8b applied principal psychologist

8b Applied Principal Psychologist

The closing date is 30 June 2026

The Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT) is delighted to advertise a full-time (part‑time applications considered) Principal Applied Psychologist 8b role in the Wolverhampton North Adult Secondary Care Community Mental Health Team (CMHT).

Psychology is vital and influential in our Trust, represented at every level, including the roles of our Chief Therapies Officer and our Chief Clinical Information Officer, both Consultant Clinical Psychologists.

Main duties of the job

In the CMHTS, we are a combination of Practitioner Psychologists, CBT Therapists, and DBT Therapists offering a range of group and individual therapies in line with recovery models of care and trauma‑informed practice. We welcome applications from Doctoral‑level qualified practitioner psychologists, and those with interest, further training or specialism in Psychosis and/or Personality Disorder are particularly welcomed.

There are opportunities to apply and develop your time‑limited psychological skills in CBT, DBT, EMDR, ACT, CFT, and CAT. We treat clients with a range of complex mental health problems including CPTSD, personality disorders, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and moderate to severe presentations of depression and anxiety including OCD, health anxiety, social anxiety with comorbidities. There are ample opportunities to apply leadership skills, supervision skills and further clinical competencies.

The CMHT has a strong multi‑disciplinary ethos, with good links with staff from Tier 1 (Primary Care and Talking Therapies), our Recovery College and VCSE partners. Specialist services which include psychological therapists also support the CMHTs: Complex Emotional Needs; Eating Disorders; Perinatal; 18‑25s Transitions Team; Early Intervention in Psychosis; Clinical Health Psychology.

About us

All our psychological staff are supported to access further training by utilising NHS England's continuing PT‑SMHPs strategy and we fully invest in staff support and wellbeing. Staff have regular supervision, reflective practice and access to CPD to support professional growth. Operational managers provide line management, while Consultant Clinical and Counselling Psychologists provide supportive professional leadership and clinical supervision.

Whatever you see as your future in Psychology services, BCHFT can help you get there. Join us and be part of a Trust that values your growth and wellbeing. We empower you to provide exceptional care and services. To support your career, we provide an extensive array of development and progression opportunities. This includes benefits such as:

• Support systems
• Professional groups
• University links

The Black Country is a vibrant and diverse region in the West Midlands, near Birmingham. It is known for its strong community spirit and rich heritage.

Job responsibilities

Accountable for own professional practice in the delivery of highly specialist psychological care to clients with highly complex and contentious mental health conditions or learning disabilities which include challenging behaviours and possible risk of physical aggression.

To be compassionate in meeting the needs of clients, their carers and families.

To promote at all times a positive image of people with mental ill health or learning disabilities.

To promote at all times a positive image of the service and the wider Trust.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

• Post‑graduate doctoral level training in applied Psychology accredited by the BPS, covering models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
• Post‑doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
• HCPC registration as an Applied Psychologist with Chartered Status.
• Training in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Registration with BPS.

Experience

• Working as a qualified applied psychologist within the designated service across a wide variety of client groups, the whole life course and a range of clinical severity across various care settings.
• Exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care as a care coordinator within a multidisciplinary team.
• Liaison and joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies.
• Teaching, training, consultancy and clinical supervision and field supervision for doctoral theses.
• Research and development.
• Active participation in quality and service improvement initiatives.
• Project management.

Knowledge

• Evidence‑based practice relevant to the role.
• Risk assessment and risk management.
• Clinical governance.
• Knowledge of legislation relating to the client group and mental health and its implications for clinical practice.
• Audit and research methodology.
• Social inclusion agenda.
• The Trust's Quality Improvement System.
• Highly developed knowledge and skills in the care of difficult to treat groups (e.g., dual diagnoses, additional disabilities or severely challenging behaviour).

Skills/Personal Qualities

• Communicate highly complex, highly sensitive and contentious information effectively to a wide range of people.
• Adapt creatively the evidence base for the interventions relevant to the client group.
• Articulate the value added by applied psychology services within multidisciplinary mental health and learning disability healthcare provision.
• Undertake complex multi‑agency working and liaise with multiple systems.
• Utilise psychometric tests competently.
• Provide effective teaching, training, consultancy and clinical supervision for the multidisciplinary team.
• Identify and promote appropriate interventions for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours.
• Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms in own work.
• Utilise multimedia materials for presentations in professional, academic and public settings.
• Able to work in accordance with the Trust Values and Behaviours.
• Able to engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in highly distressing and challenging circumstances.
• Respect and awareness of the advantages of joint working with other experienced professionals in a multidisciplinary setting.
• Able to work flexibly and co‑operatively as part of a team.
• Able to use own initiative and make decisions independently.
• Committed to continual quality and service improvement.
• Self‑aware and committed to professional and personal development; able to accept and respond positively to feedback from supervision.
• Enthusiasm for a broad range of psychological phenomena, theories and application.
• Project manage.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a submission to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust