Clinical Psychologist/Counselling Psychologist

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust

Clinical Psychologist/Counselling Psychologist

The closing date is 04 February 2026

Clinical Psychologist /Counselling Psychologist in Physical Health Psychology

Band 7 - Fixed Term Ending Jan-2027 (MAT leave cover) - 22.5 hours per week

This post is split across Cancer Psychology & Clinical Health Psychology, there may be some opportunity to provide input into the wider Pain and Bariatric Psychology services.

You will undertake psychological assessment and complete one-to-one and group interventions for people experiencing psychological distress associated with diagnosis and treatment for cancer or long term health conditions.

Working with patients at all stages of diagnosis and treatment, and across various specialities. Offering specialist assessment and treatment for a wide range of psychological difficulties, including (but not limited to) helping people prepare for complex treatments and associated decision-making, enhancing their ability to cope with symptoms, adjustment related difficulties, medical related traumatic stress, managing fears of recurrence, and living well with treatable but not curable conditions.

We believe in helping our clinicians to develop and can provide multiple strands of support and learning opportunities in a friendly and well-respected service. Regular supervision will be provided. Learning and development opportunities will be available.

Newly qualified clinician applications are welcome. The post holder will be based at the Bennett Centre with possible opportunity for flexible working.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will deliver a service to outpatients as an integral member of the Physical Health Psychology Service consisting of a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Senior Clinical Psychologists, Clinical Psychologists, and Psychological Therapists.

The post primarily will be split across Cancer Psychology and Clinical Health Psychology, and there will be some opportunity to provide input into the wider Pain Psychology and Bariatric Psychology service, depending on service need.

The post holder will undertake specialist psychological assessment and complete one-to-one and group interventions for people experiencing significant psychological distress associated with diagnosis and treatment for cancer or long term health conditions.

The post holder will mainly be based at the Bennett Centre as some of our patient are now opting for face to face appointments; there may be some opportunity for remote working.

About us

As a Trust we remain bold and ambitious with plans for both service and system collaborative transformation over the coming years to improve the health and wellbeing of our local people through high quality care.

We pride ourselves on ensuring our team has their wellbeing put first and as such provide a range of wellness opportunities including flexible working.

We are committed to the Greener NHS national ambition to becoming the world's first "carbon net zero" national health system by 2045 (Greener NHS (england.nhs.uk). As part of this, sustainability is embedded in our strategy as one of our four key enablers. In order to deliver on this commitment, we recognise that we need a workforce that is as passionate as we are about achieving these goals, for the benefit of our service users, workforce, local communities and the planet alike.

The Trust is committed to ensuring that a diverse workforce is representative and inclusive at all levels. We would very much welcome applications from all under-represented groups including women, people with disabilities, people from global majority backgrounds, and those from the lesbian, gay, bi and trans communities.

The Trust is committed to the Step into Health scheme and actively encourages applicants from the Armed Forces Communities to apply.

Job responsibilities

Clinical

Provides a service for adults experiencing significant psychological distress in relation to diagnosis and treatment for cancer or a diagnosed long term health condition

Manages a caseload of appropriate size, complexity and severity, including people who have complex problems which may present as challenging or risky. Problems may be complicated by physical disability, impaired cognitive functioning, other physical illnesses and issues related to trauma.

Provides specialised psychological assessments

Produces psychological formulations of clients difficulties, based upon analyses of assessment findings and psychological theory. Sensitively documents and feeds back formulations to the client and, where appropriate and with client consent, to carers, staff, the clients GP and the referring agency

Exercises autonomous clinical responsibility for the development and implementation of psychological interventions, adjusting and reformulating as appropriate.

Receives regular clinical supervision in accordance with good practice guidelines.

Clinical supervision, teaching and training

May contribute to formal and informal training to staff regarding psychological aspects of working with adults who are living with and beyond cancer or managing a long term or life limiting condition.

Attends relevant educational events, lectures workshops and meetings as appropriate to maintain CPD requirements.

Responsible for identifying, and discussing with line manager, own professional development training needs and seeking further training and specialist supervision where necessary.

Responsible for achieving and maintaining Trust, mandatory and statutory training requirements.

Person Specification Qualifications

• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist or eligible shortly (Clinical / Counselling )

Experience

• Experience during or post-qualification in a physical health environment, working with people experiencing significant mental health difficulties

Knowledge

• A range of psychological therapy models relevant to working in cancer and clinical health services

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.

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum pro rata