Lead Practitioner Psychologist (equivalent NHS AFC band 8b)
| Posting date: | 16 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | Not specified |
| Additional salary information: | Negotiable |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 04 January 2026 |
| Location: | Surbiton, KT6 6EZ |
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | B0427-0297 |
Summary
Role Purpose To provide strong clinical leadership across designated Via services, developing the role of psychology, supported by central Via Clinical Department (including clinical supervision). To play a key role in shaping service culture and processes, ensuring person-centred care, partnership working, inclusivity, and culture of learning. To support staff development through consultancy, reflective practice, supervision, training, and clinical case management. To oversee the delivery of high quality psychological assessment and interventions, as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Be responsible for the designated services less experienced Psychologists/Psychological Professionals, associated training placements, and Assistant Psychologists/Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners (MHWPs). Key duties and activities of the role Clinical: Provide highly specialist psychological assessments drawing on complex data from a variety of sources. Formulate and implement plans involving specialist psychological treatment and/or management of problems, utilising joint working where appropriate. Champion the application of psychological principles in care delivery, using theory, evidence-based literature and research. Undertake risk assessment and management relating to psychological interventions, and provide highly specialist advice on psychological aspects of risk, ensuring appropriate action in accordance with legislation, professional and organisational requirements and best practice guidance. Record, monitor and report on highly complex clinical work and communicate (in accordance with organisational requirements), in a skilled and sensitive manner, clinical information (including assessment, formulation, treatment plans and progress) to a variety of recipients (e.g. people who use services, their significant others, other professionals, formal panels, statutory and voluntary organisations) orally, in writing and electronically. Leadership: Provide highly specialist psychological guidance, consultation and training to other professionals. Provide supervision and facilitate reflective practice sessions for recovery practitioners, less experienced psychological professionals, trainees (as appropriate with professional registration), assistant psychologists, and other team members where appropriate. To be responsible for the continued development of less experienced Psychologists/Psychological Professionals, associated training placements, and Assistant Psychologists/MHWPs Psychologist (Band 8b) JD Page 2 of 4 Lead on development, implementation and local quality assurance of evidence based psychological interventions and pathways, e.g. our group work programme, talking therapies offer. Ensure that the needs of people using our services are communicated to commissioners and partner agencies, advocating and representing the service in appropriate forums. Utilise research skills for evaluation, policy and service development, as well as wider research. Facilitate relevant audits/performance indicators and implementation of associated recommendations/action plans. Lead in appropriate multi-disciplinary/project meetings, advising on issues of service and policy development for the psychological care of service users, as well as wider operational and strategic issues. Provide line management to less experienced Psychologists/Psychological Professionals, and Assistant Psychologists/Mental Health and Wellbeing Practitioners (MHWPs). Contribute to recruitment processes and the wider strategic plans regarding psychology, as appropriate. Work collaboratively with partner agencies to improve our psychology provision (e.g. universities, commissioners), developing and facilitating pathways into wider services such as mental health teams and social services. Provide teaching/supervision/practice assessment for relevant educational providers. Contribute to the reporting of incidents, complaints and disciplinary matters to reduce the risk of recurrence. General: Work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the teams policies and procedures. Manage the emotional demands of working with individuals with complex needs, including behaviours that the service can find challenging to manage. Develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties. Work alongside management and their direct reports to effectively support a one team approach. Person specification for the role Accredited Postgraduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling/Forensic Psychology (or its equivalent) as accredited by the BPS and registered with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist. Additional psychological training (or willingness to undertake) in relevant therapeutic modality (e.g. compassion focussed approaches, CBT, DBT, AMBIT, EMDR). Experience in the psychological assessment and treatment of people with co-occurring substance use and mental health problems, of varying severity, using formulation to inform complex decision making. Experience in the psychological assessment and treatment of young people struggling with substance use. Sound and demonstrable knowledge of psychological issues relating to problematic substance use, including safeguarding and risk management. Sound and demonstrable knowledge of psychological issues experienced by young people, including safeguarding and risk management. Psychologist (Band 8b) JD Page 3 of 4 Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients psychological care and treatment, within the context of an MDT Experience of facilitating partnership working Experience of managing and supervising trainees, assistant psychologists/MHWPs, and qualified psychological practitioners. Experience of providing supervision, teaching, training and consultation to other professional/non-professional groups on complex psychological issues and risk. Experience of leading in clinical practice, service development or project work. Able to plan, prioritise and organise own clinical work. Demonstrable leadership skills, team working, communication and interpersonal skills. Experience of applying doctoral level knowledge of research methodology within practice, e.g. through routine outcome monitoring, audit and clinically related research. Skills in the effective communication of highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to a wide variety of recipients in a range of settings, including the ability to produce comprehensive and coherent letters, reports and associated documentation. A demonstrable understanding of Health and Social Care regulatory requirements including the CQC, NICE and any other relevant bodies. Good IT skills including use of Microsoft Office programs, digital meeting platforms and Case Management Systems. Solution-focused, with an inclusive and innovative approach to service development. The ability to work calmly under pressure, ensuring that deadlines are met, and ensure all information is recorded in a timely manner. The ability to communicate effectively, across mediums, settings, and audiences, information which may be highly emotive, complex and sensitive. A demonstrable commitment to working in partnership with other professionals such as criminal justice agencies, primary care, secondary care, commissioners, community groups and other stakeholders to achieve good outcomes for people who use our services. Responsibilities for all Via staff To work within Via values and ethos, supportively collaborating with all colleagues, and demonstrating active engagement with the wider organisation. To promote and deliver positive, inclusive and anti-discriminatory practices in line with Via policies, professional and sector requirements, and legislative frameworks. To act on all Safeguarding concerns so that all statutory and organisational Safeguarding responsibilities are met and that all learning is shared. To observe professional integrity and candour at all times and with all people. To comply with all organisational policies and procedures including GDPR and all Health and Safety policy and guidance, taking responsibility for your own safety and contributing to that of colleagues and others as applicable. To regularly participate in one-to-one / supervision sessions, objective setting and review, training, practice and learning forums. A commitment to learning and to continuously improve everyones knowledge and skills. To work flexibly to enable the delivery of effective services. This may include flexibility across sites or flexible hours, and any other duties that may reasonably be required of you within your role.