Specialist or Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist Progression 7/8a

Job Summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Applied Psychologist to join a supportive team within the Paediatric Psychology and Neurodevelopmental Services across County Durham and Darlington. The successful applicant will work in the Paediatric Neurodisability Service and Pre-school Social Communication and Assessment Teams. The successful candidate will work closely with multi-disciplinary teams, including Consultant Paediatricians, Specialist Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists.

Whilst the Paediatric Psychology Service is based within County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, it forms part of the wider Durham and Tees Valley Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services within Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. Paediatric Psychology is a highly valued profession within both the Acute and Mental Health Trusts.

This vacancy is open to experienced Band 8A Applied Psychologists or offered as a Band 7 Applied Psychologist development post. We also welcome applicants from those due to complete Doctoral Training within the next 3 months. Successful candidates who are appointed at Band 7 will be expected to work towards the competencies of the B8A Psychologist role and regraded to higher banding upon successful completion. We take staff development seriously and will work with you on your CPD needs. Within the Psychological Professions we have a strategic approach to developing staff, providing opportunities for individual development.

Main duties of the job

Joining a well-established, supportive service, the successful applicant will provide assessment of children and young people presenting with neurodisability and neurodevelopmental difficulties, offering support to them and their families. The post holder will contribute to pre-school Social Communication Assessment Team (SCAT) Autism assessments.

The post holder will provide psychological expertise to multidisciplinary teams and partner agencies, through joint working, clinical supervision, consultation and training.They will supervise Assistant and Trainee Psychologists.There are multiple opportunities to be involved in service development, audit and research, with the service constantly evolving to meet the needs of the population.

We are seeking an enthusiastic Applied Psychologist looking to develop their clinical leadership skills. Knowledge and experience of working with children and young people with health needs, neurodisability, autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions is important, as is experience conducting a range of neuropsychological assessments. The successful candidate will have the ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team and with multi-agency organisations. Experience of working systemically would be beneficial.

The post is across the County Durham and Darlington area, with clinics predominantly offered in Bishop Auckland, Darlington and Sedgefield. It is essential applicants can travel independently.

About Us
The Paediatric Psychology and Neurodevelopmental Assessment teams are compassionate about working in partnership with children, young people, their families and local community partners.

There is a well-established and supportive Psychological Professions Network within the wider Durham and Tees Valley Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, supported by a highly motivated team of senior managers and clinical leads. Strong links exist between the service and local training courses in clinical psychology, counselling psychology and psychological therapy. Applied Psychology is highly valued within the Trust with good professional support. Leadership skills and behaviours are integral to the recruitment process. The Trust is a strongly value based, person centred organisation which has taken a strategic approach to continued service improvement, the modernisation of clinical roles and the use of care pathways embedded within a functioning system of governance.

Psychologists provide key leadership roles within the Trust. To support this we have developed leadership profiles for each psychology band and the profile card associated with this post is attached on NHS Jobs. You can find more information about the NHS Leadership Academy's Healthcare Leadership Model and the profiles at their website. We encourage you to look at these resources as they will play a part in the interview process.

Details

Date posted

21 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £62,682 a year (pro rata), per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

346-DDC-059-25

Job locations

Darlington Memorial Hospital

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

DL3 6HX

Job Description
Job responsibilities

Please refer to attached job descriptions as per documents section for both Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist or Applied Psychologist, depending on experience, for further detailed information to ensure you meet the role criteria before applying.

This vacancy is open to experienced Band 8A psychologists or offered as a Band 7 psychologist development post.

We welcome applications from staff who are currently coming to the end of their doctoral psychology training, where, on successful completion, will achieve the required qualification and registration with HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist. Applications from those due to complete their Doctoral Training in the next 3 months would also be considered

Job Description
Job responsibilities

Please refer to attached job descriptions as per documents section for both Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist or Applied Psychologist, depending on experience, for further detailed information to ensure you meet the role criteria before applying.

This vacancy is open to experienced Band 8A psychologists or offered as a Band 7 psychologist development post.

We welcome applications from staff who are currently coming to the end of their doctoral psychology training, where, on successful completion, will achieve the required qualification and registration with HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist. Applications from those due to complete their Doctoral Training in the next 3 months would also be considered

Person Specification

Qualifications
Essential

• Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS
• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Trained in clinical supervision (within agreed timescale)
• Trained in care co-ordination (within agreed timescale)

Desirable

• Registration with BPS
• Post-graduate qualification showing evidence of supervised practice in an evidence-based psychological therapeutic model

Experience
Essential

• Working with mental health/learning disability/clients with Neurodisability
• Multi-disciplinary team working

Desirable

• Experience of joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies
• Experience of CBT, DBT, ACT, systematic therapy
• Experience of research and audit

Knowledge

Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of evidence- based practice relevant to the role
• Doctoral level knowledge of risk assessment and risk management
• Doctoral level knowledge of Clinical governance
• Doctoral level knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
• Doctoral level knowledge of Audit and research methodology
• Doctoral level knowledge of Social Inclusion agenda
• Awareness of The Trust's Quality Improvement System

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Respects and has awareness of the advantages of joint working with other experienced professionals in a multidisciplinary setting
• Able to work flexibly and co-operatively as part of a team
• Able to use own initiative and make decisions independently
• Self aware and committed to professional and personal development. Able to accept and respond positively to feedback from supervision

Skills
Essential

• Communicate complex and highly sensitive information effectively, to a wide range of people
• Adapt creatively the evidence base for interventions in mental health for clients with communication difficulties / learning disabilities
• Provide (within agreed timescale) effective teaching, training and clinical supervision
• Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and undertake care co-ordination/lead practitioner responsibilities
• Undertake complex multiagency working and liaise with multiple systems
• Able to identify and utilize a range of neuropsychological and psychometric tests competently
• Identify, provide and promote appropriate interventions / means of support for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours
• Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work
• Demonstrate effective IT skills

Desirable

• Skills in using multimedia materials in presentations

Person Specification

Essential

• Communicate complex and highly sensitive information effectively, to a wide range of people
• Adapt creatively the evidence base for interventions in mental health for clients with communication difficulties / learning disabilities
• Provide (within agreed timescale) effective teaching, training and clinical supervision
• Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and undertake care co-ordination/lead practitioner responsibilities
• Undertake complex multiagency working and liaise with multiple systems
• Able to identify and utilize a range of neuropsychological and psychometric tests competently
• Identify, provide and promote appropriate interventions / means of support for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours
• Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work
• Demonstrate effective IT skills

Desirable

• Skills in using multimedia materials in presentations

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

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Darlington Memorial Hospital

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

DL3 6HX

Employer's website

(Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Darlington Memorial Hospital

Hollyhurst Road

Darlington

DL3 6HX

Employer's website

(Opens in a new tab)