Highly Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Overview

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Job title: Highly Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist - Older Adult Frailty Services (Band 8a)

Service: Older Adult Frailty Pathway / Integrated Frailty Team

Accountable to: Consultant Clinical Psychologist / Professional Lead

Location: Across community, acute, and primary care settings as required

Hours: Full-time

Closing date: 06 March 2026

Main duties of the job

To provide a highly specialist clinical psychology service to older adults within the Frailty Pathway, including comprehensive psychological and cognitive assessment, formulation, intervention, and outcome evaluation.

To work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary Frailty Team and wider system partners to enhance psychological wellbeing, reduce avoidable hospital admissions, and support safe, person-centred care.

To offer specialist consultation and supervision to colleagues, supporting psychologically informed practice across frailty, community, and acute care settings.

To contribute to service evaluation, audit, and research within the Older Adult Frailty Service.

To work autonomously within professional guidelines (HCPC, BPS) and Trust policies, interpreting these within the context of complex clinical presentations such as dementia, delirium, multimorbidity, and carer stress.

To agree outcomes with the clinical/professional lead and determine how best to achieve them.

About us

Be part of a new Trauma Informed service that improves the lives of those living in our community. The work is varied, and no two days are the same. The work is equally rewarding in playing a part in the lives of experienced people. You will be working alongside a Team who are committed to CPD for your growth and professional training. We also encourage research and creative community approaches to meet the diverse needs of our culturally rich borough of Harrow.

Members of our team have contributed to literature and research on antiracist practice, DIT with Older People, Inpatient Formulation and psychological approaches for hoarding disorder, amongst others.

Working as part of CNWL NHS Trust will also open other opportunities for internal and external CPD offered as part of your career progression. We have a range of live and on-demand CPD available at your convenience to all our Psychology Staff.

The opportunity to work more hours may be available in the future as we look to combine posts within other services.

We welcome an informal conversation about this role prior to applying; please email in the first instance.

Job responsibilities

To provide highly specialist psychological assessments for older adults presenting with frailty, cognitive impairment, dementia, delirium, complex physical health needs, and associated psychological distress.

To deliver evidence-based psychological interventions tailored to older adults, including those with cognitive impairment, sensory loss, or communication difficulties.

To provide culturally sensitive psychological support and interventions for carers and families, including psychoeducation, coping strategies, and emotional support.

To assess and manage clinical risk, including self-neglect, vulnerability, safeguarding concerns, and behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).

To act as a keyworker or care coordinator where appropriate, contributing to care planning, review processes, and multidisciplinary decision-making.

To support early identification of psychological needs within the frailty pathway to prevent deterioration and reduce unnecessary hospitalisation.

Person Specification Qualifications

• 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
• Doctorate or equivalent in Clinical or Counselling Psychology
• Additional training in a specialised area of psychological practice through formal postqualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses, or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma
• Completed training course in clinical supervision
• Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC
• Neuropsychology training

Experience

• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in older adults services
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature including dementia, delirium and functional difficulties
• Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists having completed the relevant training.
• Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities
• Experience of carrying out post-doctoral research, audit or service evaluation projects
• Experience working in acute care and in care homes.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions
• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment
• Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
• Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis
• Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.

Skills

• To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
• To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources
• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
• To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPAs and case reviews
• To plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists.
• To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials.
• Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data.
• Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups

Abilities

• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate
• Ability to develop and use complex multimedia materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings
• Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these
• Ability 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
• Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed at self

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.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

£61,631 to £68,623 a year per annum inc HCAS (pro rata if P/T)