Job summary
Talking Therapies provides high-quality, evidence-based psychological therapies to adults experiencing common mental health difficulties. As part of our wider Talking Therapies service, you will work with people whose needs are more complex and who require specialist psychological interventions beyond those typically delivered within NHS Talking Therapies, but who do not require care coordination within secondary mental health services.

Main duties of the job
We have an exciting opportunity for a Highly Specialist Psychological Therapist to join our established Northumberland Talking Therapies service. Talking Therapies provides high-quality, evidence-based psychological therapies to adults experiencing common mental health difficulties. As part of our wider Talking Therapies service, you will work with people whose needs are more complex and who require specialist psychological interventions beyond those typically delivered within NHS Talking Therapies, but who do not require care coordination within secondary mental health services. Working closely with the Clinical Lead, Service Manager and multidisciplinary colleagues, you will provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and evidence-based interventions for individuals with moderate to complex mental health presentations. You will manage your own clinical caseload, undertake comprehensive risk assessments and develop effective risk management plans where required. Alongside your clinical work, you will play an important role in supporting the ongoing development of the service through clinical supervision, consultation, audit, service evaluation and the promotion of evidence-based practice. You will also contribute to teaching, training and the development of colleagues, helping to maintain high clinical standards across the service.

About us
Mental Health Matters (MHM) is a national charity delivering innovative, life-changing mental health support for individuals and communities across the UK. Through our diverse range of services, we help people improve their mental wellbeing, overcome barriers and lead fulfilling lives. Everything we do is people focused. Whether supporting those who access our services or investing in the wellbeing and development of our colleagues, people are at the heart of MHM. Our workforce is the driving force behind our success, and we are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive and values-led environment where talented individuals can thrive and make a meaningful difference. By joining MHM, you'll become part of a compassionate and ambitious organisation that is committed to improving mental health, promoting recovery and creating positive change in communities across the country.

Job responsibilities
Highly Specialist Psychological Therapist Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £57,528 per annum (NHS Band 8a)
Location: Northumberland

Can you make Talking Matter? Our Talking Therapies team are looking for someone to help change lives. If you're passionate about delivering evidence-based psychological therapies to people with complex mental health needs and want to be part of an innovative, supportive service, we'd love to hear from you.

About the role
We have an exciting opportunity for a Highly Specialist Psychological Therapist to join our established Northumberland Talking Therapies service. Talking Therapies provides high-quality, evidence-based psychological therapies to adults experiencing common mental health difficulties. As part of our wider Talking Therapies service, you will work with people whose needs are more complex and who require specialist psychological interventions beyond those typically delivered within NHS Talking Therapies, but who do not require care coordination within secondary mental health services.

Working closely with the Clinical Lead, Service Manager and multidisciplinary colleagues, you will provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and evidence-based interventions for individuals with moderate to complex mental health presentations. You will manage your own clinical caseload, undertake comprehensive risk assessments and develop effective risk management plans where required.

Alongside your clinical work, you will play an important role in supporting the ongoing development of the service through clinical supervision, consultation, audit, service evaluation and the promotion of evidence-based practice. You will also contribute to teaching, training and the development of colleagues, helping to maintain high clinical standards across the service.

This role requires flexibility, as the service includes some evening and occasional Saturday working to meet the needs of the people we support.

We particularly welcome applications from women, as we are committed to ensuring that people accessing our services have choice wherever possible. Many of the individuals we support request a female therapist, and increasing the diversity of our clinical workforce will help us better meet the needs and preferences of those using our services. Selection will always be based on skills, experience and suitability for the role.

About you
We're looking for an experienced, compassionate and highly motivated psychological therapist who is committed to delivering outstanding care and improving outcomes for people experiencing mental health difficulties.
To be successful in this role, you will:

• Hold a recognised professional qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (HCPC registered) or a core mental health qualification (such as RMN, Social Work or Occupational Therapy) together with a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
• Be BABCP accredited (or accreditable) as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and trained in at least one additional psychological therapy model.
• Have substantial experience working within NHS Talking Therapies services and a thorough understanding of the stepped care model.
• Have experience working with individuals presenting with complex mental health needs, including trauma and co-morbidity.
• Be confident undertaking psychological assessments, risk assessments and developing risk management plans.
• Have experience providing NICE-compliant clinical supervision to qualified or trainee therapists.
• Demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective therapeutic relationships and work collaboratively with colleagues and partner organisations.
• Be able to work autonomously while contributing positively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Have strong organisational skills and be confident using electronic clinical record systems and outcome measures.
• Be committed to continuous professional development, clinical governance and delivering high-quality, evidence-based care.
• Experience of teaching, delivering training, participating in clinical audit or service evaluation, and delivering additional NHS Talking Therapies interventions would be advantageous.

Why Join Us?
Mental Health Matters (MHM) is a national charity delivering innovative, life-changing mental health support for individuals and communities across the UK. Through our diverse range of services, we help people improve their mental wellbeing, overcome barriers and lead fulfilling lives. Everything we do is people focused. Whether supporting those who access our services or investing in the wellbeing and development of our colleagues, people are at the heart of MHM. Our workforce is the driving force behind our success, and we are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive and values-led environment where talented individuals can thrive and make a meaningful difference. By joining MHM, you'll become part of a compassionate and ambitious organisation that is committed to improving mental health, promoting recovery and creating positive change in communities across the country.

As a Highly Specialist Psychological Therapist you will play a key role in delivering high-quality, evidence-based psychological care to people with more complex mental health needs. Working within our Talking Matters service, you will help shape and develop specialist therapeutic provision, support the clinical development of colleagues through supervision and consultation, and contribute to service improvement initiatives. This is an opportunity to influence the future of psychological services while making a lasting difference to the lives of the people and communities we support.

What we offer you

• 27 days annual leave, increasing with length of service, plus bank holidays.
• Enhanced Occupational Sick Pay.
• Access to our workplace pension scheme.
• Family-friendly and flexible working arrangements to support a healthy work-life balance.
• Access to our Wellbeing Offer, including an Employee Assistance Programme, Virtual GP service and wellbeing resources.
• Life Assurance and Free Will writing service.
• Blue Light Card and Charity Workers discounts.
• Access to Tickets for Good.
• Employee recognition and celebration schemes.
• A tailored induction programme, bespoke Personal Development and Career Pathways to support your career development.

How to Apply
At Mental Health Matters, we are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring that we appoint people who share our values and are dedicated to making a positive difference. If you are interested in this opportunity, please complete our online application form. As part of your application, you will be asked to answer a number of questions to demonstrate how your skills, knowledge and experience meet the criteria outlined in the person specification. We encourage you to provide examples that highlight your suitability for the role. For further information about our recruitment and selection processes, please refer to our Candidate Guide.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We believe everyone should have access to fair and accessible opportunities, and we are committed to ensuring our recruitment processes are welcoming and inclusive for all.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Hold a recognised professional qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (HCPC registered) or a core mental health qualification (such as RMN, Social Work or Occupational Therapy) together with a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
• Be BABCP accredited (or accreditable) as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and trained in at least one additional psychological therapy model.

Experience
Essential

• Have substantial experience working within NHS Talking Therapies services and a thorough understanding of the stepped care model.
• Have experience working with individuals presenting with complex mental health needs, including trauma and co-morbidity.

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.