Main area Psychologist Grade Band 8a Contract Fixed term: 12 months (Maternity leave cover until 19 July 2027 (estimated)) Hours Part time – 22.5 hours per week (flexible working options available) Job ref 380-EK464
Employer Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Ash Eton Town Folkestone Salary £57,528 – £64,750 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 13/08/2026 23:59
Senior Clinical/ Counselling Psychologist or Psychotherapist
Band 8a
We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We offer a range ofongoing benefitsto our valued workforce. From an activehealth and wellbeing programme to regular recognition events, we work hard to provide varied benefits that make a difference to your work-life balance.
Here are some clips of our Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust staff, speaking about their role and why they enjoy working for usWould you like to work flexibly?In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you.
Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Younger Adults Psychological Service in Mental Health Together Plus, in the East Kent Directorate.
This post would suit someone who has a genuine interest in working therapeutically with this varied and rewarding client group. An understanding of and ability to work with people with severe and complex mental health difficulties is essential.
We are serious about diversity and inclusion, and we are working hard to build this into our DNA. We warmly welcome applications for any of our roles from people from diverse backgrounds, and we are proactively encouraging applications from under-represented communities for our more senior roles, like this one. We also welcome trainees nearing the end of their training to apply.
You will be working across our Dover and Folkestone localities, so being a driver would be an advantage.
Main duties of the job
- To be responsible for the systematic provision of a range of evidence-based psychological interventions to working age adults with severe and enduring mental health difficulties referred by the Mental Health teams within the locality.
- To undertake high quality direct (assessment and therapeutic) and indirect(consultative, advisory and evaluative) specialist psychology interventions withinthe service and taking substantial professional responsibility and exercising autonomous judgement in their professional practice.
- To ensure the clinical effectiveness of own practice and of service functioning by undertaking research and development relevant to the service area.
- To be regularly responsible for providing and contributing to training placements for trainee clinical/counselling psychologists and for providing professional support and line-management to basic/senior psychologists in this specialism.
Working for our organisation
We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.
Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.
Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It’s why we’re passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.
Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that’s working well together.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
This is a varied and busy post, which will provide you with opportunities to learn and develop invaluable skills, both clinically and organisationally. We look forward to welcoming you to the team.
Please see Job Description & Person Specification for full details. This is essential reading for all applicants.
Person specification
Qualifications and Registrations
- Doctoral Training in Clinical/Counselling Psychology or its equivalent for Psychotherapists.
- Belonging to any of these registration bodies – HCPC, UKCP, BCP, BABCP, BACP (Level C)
Experience
- Clinical experience providing both individual and group interventions in the area of Adult Mental Health
- Clinical supervision training for supervision of trainees on placement.
- Clinical experience working with severe and enduring mental health issues
Knowledge and skills
- Relevant clinical specialist training in the skills required for the speciality area (adults with severe and enduring Mental Health)
In cases where we receive a high volume of applications for a post, it may be necessary to bring the closing date forward. Please submit your completed application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
Due to the high volume of applications received, it is not possible to respond individually to your application. Should you not hear from us within six weeks of the vacancy closing, please assume that your application has not been successful.
Probation Period. New employees external to the trust are subject to a six-month probationary period.
To deliver an effective service it is essential in some of our roles that you are able to travel between work bases in a timely manner.
Production of false or forged documents/qualifications in order to obtain employment is a criminal offence and will be reported to the Police.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check.Certain roles are subject to criminal record checks called Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. Therefore, you will be required to submit a completed Disclosure form to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust are signed up to NHS England’s Sexual Safety in Health Care Organisational Charter
The trust takes a systematic zero-tolerance approach to tackle any unwanted, inappropriate and/or harmful sexual behaviours within the workplace and in our care provision. We are committed to sexual safety which encompasses prevention, support and decisive action against perpetrators. We are committed to keeping you and our patients safe.
Use of AI when writing job applications
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AI cannot truly understand the specific job you’re applying for or what makes you a good fit. Therefore, it’s crucial to personalise any AI-generated content to accurately reflect your skills, experiences, and aspirations.
Relying solely on AI to write your application may result in generic, impersonal, and potentially inaccurate content. Always review and refine any AI-generated text to ensure it effectively communicates your experience, skills, accomplishments, and aspirations, and demonstrates your suitability for the position.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Interested candidates are very welcome to contact me for an informal discussion prior to applying.
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