Closing date: 18 November 2026

Job summary
This post offers exciting opportunities within the Durham Adult Learning Disability Service. The service consists of Integrated Community Teams based across the region, with the current post to be with the South Durham Integrated Community Teams based at Green Lane.

The multi-disciplinary teams offer specialist health services to adults with a learning disability, their families and carers. The teams also work closely with statutory agencies and others who provide services to people with a learning disability.

Main duties of the job
We are seeking to appoint an Applied Psychologist. The vacancy is open to either a newly qualified Psychologist or an experienced Psychologist, with appropriate job description and banding being applied accordingly to the successful candidate. Dependant on candidates experience they may start at any of the following increments: Band 7, Band 7-8a developmental or Band 8a.

If recruited to a band 7 post, this will be a developmental post with progression to an 8a banding upon meeting the criteria within the 8a job description and competency framework.

We welcome applications from staff who are currently coming to the end of their training in Clinical or Counselling Psychology that on successful completion will achieve the required qualification and registration with HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist.

Trainee clinical psychologists are eligible to apply when they are in their third year of training.

Psychologist Trainee Counselling Psychologists are eligible to apply when they are in their 3rd year of the doctoral training and have the following confirmed as completed by the university. This information may be requested prior to interview:

• All clinical competencies.
• 80% of the 450 supervised clinical practice hours (360 hours)

About us
We are the Mental Health and Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby.

From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care, our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for.

We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health.

We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it.

We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.

Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying.

The post holder will have a key role in providing psychological assessments as well as a therapeutic, consultative and advisory service in relation to adults with learning disabilities, their families and carers, according to identified clinical need. In addition to direct clinical work, providing consultation and where necessary clinical supervision to other team members in regard to patients is an important element of the role.

Applicants should have experience in working within Learning Disability services and show strong patient-centred values. The successful applicant will be enthusiastic, motivated, and demonstrate a commitment to delivering excellent mental health care and evidence based interventions. Opportunities to develop special interests and co-work will be encouraged, as will opportunities to undertake service development activities.

Psychologists and Psychological Therapists provide key leadership roles within the Trust. To support this we have developed leadership profiles for each psychology band and the profile card associated with this post is attached on NHS Jobs. You can find more information about the NHS Leadership Academy's Healthcare Leadership Model and the profiles at their website. We encourage you to look at these resources as they will play a part in the interview process.

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. However, sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements, therefore, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position.

Visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

This job advert may close early if a high volume of applications have been received. If interested, please apply for this post as soon as possible.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
• Post doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
• Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees
• Trained in care co-ordination
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Registration with BPS

Experience
Essential

• Working as a qualified applied psychologist within the designated service including a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and a range of clinical severity across a range of care settings.
• Exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care as a care coordinator within the context of a multidisciplinary team.

Desirable

• Experience of joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies

Knowledge / Skills
Essential

• Risk assessment and risk management
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
• Communicate highly complex and highly sensitive information effectively, to a wide range of people

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Address: South Durham ALD Community, Green Lane Council Offices, Spennymoor, DL16 6JQ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/

Contact for questions about the job
Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Dr Paul Sharpe, paul.sharpe@nhs.net, 07385392361

Details
Date posted: 04 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £64,750 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 346-DDL-024-26

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