Specialised Practitioner Psychologist; Clinical or Counselling

Highly Specialised Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical or Counselling)

The closing date is 20 January 2026

Opportunity:
Band 8b Psychologist - Central Vale Cluster Pain Clinics (Barry & Sully)

The Central Vale Cluster Pain Clinics are offering an exciting two-year secondment opportunity for a Registered Highly Specialised Practitioner Psychologist (Band 8b) to join the newly developed Pain Clinics outreach team, based in Barry and Sully.

Join a pioneering Pain Clinics service delivering psychologically informed care within a trauma‑informed, biopsychosocial framework.

Provide both 1:1 and group psychological interventions, tailored to individuals experiencing high levels of distress related to chronic pain.

Collaborate with an Advanced Pain Management Practitioner to develop individualised treatment plans and shape evidence-based care pathways.

Benefit from professional support and supervision via the Clinical Health Psychology and Clinical Neuropsychology Team within Cardiff and Vale UHB.

A strong interest and motivation to work in the area of persistent pain and psychological wellbeing.

A commitment to trauma‑informed, person‑centred care.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable;
English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

This is a fixed term/secondment for two years to cover the needs of the service.

If you are interested in applying for the secondment position, you must obtain permission from your current line manager prior to applying for this post.

Psychological Assessment & Formulation – Conduct biopsychosocial assessments of patients with persistent pain, identifying psychological factors contributing to distress and disability.

Therapeutic Interventions – Deliver evidence‑based psychological therapies (e.g. CBT, ACT) through both 1:1 sessions and group interventions
, tailored to individuals experiencing high levels of distress related to chronic pain.

Collaborative Care Planning – Work closely with the Advanced Pain Management Practitioner to co‑develop individualised treatment plans
, participate in joint assessments
, and contribute to multidisciplinary team meetings
.

Service Development & Integration – Help shape trauma‑informed care pathways within primary care, ensuring early psychological input and integration with wider services (e.g. secondary care psychology, pain management programmes).

Education & Support – Provide consultation and support to non‑psychology professionals within the cluster, enhancing psychologically informed care across the team.

Monitoring & Evaluation – Collect and analyse outcome data (e.g. Brief Pain Inventory, HADS, Pain Self‑Efficacy Questionnaire), contribute to service evaluation, and support continuous improvement.

Governance & Supervision – Work within a clinically governed framework, receiving professional supervision from the Clinical Health Psychology & Neuropsychology team, and line management via the Vale Locality Manager.

The post is 1.0 WTE, 37.5 hours per week.

The post‑holder will be based within the Central Vale Cluster Pain Clinics outreach team, working alongside colleagues in Barry and Sully as part of a newly developed, trauma‑informed, multi‑disciplinary service. You will also be professionally connected to the Neuro‑Rehabilitation Psychology Department at University Hospital Llandough, with access to a growing network of psychologists working across spinal cord injury rehabilitation and neuropsychology.

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.

• Good Honours degree in Psychology with eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the BPS.
• Post‑graduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology accredited by the HCPC (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 as accredited by the BPS).
• HCPC registered as a practitioner psychologist.
• Post‑doctoral training/experience in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice, particularly clinical health psychology/medical settings or transferable.
• Evidence of peer…