Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Clinical / Counselling Psychologist
The closing date is 16 December 2026
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and highly motivated, hardworking Clinical or Counselling Psychologist. The post is either available at B8A, or will be offered B7 initially as a preceptorship post, to develop to B8A post. Dependent upon experience. The post is for 30 hours over 4 working days each week.

We are a specialist service that strives to deliver an excellent standard of care to expectant and new mothers who are experiencing severe and complex mental health problems. The team is multi-disciplinary and works directly with women and their families providing assessment, and interventions within the perinatal period with a range of mental health needs.

We are looking for a dynamic, passionate and creative clinician who wants to make a difference to the lives of families, and who strives to provide the best care at all times. You will have a passion for supporting both Adult and Infant Mental Health and an understanding of how psychological interventions may be applied within this specialty.

You will be part of a friendly and supportive group of Perinatal Psychologists that work across MPFT Perinatal Services. Separate clinical and line management supervision space will be provided, as well as model-specific supervision where appropriate/necessary.

The PMHT covers Telford and Shropshire area. The team base is in Shrewsbury, and we use other MPFT facilities across the county. Blended working options are centred around clinical demand.

Main duties of the job

• To be responsible for the autonomous provision of a specialist psychological service to women and their babies who are in receipt of specialist perinatal mental health services.
• Complex assessments and psychological formulations of mental health.
• Interpretation of assessment instruments to inform intervention plans.
• Delivery of both individual and group interventions.
• Consultation and advice to professionals across community settings.
• Undertake risk assessment and risk management, to include risks to the unborn child. Providing advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk management.
• To provide clinical supervision to psychologists in training, assistant psychologists and other professions as required.
• To contribute to/facilitate MDT sessions, such as Learning and Development slots, Group Supervision and Reflective Practice.
• Attendance at weekly MDT meetings.
• Service development projects.
• Utilise research skills for ongoing development of the service.
• To provide at least one specialist evidence based psychological intervention.
• To undertake training in specialist psychological interventions as required.
• To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner.

About us
Come and work with us at our award-winning NHS Trust, leading the way for trying new and better ways of working to help improve life for our local communities.

We have around 9,000 staff who provide physical and mental healthcare, support for people with learning disabilities, and adult social care across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin. We also run regional and national services, including help for new parents (perinatal care), eating disorders, forensic services, sexual health, and support for people in prison with mental health, drug, or alcohol problems.

We offer great career development for both clinical and non-clinical roles, with ongoing training and support to help you learn and grow.

We are 'United in our Uniqueness' and committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome and can be themselves, no matter their background or identity. We want our staff to feel supported and valued, and we aim to build a team that reflects the communities we serve. Together, we can make sure every voice is heard, and every difference is respected.

Please note, we may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential

• Post-graduate / Doctoral level qualification in Clinical Psychology as recognized by the Health Professions Council (HCPC)
• Registered with the HCPC

Desirable

• Eligible for Chartership status with the British Psychological Society
• Further training in a psychological model / intervention specific to the role remit/area of work - attachment based intervention; EMDR; DBT; CBT; Video Interaction Guidance

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems.
• Experience of providing specialist psychological assessment and intervention across a full range of settings.
• Experience of work in multidisciplinary teams and with multi agency networks.
• Experience of consultation with professionals from both within the Health Service and Partner Agencies.
• Ability to work effectively within safeguarding procedures in the context of a therapeutic service.

Desirable

• Experience working therapeutically with women and babies with significant emotional or mental health difficulties, and their families/carers.
• Experience of perinatal mental health.
• Experience of providing therapeutic intervention in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of leading and contributing to the development of services.
• Experience of conducting research and/or audit in clinical settings.
• Experience of group work.
• Experience of role as CPA coordinator.
• Experience of working in community and inpatient settings.
• Experience of teaching, training and supervision.

Skills, knowledge & abilities
Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management.
• Ability and knowledge relating to self-harm related risk assessment and care-planning.
• An ability to formulate and provide treatment within at least two models of psychological therapy and the experience and a working knowledge of at least one other approach to psychological intervention.
• Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Knowledge of research methodology.
• Knowledge of Attachment theory and its application to clinical work.
• A clear grasp of the concept of mental health recovery.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the service user group and mental health.

Desirable

• Completion of formal training or courses in conducting specialist psychological assessments (incl. risk assessment and risk management).
• Knowledge of the theory & practice of specialised psychological therapies in difficult to treat groups (e.g Personality disorders).
• Skills in providing consultation/training to other professional and non-professional groups.

Personal attributes
Essential

• Able to prioritise, work independently and on own initiative.
• Able to multi-task and set goals for completion.
• Ability to work well under pressure and/or in times of crisis.
• Flexibility, creativity, and preparedness to be innovative in a developing organisation.
• Ability to be reliable, co-operative and consistent both as an independent clinician and in team settings.
• Ability to demonstrate commitment to own personal & professional development.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate to support and maintain practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material.
• Ability to work across community settings and travel across a geographical area.
• Computer literate.

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.

Employer details
Employer name: Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Severn Fields Medical Practice, Sundorne Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 4RQ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.mpft.nhs.uk

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Principal Clinical Psychologist Charlie Johnson, Charlotte.Johnson@mpft.nhs.uk, 03003034132

Date posted: 13 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £64,750 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 301-VS-26-8420043