Practitioner Psychologist or Specialist Psychological Therapist (CBT)

Job summary

An opportunity has arisen for a Practitioner Psychologist/Specialist Psychological Therapist to join the Sussex Eating Disorder Service (SEDS). We are a passionate multidisciplinary team delivering NICE recommended treatments aiming to provide the best possible care to adults living with eating disorders.

Previous experience of working in an eating disorder service is desirable but not necessary, as we offer considerable in-house and external training opportunities (including CBT-T, CBT-E and MANTRA). The post will be supervised by a senior psychological therapist within the team.

Covering the whole of Sussex, SEDS provides specialist eating disorder services across a large geographical area.There may be a requirement to travel across the area dependent on service demand. However, we are mindful of staff members' work-life balance when allocating and there is the opportunity for some working from home.

This is a chance for you to join an organisation which sets a high priority on the development of services in collaboration with experts through experience and carer's, and to work with dedicated and supportive colleagues.

Please note that we also welcome applications from SPFT staff interested in a secondment to SEDS (which must be agreed with current line manager before applying

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities of the role:

• The post holder will provide specialist assessment and psychological therapy to adults with eating disorders in an outpatient setting
• We are keen to foster individual interests or specialties relevant to eating disorders, that you would then 'champion' to the wider team. Examples of this might include working with specific co-morbidities (e.g., personality disorder or autistic spectrum disorder), working with the families or loved ones of people with eating disorders, or championing smooth transitions from CAMHS
• Research is encouraged; you will be part of a team that values delivering evidence-base treatment and supports evidence-generating practice. We have established an innovative eating disorder research clinic (SPIRED). This clinic aims to improve the treatment and support available to people with eating disorders; bringing together the expertise and experience of clinicians and people with lived experience of eating disorders.

About us

We are committed to supporting staff well-being, developing new roles in teams, and have a thriving Recovery College. We have close links with the local universities and support the training schemes for clinical psychology and nursing, providing high quality placements.

Thetrust is committed to strong integrated, collaborative leadership between managers and clinicians.

Your benefits:

• Access to full psychological support, via our internal wellbeing team
• Excellent supervision programmes, with ongoing opportunities for training and development
• Access to a host of discount scheme
• A position within a trust rated as 'Outstanding' for caring and 'Good' overall by the CQC
• Excellent NHS Pension
• Generous holiday entitlement (starting at 27 days + 8 bank holidays)

About the Trust:

We provide mental health and learning disability care for children, young people, and adults across Sussex. SPFT is rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by CQC. In our staff survey:

• 82% agree that care for patients is our top priority
• 70% highlight flexible working opportunities as key to satisfaction at work
• 79% report feeling able to make improvement to improve the work within their team
• 77% identify opportunities to show initiative in their roles

About Sussex:

Sussex is easily accessible from London, Gatwick, Surrey, and Hampshire and is a beautiful county with good transport links, vibrant communities and tourist attractions, including the Coast and the South Downs.

Details

Date posted

17 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

354-AC-21242

Job locations

East Brighton Community Mental Health Centre

Brighton

BN2 3EW

Job description

Job responsibilities

REQUIREMENTS

Successful applications will be required to have:

A degree in Psychology and Doctoral level training in Applied Psychology (or its equivalent for those who trained before 1996 or outside the UK)

Or, you will have accredited training in CBT

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

Please contact Dr Amy Brown, SEDS Consultant Clinical Psychologist on 03003 040 090.

Alternatively, you could email amy.brown126@nhs.net.

Job description

Job responsibilities

REQUIREMENTS

Successful applications will be required to have:

A degree in Psychology and Doctoral level training in Applied Psychology (or its equivalent for those who trained before 1996 or outside the UK)

Or, you will have accredited training in CBT

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

Please contact Dr Amy Brown, SEDS Consultant Clinical Psychologist on 03003 040 090.

Alternatively, you could email amy.brown126@nhs.net.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Recognised/accredited postgraduate level training in a psychological therapy as specified in one of the Appendices
• Professionally registered as specified in the same Appendix

Desirable

• Additional pre- and/or post-qualification training as specified in the same Appendix

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

• Substantial post-qualification/accreditation experience of specialist psychological therapy (assessment, formulation and treatment), as specified in the same Appendix, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
• A high level of competence in applying a psychological therapy to complex difficulties appropriate for this therapy with the client group, and a proven track record of delivering positive outcomes in this therapy
• Experience of offering teaching, training and supervision within a demanding organisational context.
• A clear and theoretically informed approach to supervision
• Experience of representing psychological therapy within the context of multi-disciplinary care within a complex organisational context.
• Significant experience of working with the particular client group served by the team/service
• Knowledge of guidance and legislation in relation to the client group
• A high-level specialist knowledge of the theory and practice of specialist psychological therapy as specified in the same appendix, as applied to the client group using this service.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Recognised/accredited postgraduate level training in a psychological therapy as specified in one of the Appendices
• Professionally registered as specified in the same Appendix

Desirable

• Additional pre- and/or post-qualification training as specified in the same Appendix

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

• Substantial post-qualification/accreditation experience of specialist psychological therapy (assessment, formulation and treatment), as specified in the same Appendix, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
• A high level of competence in applying a psychological therapy to complex difficulties appropriate for this therapy with the client group, and a proven track record of delivering positive outcomes in this therapy
• Experience of offering teaching, training and supervision within a demanding organisational context.
• A clear and theoretically informed approach to supervision
• Experience of representing psychological therapy within the context of multi-disciplinary care within a complex organisational context.
• Significant experience of working with the particular client group served by the team/service
• Knowledge of guidance and legislation in relation to the client group
• A high-level specialist knowledge of the theory and practice of specialist psychological therapy as specified in the same appendix, as applied to the client group using this service.

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

East Brighton Community Mental Health Centre

Brighton

BN2 3EW

Employer's website

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

East Brighton Community Mental Health Centre

Brighton

BN2 3EW

Employer's website

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)