Bank Band 8a Psychologist or CBT Therapist, Watford - SW-1426
The closing date is 11 June 2026
We are currently seeking an experienced Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or CBT Therapist, at Band 8a to work via a Bank Contract, based in Watford. You will be joining our Temporary Staffing Team within HPFT – Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.
This role will require you to provide expertise, advice and consultation on clients' psychological care to other members of the team, and to work closely with the local psychology team, and the range of psychological therapy colleagues within the service setting.
You will be required to work effectively as a member of the multi-disciplinary team and to provide supervision to Band 7 Psychologists and trainee Psychologists. You will work autonomously within professional practice guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.
HPFT provides services for service users with mental health, learning disability and children's and adolescent mental health problems. Applicants should have some experience of working in a healthcare setting. HPFT has a range of healthcare settings across the County and therefore access to a car would be beneficial unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which prevents you from driving.
All applicants need to hold a valid Professional Registration and can evidence this.
Main duties of the job
Undertake specialist psychological assessment and treatment of adults with complex mental health difficulties.
Undertake specialist autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) assessment to investigate possible diagnoses; to undertake additional training for this if needed and work as part of the autism assessment group within the Trust.
Provide expertise in a specialist clinical or research area and to offer advice and consultation on clients' psychological care to other members of the teams in relation to the area of expertise.
Work closely with the local psychologist teams, and the range of psychological therapy colleagues within the service setting.
To be prepared to travel between sites on a regular basis.
Work autonomously within professional practice guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.
Propose and implement policy and service development, undertake research, service evaluation and audit for own team/service and to contribute to the training of clinical/counselling psychologists and others.
Ensure that systems are in place and working effectively for the clinical and professional supervision and support of trainee psychologists, more junior psychologists and other staff within the services for which the post-holder has designated professional / supervisory responsibility.
Job responsibilities
To have a good working relationship with multi‑disciplinary colleagues in the community mental health team setting.
To maintain close working relationships with psychology colleagues and other psychological therapists both locally and sector‑wide.
To communicate effectively and skillfully with a wide range of people in a formal and informal manner and in verbal and written format consistent with their level of understanding, culture, and background to explore complex issues and make complex decisions.
To communicate skillfully, tactfully and sensitively highly complex and sensitive information with clients and carers, taking into account sensitive cultural barriers to communication, concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor progress during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care.
To provide specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the teams, based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological tests, self‑report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi‑structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.
Person Specification
KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
* Full registration with Health Professions Council
* At least two years full‑time post‑registration experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment with clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
* Post‑graduate doctorate in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, or fully completed training as a Counselling Psychologist.
* Post‑doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice including CBT.
AREAS OF EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
* Experience of working with moderate to severe mental health problems, including: medically unexplained symptoms, physical health problems, and personality difficulties.
* Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for client's psychological care and treatment.
PHYSICAL SKILLS
* Car Driver
* Ability to move equipment (including case files, self‑help materials, audio‑visual equipment) between office base and other work settings.
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.
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