Job summary
Perinatal Mental Health Team is a specialist mental health team that supports women and birthing people in the perinatal period with moderate to severe mental health difficulties using a multi-disciplinary approach. We are excited to be offering Specialist Applied Psychologist post within the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Community Service North Yorkshire and York. This post will provide services to the York and Scarborough geographic areas. It is a part-time position of 22 hours a week.

We are a specialist service that strives to deliver excellent standards of care to expectant and new mothers with severe and complex mental health problems. We are looking for a highly motivated practitioners with an interest in perinatal mental health, however further specialist training and supervision will be provided to the successful candidates.

The Specialist Applied Psychologist role is key to the provision of high-quality care for patients, carers, and families within Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Community Service. This role is highly valued in the team, Care Group and within the Trust, with good professional support.

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & 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

Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide specialist psychological assessments, formulation and therapies and be part of an MDT approach. Alongside direct clinical work, providing consultation, training, and clinical supervision to other team members as well as trainee and assistant psychologists are integral to the role.

As a senior member of the team, the post holder will be expected to demonstrate good leadership skills in supporting MDT colleagues to work psychologically and use person-centred principles. Innovation and engagement in research and development activity is actively encouraged.

Due to the nature of the role it is essential that applicants are able to travel independently across the locality and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes. If necessary, adjustments can be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

About us
We are the Mental Health & 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.

Details
Date posted: 19 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year pro rata, per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 346-NYA-181-26
Job locations: Huntington House, Jockey Lane, York, YO31 9BX, United Kingdom

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

Psychologists & 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 Academys 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.

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 counselling psychologists are eligible to apply for and to be shortlisted for interview and to be offered qualified posts 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: a. All clinical competencies. b. 80% of the 450 supervised clinical practice hours (360 hours)

Trainee clinical psychologists are eligible to apply for and to be shortlisted for interview and to be offered qualified posts when they are in their third year of training, as they will have completed their core clinical competencies by this stage of the course.

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
Qualification
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
• Trained in clinical supervision (within agreed timescale)
• Trained in care co-ordination (within agreed timescale)
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Knowledge
Essential

• Working with mental health/learning disability clients (depending on designated service area)
• Multi-disciplinary team working
• Experience of research and audit
• Doctoral level knowledge of: Evidence-based practice relevant to the role
• Risk assessment and risk management
• Clinical governance
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
• Audit and research methodology
• Social Inclusion agenda

Knowledge/Skills/Experience
Essential

• Awareness of: The Trust's Quality Improvement System
• Must be able to: Communicate complex and highly sensitive information effectively, to a wide range of people
• Adapt creatively the evidence base for interventions in mental health for clients with communication difficulties / learning disabilities
• Provide (within agreed timescale) effective teaching, training and clinical supervision
• Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and undertake care co-ordination/lead practitioner responsibilities
• Undertake complex multiagency working and liaise with multiple systems
• Utilise psychometric tests competently
• Identify, provide and promote appropriate interventions / means of support for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviour
• Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work
• Use approved breakaway techniques
• Demonstrate effective keyboard skills

Desirable

• Experience of CBT, DBT, Psychodynamics, systematic therapy
• Skills in using multimedia materials in presentations

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).