We are seeking to appoint an exceptional Consultant Practitioner Psychologist (Band 8c) to provide strategic and clinical leadership across our 3 Community Learning Disability Services in the Coastal, Northern and Western areas of West Sussex. We envisage some time will be spent in each team. This is a unique opportunity to shape and influence psychological services at a senior level while maintaining a specialist clinical role in the context of supportive and innovative multi-disciplinary teams.
s a key member of the West Sussex leadership team, you will lead the psychology staff (which includes band 8b, 8a, 7, Assistant Psychologists and Behaviour Practitioners) in the development, delivery and continuous improvement of high-quality, evidence-based psychological care pathways
You will be a highly experienced, HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist with a doctoral qualification in applied psychology and significant relevant post-qualification experience in learning disability services. You will demonstrate strong leadership skills, advanced clinical expertise, and a commitment to compassionate and inclusive, person-centred care. This senior role offers the chance to make a meaningful difference across multiple teams and pathways.
Our work is focused mainly across mental health and behaviour support pathways, but we also input into the service's work around complex physical health. The service also provides dementia and autism assessment for those people meeting the service's eligibility criteria. The post holder will work in partnership with operational management and other professional leads to drive innovation, embed best practice, and ensure services are responsive to the complex and challenging needs of people with learning disabilities and offering support to their families, carers and service providers. You will build on the excellent reputation we have both locally and nationally in relation to intensive support provision.
The role combines strategic leadership and advanced clinical practice, including managing a small complex caseload and providing expert assessment, formulation, and intervention. You will be working in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams through consultation, supervision, and training, ensuring psychologically informed care is embedded across services.
You will also play a vital role in workforce development through the appraisal process, leading supervision frameworks, supporting staff wellbeing, and driving service improvement through audit, research, and evaluation.
You will build upon and benefit from the close working relationships that we have with our local universities and training courses. We are also a research active clinical group, who are well supported by the Trust’s research department. There is on-going opportunity for high quality CPD; focused on developing the workforce we need to deliver our care pathways.
We offer the opportunity to influence service development, work within a supportive multidisciplinary environment, and contribute to meaningful improvements in the lives of people with a learning disability and complex needs. You will have the ability to prioritise and manage your own diary and the ability to work and be mobile across West Sussex and beyond your local area.
Provide strategic and professional leadership for psychological services across Community Learning Disability Services in West Sussex
Lead the development and delivery of high-quality, evidence-based psychological care pathways
Maintain a specialist clinical role, including assessment, formulation and intervention for individuals with complex needs
Manage and support a skilled psychology workforce, including supervision, appraisal and professional development
Work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams, providing consultation, training and leadership to embed psychologically informed care
Drive service improvement, audit, research and evaluation, contributing to innovation and best practice
Build and maintain effective partnerships with families, carers, service providers and external organisations
Ensure services are inclusive, person-centred and responsive to the needs of people with learning disabilities and associated complexities
Contribute to the strategic direction and leadership of services across West Sussex
Work flexibly across multiple sites, managing competing priorities and workload effectively
