Job Summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 8a Psychologist to lead the Long-Term Conditions part of Paediatric Psychological Support Service based at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital. The post-holder will be part of a small team of psychologists working with children diagnosed with a range of long‑term medical conditions (e.g. inflammatory bowel disease, juvenile arthritis, epilepsy) living in Brighton and Hove and will collaborate closely with another 8a psychologist who leads on working with children with long‑term conditions living outside of that area.
Main Duties
The Long‑Term Conditions Service offers short‑term therapy, consultation and training to support the needs of children diagnosed with long‑term medical conditions. As a service, we draw on a range of therapeutic approaches including CBT, systemic, mindfulness, ACT and EMDR. The focus of this role includes overseeing the incoming referrals to the service and responding to them, holding a clinical caseload, and supervising the clinical work of a Band 7 psychologist (and at times a trainee clinical psychologist). The role is suited to a flexible and dynamic practitioner who can develop treatment plans tailored to the needs of children, young people and their families, and will involve individual, parent‑child, parent or group work, and close liaison with medical teams and other agencies. There is room for innovation – previous practitioners have offered Tree of Life groups, Woodland Wellbeing days and sea‑swimming groups to support young people, as well as opportunities to develop staff training and group work where a clinical need exists. The post-holder would be encouraged to supervise or co‑supervise a trainee clinical psychologist.
About Us
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and learning disability services across Sussex. Psychological therapies are highly valued, and therapists occupy a range of senior positions across the Trust. Working here offers continued training and development, variety, and all the benefits of living in Sussex – a beautiful county with good transport links, vibrant communities, rural areas and tourist attractions including the Coast and the South Downs. The Trust was recently rated by the CQC as Good overall and Outstanding for care.
Flexible Working
We encourage flexible working. Please speak to us about flexible working, for example, home‑working, part‑time hours, flexible start/finish times or anything else. If it works for you and works for the role, we’ll do our best to make it happen.
Details
Date posted: 19 December 2025
Pay scheme: Agenda for Change
Band: 8a
Salary: £55,690 to £62,682 a year pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full‑time
Reference number: 354‑CS‑21830
Job locations: Royal Alex Hospital, North Drive, Brighton, BN2 5BE
Job Responsibilities
* Supervision of Band 7s – 2 × 1 hour per month
* Co‑supervision of a trainee (1 hour per week) or full placement supervision (1.5–2 hours per week)
* Oversight and response to referrals/queries about the service, including reviewing and confirming referral response letters drafted by administration
* Attendance at referral meetings, LTC team meetings and business meetings (currently all on a Tuesday)
* 4 direct clinical cases weekly if not supervising a trainee; if supervising a trainee, weekly direct clinical hours replaced by supervision (3 clinical cases for co‑supervision; 2 direct clinical cases if supervising full placement)
* Occasional more urgent response on ward if capacity permits
* Liaison with medical teams, schools, social care and other agencies ad‑hoc as needed for cases/ referral queries
Person Specification – Essential
* Doctoral level training in applied psychology, including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, approved by the HPC.
* Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HPC).
Person Specification – Essential Knowledge / Experience
* Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings.
* Demonstrate specialist experience gained post‑qualification of working as an applied psychologist with evidence of having received a substantial amount of clinical supervision (normally about 50 hours).
* Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
* Experience working with a wide variety of client groups across the life course, presenting problems of varying severity, maintaining professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and threat of physical abuse.
* Experience applying applied psychology in different cultural contexts and working within a multicultural framework.
* Knowledge of guidance and legislation relating to the client group and mental health.
* Knowledge of theory and practice of specialist psychological therapies in difficult‑to‑treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities).
* High level of knowledge and skills in neuropsychology and evidence of further practice and/or training since qualification.
* Formal training in supervision of other psychologists.
* Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HPC.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) will be made to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information see NHS Careers website.
Employer Details
* Employer name: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
* Address: Royal Alex Hospital, North Drive, Brighton, BN2 5BE
* Website: https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/
#J-18808-Ljbffr