Clinical Psychologist​/Counselling Psychologist and Medway ICS

Clinical Psychologist / Counselling Psychologist - Kent and Medway ICS

Please note this role is currently only being advertised to staff members who are currently working within the Kent and Medway ICS

The Cancer Psychological Service for Kent and Medway is a small new regional service, hosted by Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, which offers a specialist level 4 psycho-oncology service to four local Acute Trusts (Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW), East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust (EKHUFT), Medway Foundation Trust (MFT) and Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust (DGT). The service is currently funded by the Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance and Macmillan, and this has recently been extended for another year, but we hope that we will receive permanent funding from the NHS from April 2027.

This role will suit an experienced, motivated and passionate clinical or counselling psychologist who is excited to work in a developing, innovative, supportive and highly committed service which began in 2024.As a team, we are highly value-driven and work very closely with cancer multi-disciplinary teams and with existing cancer counselling services to embed the service across the region. Whilst the role will have a significant clinical component, it is also an excellent opportunity for someone with an interest in developing leadership skills in the context of setting up a new service.

The role will involve delivering specialist psychological assessment and interventions for patients with a cancer diagnosis and their families with complex difficulties, as well as providing clinical supervision to an assistant psychologist, and teaching, consultation and supervision to multi-disciplinary and psychological colleagues. The post-holder will also take a lead in developing the service in Medway Foundation NHS Trust and Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, by working closely with multi-disciplinary clinical teams to raise awareness and understanding of the role of cancer psychological services and to develop collaborative relationships.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey.

We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.

Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.

Looking for flexible working?We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it's adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.

Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:

• At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme
  , with a employer contribution of 23.7% and life assurance benefits
• Blue Light card eligibility
• And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below

Weve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.

Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children). If a role involves regulated…