Practitioner Psychologist/Cognitive Behaviour Therapist

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and motivated Practitioner Psychologist or Cognitive Behavioural Therapist to join our Stepped Care Therapy Team within Older Peoples' Mental Health Secondary Care Services in Cambridge.


We regularly host trainees from all disciplines. The post holder will also provide supervision and consultation for mental health colleagues and work closely with both mental and physical health staff. The ideal candidate will have a strong team work ethic, sense of accountability, an ability to work under considerable pressure, and have a passion for working with older people.


*For clinical /counselling psychologists appointed a preceptorship agreement for progression to band 8a may be offered*
To provide a qualified specialist clinical psychology, counselling psychology or psychological therapy service to clients referred to Older People's Stepped Care Therapies Service in the Cambridge and Ely locality. This is across all sectors of care (in outpatient day service, inpatient, residential care and domestic settings) working with people with functional and organically based mental health problems.


This will involve providing specialist assessment and therapy, including where it is appropriate to professional competence providing neuropsychological assessment.


To offer advice and consultation on clients' psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and to other non-professional carers, taking the main responsibility for psychological input to one of the neighbourhood teams.


To provide supervision and guidance for more junior staff including Trainee Clinical Psychologists, Trainee Cognitive Behaviour Therapists and Mental Health Practitioners where appropriate.
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.


Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.


As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people & members of our ethnic minorities & LGBTQ+ communities.
Providing psychological therapy interventions for cases referred to the team. Formulating, implementing and evaluating therapy programmes for clients.
Ensuring treatment delivery remains accessible, convenient and with minimal waiting times as agreed by senior clinicians and managers.
Undertaking risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and providing advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management
The post holder will work with senior clinicians and other managers to:


Ensure that all of the required evaluation data is produced in a timely manner.
Establish local research priorities and develop a research programme in line with local policies.
Help to collate and disseminate the results of clinical audits and service evaluations.

The post holder will contribute to the on-going operation and development of the service by working with the senior clinicians and other managers to be involved with:


Data collection for the on-going evaluation of the service.
Promotion of the Older Peoples Therapies Service locally to GP practices and nationally as appropriate.

The post holder will work with the senior clinicians and other managers to:


Ensure that regular reports are provided for all of the information required for the ongoing and evaluation of the Stepped Care Therapies Service.
Ensure that all staff complete information requirements as required by local protocols.

Participate in regular supervision (clinical or management) in accordance with good practice guidelines and Trust policy.
attend all relevant mandatory training as and when required to do so.

Promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Doctorate level training in clinical or applied psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan development psychology as accredited by the BPS or a BPS Statement of Equivalence
A registered qualification in health care at graduate level in nursing, social work, allied health professional PLUS PG dip post qualification further training in a specialised area of psychological practice e.g. Professional training which supports the ability to provide evidenced based psychological therapy clinical interventions.

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.
Undertake training in the supervision of trainees and other therapists.

Experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients across the full range of mental health care settings.
Experience of working in mental health services for older people with experience of holding a caseload, assessment, care planning and delivery of psychological interventions.
Experience of the application of clinical psychology / specialist mental health practice in different contexts.
Experience of working in mental health services where multi-disciplinary working was embraced as part of service delivery.
Skills in individual and group work and in programme planning.
Planning and organising skills for caseload management.
Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate affectively, orally and in writing. Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enabling formation of networks with professionals within the Trust and from other agencies to promote effective team working with clients.
Ability to exercise appropriate levels of self-care and to monitor own state, recognising when it is necessary to take active steps to maintain fitness to practice.
Motivated towards personal and professional development with a strong CPD record.
The ability and skills to act as an advocate for a new service, to engage and foster good professional relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of this service with the wider health care system.

Ability to teach and train others using a variety of complex multimedia materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
Ability to articulate and interpret clearly the role of the mental health professional (clinical psychology, psychiatric nurse, occupational therapist etc.) based upon a good understanding of the framework of governance and national professional policy.
Evidence of continuing professional developments as recommended by the regulating and professional/accrediting bodies.
Record of having published in peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books.


Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Brookfields Hospital