Job overview We are seeking an experienced psychological practitioner with excellent communication skills to join our well established and recently expanded Intensive Support Team (IST) in Shropshire. - The role can be offered at band 8a for suitably qualified and experienced candidates or as a band 7/8a Preceptorship for newly qualified psychologists. Current 3rd year Doctoral Trainees graduating in 2026 are welcome to apply - Working as part of our IST, you will provide effective, evidence-based interventions with the aim of improving quality of life, autonomy, psychological wellbeing and reducing the risk of placement breakdowns, inappropriate admissions to specialist hospital and the use of restrictive practices. You will have experience of Positive Behavioural Support and of working therapeutically with people with learning disabilities in a variety of settings; including working with people who have complex mental and/or physical health needs, autism, and complex behavioural needs. You will be an experienced psychological practitioner who relishes multi-disciplinary and multi-agency working, and someone who can work creatively to secure good outcomes. An active interest in research is also highly desirable. Your colleagues within the IST will include nurses, speech and language therapist, and occupational therapist. Support from psychiatry colleagues are available from the wider Community Learning Disability Team (CLDT). Advert To provide highly specialist clinical psychology input to Shropshire's Intensive Support Team (IST). Working as a psychologist within a multi-disciplinary team to offer effective and evidence-based interventions with the aim of improving quality of life, skill level (autonomy) and psychological wellbeing and to reduce the risk of placement breakdowns and the use of restrictive practices. There is scope within the role to work one session in a week in Shropshire's CLDT. This will allow the post holder to undertake psychological therapy with a small number of adults referred to that service and develop close working links with the other psychological practitioners working within that team. As a psychologist in the IST, you will benefit from the support of a large number of highly talented, enthusiastic and friendly psychological practitioner colleagues from within the CLDT. MPFT’s Learning Disability Psychological Services colleagues (from both South Staffordshire and Shropshire) meet regularly for joint CPD events and facilitate a number of local special interest groups. MPFT is committed to the well-being and professional development of its staff. You will be offered opportunities for personal/professional development in order to support you to develop your own potential, the quality of our services and ultimately the outcomes for our service users, their carers and their families. Working for our organisation Come and work with us at our award-winning NHS Trust, leading the way for trying new and better ways of working to help improve life for our local communities. We have around 9,000 staff who provide physical and mental healthcare, support for people with learning disabilities, and adult social care across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin. We also run regional and national services, including help for new parents (perinatal care), eating disorders, forensic services, sexual health, and support for people in prison with mental health, drug, or alcohol problems. We offer great career development for both clinical and non-clinical roles, with ongoing training and support to help you learn and grow. We are ‘United in our Uniqueness’ and committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome and can be themselves, no matter their background or identity. We want our staff to feel supported and valued, and we aim to build a team that reflects the communities we serve. Together, we can make sure every voice is heard, and every difference is respected. Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications Please be aware that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in completing application forms will be monitored to ensure fairness and transparency. If you have used AI you must state this in your application. Detailed job description and main responsibilities KEY RESPONSIBILTIES 1. To provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and therapy at the same time as offering advice and consultation to non-psychology colleagues and other non-professional carers, working autonomously within professional guidelines and Trust policies and procedures. 2. To use research skills in audit and policy development within the area covered by the service. 3. To contribute to the service by teaching, publishing research and providing clinical supervision to Psychologists undertaking doctoral clinical and/or counselling psychology training, assistant psychologists, community nurses and other members of the multi-disciplinary team as required. Clinical 1. To provide specialist psychological assessments of service users referred to the Intensive Support Team, based on the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources. Clinical work will take place across all settings and agencies serving service users served by the team, including family homes, day or educational and residential facilities at an individual or group level. 2. To undertake a small amount of clinical work within the CLDT to allow the post holder to develop and maintain skills in the delivery of effective talking/psychological therapies for people with learning disabilities with a wide range of presenting needs. 3. To formulate and implement plans for the psychological treatment and management of people with learning disabilities who may have mental health problems and/or complex behavioural needs and/or Autistic Spectrum Diagnoses. There will be a need to; adjust and refine psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses. 4. To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options based upon evidence of efficacy, across the full range of care settings. This may involve working in hostile challenging and highly emotive environments and require the highest levels of interpersonal and communication skills. The post holder exercises autonomous professional responsibility within the Intensive Support Team’s shared case load. 5. To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to service user’s care; and to contribute to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care, to the benefit of all users of the service. 6. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for service users, and provide advice to other professionals on psychological aspects of risk. 7. To undertake any additional clinical risk assessment training relevant to the role. 8. To provide a psychological perspective to case discussion and Care Co-ordination and contribute to the decision making processes of the team for service users across all settings and agencies. To liaise with professionals, families and carers coordinating the delivery of psychological services for service users of the team. 9. To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment formulation and treatment plans of service users in their care and monitor progress during the course of intervention. 10. To undertake complex behavioural work with people whose behaviour challenges services following the Directorate’s PBS pathway and undertake additional PBS training in order to act as a Directorate mentor for PBS approaches as required. 11. To work flexibly within the IST aspects of the role – which may include planned out of hour’s clinical activity as agreed with the Clinical Lead IST (Shropshire) / Clinical Services Manager (IST’s).