Practitioner Psychologist, Psychotherapist or Psychological Therapist: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a band 8a Practitioner Psychologist or Psychotherapist to work with COAST (Croydon Early Intervention Service). This is our Early Interventions for Psychosis (EIP) service, offering a psychological therapy service to service-users and their networks. This is a fixed term temporary position for 12 months. It could be a secondment arrangement.

This is a newly created position to help reduce waiting times and create a more responsive psychological therapy service.

We are looking for a motivated clinician who is passionate about working in an early intervention service with people with a diagnosis of psychosis and with their families and networks. The successful applicant will have good engagement skills, think creatively, work flexibly and have a range of skills in working collaboratively alongside others. Croydon is a racially and ethnically diverse borough and we are looking for a clinician who can work with cultural humility and will actively support our anti-racism agenda.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will contribute to the work of the COAST team providing direct and indirect psychological therapeutic interventions for service-users, groups and families. Direct, evidence-based, interventions include CBT for psychosis, trauma-focussed CBT, EMDR, and family interventions. Our longest waiting times are for CBT and trauma-focussed interventions – tf-CBT and EMDR, and we welcome applicants who are skilled in these approaches.

The post would ideally work Thursday and either Monday or Friday and the other half day remotely.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• o A specific Psychological Profession qualification and accreditation as set out below: For Psychologists: . Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration as a Clinical/Counselling/Health/Educational/Forensic Psychologist. (A/I) For Psychotherapists: Entry-level applied clinical qualification in Psychotherapy that has been accepted by the APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP for purposes of professional registration and accreditation, including CBT therapists and Art psychotherapists. (A/I)
• oRegistered with professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP/ADMP-UK. (A/I)
• o Additional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice (specify options required by the post) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a registered body and/or an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher. (A/I/R)
• o Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the professional body. (A/I)

Desirable

• CBTp post graduate training
• EMDR training

Experience

Essential

• oEvidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in services for people with psychosis and other complex mental health difficulties
• oExperience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature including, but not limited to, psychosis and substance misuse.
• oExperience of supervising assistants and trainees having completed the relevant training.
• oPost-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities

Desirable

• Experience of working within an early intervention service

Knowledge

Essential

• oTheoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment – CBT for psychosis and the application of CBT to work with patients with other complex mental health difficulties and co-morbid substance misuse.
• oKnowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
• oAdvanced knowledge of the theory of psychological therapy and it’s therapeutic application. oAssociated awareness of assessment and clinical psychometrics
• oKnowledge of a range of a range of therapeutic ideas/approaches systemic models in assessment and treatment relevant to discipline

Skills and abilities

Essential

• oConsultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups and sensitively managing, a number of people’s needs simultaneously within the context of therapeutic work/consultation
• oAbility to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour
• oAbility to manage highly complex situations involving multiple difficulties, and competing/conflicting views about those difficulties; and to help create contexts that develop systemic engagement, and harness the strengths and abilities of those involved in order to work towards solutions

Closing Date: 13 September 2026