Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Psychologist to join our South East Forensic CAMHS service; a specialist community child and adolescent mental health service for children and young people who present with a serious risk of harm to others and have a range of complex needs, across the South East of England. We are looking for 2 post holders to work within Surrey (0.6wte) and Sussex (0.7wte).
Our multidisciplinary service is made up of three locality teams in 1) Kent & Medway, 2) Surrey and 3) Sussex who work closely together in a single professional network, to share knowledge and experience and provide supervision and support.
Main duties of the job
The service is part of a national service model and is run in partnership by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT), North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) and Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The employing Trust for this post is SPFT.
We run a predominantly liaison and consultation service, offering advice, support, structured consultation and training to multiagency colleagues who are working with young people whose behaviour is causing significant concern for their families, community and others involved in their care. In some cases we may offer specialist assessment and intervention.
About us
Both the Sussex and Surrey locality teams offer a flexible and accessible service across the entirety of the county. The post holder will have some flexibility to negotiate a nominal base most suitable to them, but will be expected to work in an agile way, supporting the team and multiagency colleagues across the whole county.
Details
Date posted
24 February 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8b
Salary
£64,455 to £74,896 a year pro rata
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
354-CS-21744
Job locations
Highmore
Western Road
Hailsham
BN27 3DY
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful applicant will benefit from a varied job role that will include specialist direct work, consultation, developing and delivering training and offering supervision to colleagues in the team. There will also be opportunities to drive research and audit and access specialist training. The post holder will be expected to provide clinical input to either the Sussex or Surrey locality whilst being flexible to the needs of the whole region.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful applicant will benefit from a varied job role that will include specialist direct work, consultation, developing and delivering training and offering supervision to colleagues in the team. There will also be opportunities to drive research and audit and access specialist training. The post holder will be expected to provide clinical input to either the Sussex or Surrey locality whilst being flexible to the needs of the whole region.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
* Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or outside the UK] as approved by the HPC, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
* Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HPC)
Desirable
* Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
* Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
Knowledge/Experience
Essential
* Significant assessed experience of working as a qualified psychologist.
* Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, in-patient and residential care settings severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
* Experience of working directly with children and young people posing a risk to others
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
* Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or outside the UK] as approved by the HPC, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
* Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HPC)
Desirable
* Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
* Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
Knowledge/Experience
Essential
* Significant assessed experience of working as a qualified psychologist.
* Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, in-patient and residential care settings severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
* Experience of working directly with children and young people posing a risk to others
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Highmore
Western Road
Hailsham
BN27 3DY
Employer's website
(Opens in a new tab)
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Employer details
Employer name
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Highmore
Western Road
Hailsham
BN27 3DY
Employer's website
(Opens in a new tab)
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