Applied Psychologist

Posting date:	16 July 2025
Salary:	£47,000.00 per year
Additional salary information:	£47000.00 a year
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	30 August 2025
Location:	Milton Keynes, MK5 6FU
Company:	NHS Jobs
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	E0454-25-0026

Summary

Job Summary This is an exciting opportunity to join a developing new service aimed at improving the well-being and psychological functioning of young people at Oakhill STC. The service provides weekly individual and group therapy sessions to young people aged 12 to 18 years of age with an offending history. You will utilise a variety of psychological interventions for both the young person and family members including the SECURE STAIRS framework. The post holder will be involved in assessments of young people and delivering both individual and group-based work. Treatment formulations will follow a highly structured treatment framework and involve a thorough diagnostic assessment process. The role also involves providing specialist consultation to staff and supporting them in working with young people. Job Summary Accountable for own professional practice in the delivery of specialist psychological care young people with complex mental health conditions or learning disabilities which may include challenging behaviours. To be compassionate in meeting the needs of young people, their carers and families. To provide advice, guidance and clinical supervision to less experienced colleagues within the designated psychology service and to other members of the multidisciplinary team. To be pro-active in continual service improvement within own area. Main Duties Provides specialist psychological assessment of young people with complex conditions based on the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of data from a variety of sources. Responsible for recognising the potential for or signs of harm, abuse or neglect, including poor clinical practice, reporting all such concerns and taking all reasonable steps to protect the client. Responsible for identifying and reporting concerns regarding the safeguarding of children who may be at risk. Undertakes risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and provides specialist advice to other professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management. Formulates plans for specialist psychological therapy and/or management of mental health conditions based upon an appropriate conceptual framework and evidence-based practice. Negotiates the implementation of such plans with young people and/or their carers. Implements a range of specialist psychological therapies for individual clients, carers, families and groups, adjusting and refining psychological formulations as required. Evaluates therapy options and makes decisions about treatment. Provides specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other staff contributing directly to clients diagnosis, formulation and intervention plan. May be required to undertake administrative tasks in relation to own work. Responsible for maintaining accurate and comprehensive patient/client records using SystmOne in accordance with the organisational and professional record keeping standards. Writes reports for other members of the multidisciplinary team and external parties regarding patient/client related matters. Assists in the allocation of work to assistant and assistant psychologists. Pro-active in identifying and proposing changes to local procedures and working practices in own area and plays a significant role in implementation. Pro-active in identifying and proposing safety, quality and service improvements within own work area. Participates in the development, monitoring and evaluation of service improvements in own area. Provides training / clinical supervision to less experienced psychology staff and members of the wider multidisciplinary team. Communicates complex and highly sensitive information to clients during the course of psychological therapy where the atmosphere may be emotive, there may be barriers to understanding or the client may react in an antagonistic manner. Communicates effectively with all professionals involved in the clients care including all members of the multidisciplinary team, general practitioners, Social Services, education providers, voluntary agencies, user/carer groups etc, to maximise the quality of service delivered to clients and their families and carers. Analyses complex client information, derived from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with the client, family members and others involved in the clients care. Adjusts and refines psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses. Evaluates and makes decisions about treatment options, taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group. Works as an autonomous practitioner accountable for own professional practice in respect of assessment, therapy and discharge of clients within defined caseload. Works within the Professional Codes of Conduct of the Health Professions Council and the British Psychological Society. Maintain registration with the appropriate professional body where applicable and comply with the relevant code of conduct and standards of professional practice. Fully participate in management, clinical and professional supervision sessions relevant to the role, as required by the Trust. Fully participate in annual appraisal and appraisal reviews. The post holder may be required to undertake duties not specified in the job description, but which are commensurate with the role and/or band as required by service need. The post holder may be required to work in locations other than those specified in the job description as required by service need. The post holder may be required to work flexible hours as required by service need. There may be a requirement to change the job description in light of developing service needs Essential: Qualifications Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS. Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist Experience of Safeguarding Children framework Experience in multi-disciplinary teaching Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team Capacity to respond positively to the changing environment Experience of CBT, DBT, Psychodynamics, systematic therapy General Information The post holder may be required to perform other relevant and appropriate duties as reasonably needed. This list of duties and responsibilities is not exhaustive. This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification. 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. Please note, in order to apply, all applicants need to have been living in the United Kingdom (with residency in the UK, such as UK/Irish/EU Passport, or an Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa) for the last 5 years with no more than a 28 day break being outside of the UK and no gaps in employment during this time. RECRUITMENT@DRPASECURE.CO.UK