Consultant Practitioner Psychologist

Employer Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Location London Salary £78,163 to £88,884 per annum inclusive of HCAS pro rata Closing date 30 May 2024
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Practitioner Psychologist to join the Oncology & Palliative Care specialities at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust leading the Palliative Care & Oncology Psychological Services Provision across the group.
This post would suit a Practitioner Psychologist with experience of leading and working within physical health settings/medical teams, ideally with experience of the specific needs of patients using Oncology & Palliative Care services and/or working with patients with other health conditions across the lifespan. The role will be responsible for the team delivery of highly specialised psychological cancer and palliative care. They will lead on continual service development, improvement and evaluation. They will provide leadership and management of qualified and trainee psychologists, and other members of the psychosocial team, and support the development of psychologically informed practice and care provided by multidisciplinary colleagues through activities such as consultation, training and reflective practice.
The post holder will work across both Barnet and Royal Free Hospital, leading the psychological care provision for oncology and palliative care patients, with a particular focus on inpatient care and the provision of teaching and support to nursing colleagues to promote psychologically informed care and interventions.
The post holder is expected to drive strategic changes through project work and a service review with a focus on the role of psychological provision in an acute stetting. As part of the role, the post holder will also manage the staff within the service.
The post holder will also be part of the senior leadership team for the psychological professions and expected to contribute to the professions and delivery of its strategic aims.
The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is the largest provider of cancer care in North Central London and one of the largest nationally. Cancer is one of the strategic priorities and a fundamental aspect of cancer treatment is the provision of psychological support for patients as well as providing support and training for CNSs. The post holder will work closely with the Clinical Leads and responsible for the strategic direction of the service within the Trust.
The are more than 40 psychological therapies, neuropsychology and counselling (PTNC) staff who work within a variety of medical specialities within the Trust. To lead and manage the development and delivery of psychological care and therapy within Oncology & Palliative Care services across the Royal Free London NHS Trust.
To provide psychological representation, guidance and advice to the speciality leaders, professionals leads within these services and division.
To work as a senior clinician providing an advanced highly specialist psychological assessment and treatment service for oncology and palliative care patients and their valued others.
To provide leadership and support for multi-disciplinary teams and service managers to deliver integrated care, encompassing physical and psychological well-being and rehabilitation.
To provide clinical and operational leadership, clinical supervision, line management, and professional line management to a range of psychological specialists and allied staff within Oncology and Palliative Care.
To provide consultation, training and clinical supervision to Royal Free London NHS Trust staff, and being a resource for senior managers, and clinical teams concerning psychological aspects of patient care and management along patient pathways, including: aspects of adjustment to physical ill health adherence to medical regimes and treatments behaviour change organisation and multidisciplinary team dynamics and aspects of organisational change.
To work with other service leads (e.g. Psycho-oncology, IAPT-LTC and Third sector) within the NCL Cancer Alliance/Integrated Care System to develop patient-centered integrated pathways of care. To support strategic developments to maximise impact of psychological interventions provided by the oncology and palliative care teams.
To work with the Royal Free Lead for Psychological Therapies, Neuropsychology and Counselling, management and other consultant psychologists to support long-term strategic plans for the development and delivery of Specialist Psychological Care within the Royal Free London NHS Trust.
To carry out policy, service development, audit and research activities in line with the the Divisions and the Royal Free London Trusts priorities.
To take on new management and clinical responsibilities as required by the evolving long-term strategic plans for Specialist Psychological Care.

Doctorate in Applied Psychology or equivalent, as accredited by the British Psychological Society
Clinical supervision training
Post-doctoral training in an additional specialised area of psychological practice including health psychology
Senior management/leadership training

Assessed experience of working as a qualified practitioner psychologist for a minimum of 6 years with at least 4 years at a highly specialised level (or equivalent quality and quantity of experience)
Extensive experience and skills in applying clinical health psychology within a relevant setting
Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, inpatient and residential care
Experience of professional management and supervision of qualified and pre-qualified applied pychologists (e.g. clinical, counselling and health)
Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care and treatment, both as practitioner, and within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan
Experience of representing psychology in multiprofessional settings, including policy forum
Experience of formal teaching, training and professional and clinical supervision of psychologists
Experience of teaching and training of other professionals
Experience in the application of more than one treatment model in clinical health psychology
Experience of service development
Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts
Experience of supporting junior colleagues to plan and develop their careers


Ability to plan, deliver and manage a specialist service, and undertake service evaluation and development, based on a thorough understanding of national policy and local and national NHS strategies, and an expert interpretation of current professional best practice
Extensive, highly specialist knowledge and expertise in clinical health psychology in a relevant medical/health setting.
Ability to support and coordinate the work of psychology colleagues and psychology service staff, including administrative staff
Expert skills in the ability to comprehend and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues, both within and outside the NHS, including overcoming barriers to understanding and acceptance
Highly -developed skills in providing advice, expertise and consultation to other professional and non -professional groups
Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex, multivariate data analysis as practised within the field of clinical psychology
Knowledge of legislation in relation to the profession and mental health generally and the implications for clinical practice and professional management.
Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours
Ability to work creatively, co -operatively, reliably and consistently as an independent practitioner, as a mentor and supervisor, and in multi -disciplinary and senior management settings
Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of multi -media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional, academic and senior NHS management settings
Advanced IT skills, including using Outlook and other Microsoft Office programmes, and the ability to learn and use software packages relevant to the Trust
Ability to develop, co -ordinate and manage a culturally -competent and non -stigmatising service including an awareness of the potential impact of discrimination and disadvantage on mental health
Ability to identify and employ, as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice.

Ability to articulate the value added by psychology services within the context of multi - disciplinary physical mental health services
Budgeting and financial control/planning skills and knowledge of funding arrangements for service and professional development.

Personal Qualities & attributes
Ability to maintain an open mind, problem-solve creatively, and meet challenges with a flexible, patient and positive attitude
A commitment to the evaluation of services

Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the BPS and HCPC.


Record of having published in either peerreviewed or academic of professional journals and/or books


Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Free Hospital and Barnet Hospital