Band 8a Senior Clinical/Counselling Psychologist - Somerset

Job summary

OP Courage: Southwest Veterans Mental Health & Wellbeing Service

Base: Any appropriate Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) base

OP Courage in the Southwest is growing, and we're seeking a compassionate, skilledSenior Practitioner Psychologist (Band 8a) to join our specialist veterans' mental health service. This is a meaningful role where you'll help shape high-quality, trauma-informed care for those who have served.

About the Role

You'll play a key part in delivering and developing psychologically informed care across the region, working with veterans experiencing a range of mental health needs linked to trauma, transition, and complex life experiences. The post combines direct clinical work within one AWP locality (in an agreed upon locality covered by the service) with wider service development and leadership responsibilities across the Southwest.

About You

You bring clinical expertise, reflective practice, and a commitment to compassionate, veteran-centred care. You enjoy balancing autonomy with collaboration and contributing to service improvement at a regional level.

You will need:

o HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist

o Experience delivering specialist interventions for adults with complex mental health needs

o Skills in supervision, consultation, and MDT working

o A passion for improving access for underserved groups

Main duties of the job

Clinical Practice

• Provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation, and evidence-based interventions for veterans, delivered both in person and via secure online platforms.
• Offer tailored, trauma-informed care aligned with NICE guidance and best practice standards.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary decision-making and care planning.

Leadership & Supervision

• Provide clinical supervision to a range of colleagues, including psychological therapists, practitioners, and multidisciplinary team members.
• Support the development of psychologically informed practice across the service.

Service Development

• Lead and contribute to initiatives that enhance equitable access to evidence-based psychological support for veterans across the region.
• Help shape pathways, processes, and innovations that strengthen the quality and reach of OP Courage services.
• Contribute to audit, evaluation, and quality improvement activity.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust):a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

AWP is committed to support and create a positive research and evidence-based environment and culture, which can have a beneficial impact on everyone who works for the organisation and the care we provide to those who use our services.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Details

Date posted

07 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,528 to £64,750 a year (pro rata)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

342-SS037-0426

Job locations

Any AWP base

The Coast Resource Centre

Weston Super-mare

BS24 7FY