. To offer advice and consultation on clients' psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues, external agencies and to family/carers.
4. To offer clinical supervision to psychological therapists and other members of the MDT, including assistant psychologist and Trainee Psychologists/therapists.
5. To enhance psychological thinking within the MDT and support the psychological health of the service.
6. Working autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures.
7. To utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research within the area served by the team/service.
8. To provide a key role in psychological aspects of service development.

You should be able demonstrate the ability to be flexible and adaptable in your approach as well as being innovative, dynamic and enthusiastic in working collaboratively with a skilled and experienced MDT.

We are committed to robust professional leadership, equality, diversity and inclusion and supporting staff wellbeing and CPD. Our Psychological Professions Strategy outlines our vision. We are proud that 100% of LYPFT psychological professionals recently surveyed reported they felt supported by colleagues.

Applications are welcome from overseas candidates who have HCPC registration with the modality of clinical/counselling psychologist or who have submitted all paperwork to HCPC but are waiting for a decision. A package of pastoral support and all associated sponsorship/immigration skills costs are offered.

We recruit people based on their values and qualifications (where required) and believe that their lived experience is an advantage, this means that together we are as diverse as the communities we care for. Simply put, when we employ caring people who act with integrity and have the right skills, we can give those with mental health challenges, learning disabilities and neurodiversity high-quality care and support to live fulfilling lives, and make our staff feel purposeful, happy and valued.

All our information is available in accessible formats. Please contact the Recruitment team [e-mail]

Attached to this advert is our candidates guide to values-based recruitment and supporting guidance on how to make a successful application.

If you require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Recruitment Team or see the attached candidate guide to reasonable adjustments.

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential

• Doctoral level training in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (or equivalent prior to 1996) and HCPC registration; Or Postgraduate Diploma qualification in Cognitive and/or Behavioural Psychotherapy AND Accreditation with BABCP as a CBT therapist. With either a prior core profession or via KSA route.

Skills Essential

• Additional significant post qualification training relevant to the service and job role outlined in the job summary.

Experience Essential

• Formal training in supervision of others.

Knowledge Essential

• Significant post qualification experience in an area of practice relevant to the service specified in the job summary, to include assessment of risk.

Skills Essential

• Car driver essential

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: Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Newsam Centre, Leeds, LS14 6UH

Employer's website: https://www.leedsandyorkpft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)