Professional Lead Psychologist (Liaison Clinical Health Psychology)

Job summary

Are you someone looking for a career in one of the UK's most respected mental health and learning disability trusts?

Would you like to be part of a dedicated team committed to making a difference to peoples lives to enjoy a better future?

This Band 8b post offers an exciting opportunity to lead and shape psychological services within urgent care pathways. You will provide expert assessment, formulation, and intervention for individuals presenting with complex psychological needs, and contribute to service development, training, and supervision.

We are looking for a Band 8b Professional Lead Psychologist to join the expanding Liaison Psychiatry service based at Wonford House in Exeter. The post is part time and would require flexibility as the role works both closely alongside the Liaison Psychiatry teams as well as Acute Colleagues within the Royal Devon University Hospital (Eastern and Northern).

The post will be based in Exeter, but includes a supervisory role of the 8a psychologists within Liaison, currently in RDUH Hospitals in both Exeter and Barnstaple.

Main duties of the job

The Liaison Psychiatry service provides support for people who are experiencing severe psychological distress whilst in hospital for physical healthcare. The service is focused on developing a more psychologically-informed approach and has prioritised the funding to employ a small team of psychologists across the service provided into hospitals in Exeter and Barnstaple. This is fast-paced and dynamic working environment, embedded at the interface of physical and mental health. The service is looking for a professional lead 8b practitioner psychologist to lead the psychology input and also become part of the wider leadership team within liaison psychiatry. This post offers an exciting opportunity to develop psychology input to the liaison service and to embed a psychologically-informed approach.

As well as being part of the Liaison leadership team, the post-holder will have strong links into other parts of the Trust involved in DPTs wider strategy of Integrated Psychological Medicine. This includes Health Psychology and Neuropsychology service and Talking Health, part of the local NHS Talking Therapies offering. These links offer opportunities to engage with psychologists and psychological professionals working embedded in physical health care.

We welcome applications from practitioner psychologists working in any setting, and would particularly welcome those with experience of in-patient working, of working with behaviours that challenge or working in an urgent care context.

About us

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Details

Date posted

30 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9369-25-0869

Job locations

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see uploaded Job Description for full details.

This is a key leadership role focused on developing the psychology offering within Liaison Psychiatry. The post-holder will have three key areas of focus.

- To provide direct clinical interventions to patients, including psychological assessment and therapy;

- To support the wider Liaison Psychiatry team to develop and maintain psychologically-informed practice. This could include a range of activities, including joint formulation, reflective practice, case-specific consultation and the development and delivery of training programmes;

- To be part of the Liaison Psychiatry leadership team, working to enhance the service via the development of new clinical pathways, ensuring adherence to best practice and maintenance of high clinical standards.

Key relationships for this post include the leadership team for liaison psychiatry, stakeholders in the acute hospitals and psychology colleagues in DPT health psychology. The post-holder will have supervisory responsibility of the band 8a Psychologists working in Liaison Psychiatry within RDUH hospitals in Exeter and Barnstaple.

The post has the following key areas of responsibility -

1. To deliver an appropriate range of psychological interventions to patients under the care of liaison psychiatry, including psychological assessment and therapeutic interventions.
2. To be one of a team of Professional Leads with responsibility for coordinating the smooth running of the local liaison psychology services linked to the RDUH Hospital in Exeter and Barnstaple.
3. To continue the development of the psychology service within liaison, including defining the service remit, designing and evaluating new service developments and monitoring the effectiveness of the service via appropriate outcome measures.
4. To work collaboratively with psychology colleagues in health psychology and neuropsychology within DPT to ensure appropriate care planning for clients experiencing physical and mental health difficulties. This may include attendance at MDT meetings and consultation.
5. To provide supervisory support and managerial oversight to the 8a clinical psychologists working within liaison services across the RDUH in Exeter and Barnstaple.
6. To support the professional and managerial leads in Liaison Psychiatry services by undertaking service development and (re)design projects and coordinating the resulting work within the Liaison Psychiatry team.
7. Provide input and support to the liaison team including via consultation, joint formulation and MDT discussion.
8. Work to develop a psychologically-informed liaison psychiatry workforce by leading the planning and delivery of a range of activities that build capacity for psychological interventions across the service, including reflective practice, supervision and training.
9. Work to embed practice-based evidence and evidence-based practice across the service area. This will include using data from service outcome measures to support key performance indicators and to demonstrate the impact of the service, as well as working with people using the service to ensure their involvement in service design and evaluation.
10. All staff within the Liaison teams will be responsible for ensuring involvement and experience, social inclusion and race equality agendas inform and support their work.
11. Work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the services policies and procedures.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see uploaded Job Description for full details.

This is a key leadership role focused on developing the psychology offering within Liaison Psychiatry. The post-holder will have three key areas of focus.

- To provide direct clinical interventions to patients, including psychological assessment and therapy;

- To support the wider Liaison Psychiatry team to develop and maintain psychologically-informed practice. This could include a range of activities, including joint formulation, reflective practice, case-specific consultation and the development and delivery of training programmes;

- To be part of the Liaison Psychiatry leadership team, working to enhance the service via the development of new clinical pathways, ensuring adherence to best practice and maintenance of high clinical standards.

Key relationships for this post include the leadership team for liaison psychiatry, stakeholders in the acute hospitals and psychology colleagues in DPT health psychology. The post-holder will have supervisory responsibility of the band 8a Psychologists working in Liaison Psychiatry within RDUH hospitals in Exeter and Barnstaple.

The post has the following key areas of responsibility -

1. To deliver an appropriate range of psychological interventions to patients under the care of liaison psychiatry, including psychological assessment and therapeutic interventions.
2. To be one of a team of Professional Leads with responsibility for coordinating the smooth running of the local liaison psychology services linked to the RDUH Hospital in Exeter and Barnstaple.
3. To continue the development of the psychology service within liaison, including defining the service remit, designing and evaluating new service developments and monitoring the effectiveness of the service via appropriate outcome measures.
4. To work collaboratively with psychology colleagues in health psychology and neuropsychology within DPT to ensure appropriate care planning for clients experiencing physical and mental health difficulties. This may include attendance at MDT meetings and consultation.
5. To provide supervisory support and managerial oversight to the 8a clinical psychologists working within liaison services across the RDUH in Exeter and Barnstaple.
6. To support the professional and managerial leads in Liaison Psychiatry services by undertaking service development and (re)design projects and coordinating the resulting work within the Liaison Psychiatry team.
7. Provide input and support to the liaison team including via consultation, joint formulation and MDT discussion.
8. Work to develop a psychologically-informed liaison psychiatry workforce by leading the planning and delivery of a range of activities that build capacity for psychological interventions across the service, including reflective practice, supervision and training.
9. Work to embed practice-based evidence and evidence-based practice across the service area. This will include using data from service outcome measures to support key performance indicators and to demonstrate the impact of the service, as well as working with people using the service to ensure their involvement in service design and evaluation.
10. All staff within the Liaison teams will be responsible for ensuring involvement and experience, social inclusion and race equality agendas inform and support their work.
11. Work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the services policies and procedures.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community and in patient settings.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity
• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
• Experience in undertaking leadership roles within clinical psychology/psychological therapy services in the NHS and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi disciplinary, multi agency contexts. Proven leadership skills in a senior qualified position.
• Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality.

Desirable

• Experience of working in an urgent care setting.
• Experience of working within an inpatient setting.
• Experience of working with challenging behaviours.
• Experience of working with complex medical presentations.

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Strong leadership qualities, resilience and ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Skills in managing conflict, negotiation and achieving consensus in complex situations in the pursuit of agreed strategic aims
• Ability to integrate and manipulate complex data, interpret this information and write comprehensive reports.
• Ability to make highly skilled evaluations and decisions; and take a long term perspective.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills that are maintained when under pressure within a fast paced setting.

Desirable

• IT skills.

Knowledge

Essential

• Broad knowledge of specialist services and of the services in the NHS where clinical health psychology is commonly applied.
• Extensive knowledge of the skills, practice and knowledge base of Clinical Psychology and Psychological Therapies.
• Knowledge of the policy context of specialist psychological services within the organisation and of clinical leadership arrangements in this setting.
• Knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex data analysis
• A good knowledge of and ability to work with current NHS drivers in mental health including the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies agenda

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualified Clinical or Counselling Psychologist (D.Clin.Psychol. or equivalent), eligible for Chartered Clinical Psychologist Status in the British Psychological Society
• Or
• Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology as accredited by the HCPC (or equivalent qualifications as assessed by the HPC).
• Or
• Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (or equivalent as assessed by the HPC).
• Or
• Equivalent Qualification and Experience in another area of therapy. ie- Psychotherapy, Arts Therapies with accreditation with relevant regulatory body
• Registration with HCPC/UKCP/Other Specialist regulatory body
• Further training or equivalent experience in either Clinical Health Psychology and / or Adult Psychological Therapies.

Desirable

• Further training in at least one psychological therapy
• Further training or experience in delivering training programmes

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community and in patient settings.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity
• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
• Experience in undertaking leadership roles within clinical psychology/psychological therapy services in the NHS and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi disciplinary, multi agency contexts. Proven leadership skills in a senior qualified position.
• Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality.

Desirable

• Experience of working in an urgent care setting.
• Experience of working within an inpatient setting.
• Experience of working with challenging behaviours.
• Experience of working with complex medical presentations.

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Strong leadership qualities, resilience and ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Skills in managing conflict, negotiation and achieving consensus in complex situations in the pursuit of agreed strategic aims
• Ability to integrate and manipulate complex data, interpret this information and write comprehensive reports.
• Ability to make highly skilled evaluations and decisions; and take a long term perspective.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills that are maintained when under pressure within a fast paced setting.

Desirable

• IT skills.

Knowledge

Essential

• Broad knowledge of specialist services and of the services in the NHS where clinical health psychology is commonly applied.
• Extensive knowledge of the skills, practice and knowledge base of Clinical Psychology and Psychological Therapies.
• Knowledge of the policy context of specialist psychological services within the organisation and of clinical leadership arrangements in this setting.
• Knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex data analysis
• A good knowledge of and ability to work with current NHS drivers in mental health including the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies agenda

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualified Clinical or Counselling Psychologist (D.Clin.Psychol. or equivalent), eligible for Chartered Clinical Psychologist Status in the British Psychological Society
• Or
• Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology as accredited by the HCPC (or equivalent qualifications as assessed by the HPC).
• Or
• Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology (or equivalent as assessed by the HPC).
• Or
• Equivalent Qualification and Experience in another area of therapy. ie- Psychotherapy, Arts Therapies with accreditation with relevant regulatory body
• Registration with HCPC/UKCP/Other Specialist regulatory body
• Further training or equivalent experience in either Clinical Health Psychology and / or Adult Psychological Therapies.

Desirable

• Further training in at least one psychological therapy
• Further training or experience in delivering training programmes

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.

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.

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

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address

Wonford House

Dryden Road

Exeter

Devon

EX2 5AF

Employer's website

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