About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has become available for an enthusiastic and experienced practitioner psychologist within our Department of Haematology. The successful candidate will aid in the provision of specialist inpatient and outpatient psychological support to adults with sickle cell disease or thalassaemia.
King's College Hospital Foundation NHS Trust is a designated specialist centre for the care of patients with haemoglobinopathies. On register, we have approximately 850 adults with sickle cell disease and 40 with thalassaemia.
The service works closely with the paediatric team, including paediatric psychologists, and approximately 15 patients per year will transfer from the paediatric haemoglobinopathy service. There is regular collaboration with other medical specialities and a number of joint specialist sickle clinics are held regularly.
Haematopoietic stem cell transplants and exagamglogene autotemcel (gene therapy) for adult patients with sickle cell disease have been commissioned at King's for eligible patients. The post holder will have the opportunity to provide psychological input to those undergoing these treatments.
Specialist clinical health psychology input has a long tradition at King's and you will be joining a group of psychology and psychotherapy professionals across various medical specialities who are dedicated and supportive.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will provide specialist psychological therapy to adult haemoglobinopathy patients and their families and carers, in a timely manner and tailored to patients' needs. This includes specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.
The post holder will also contribute psychological expertise to a multidisciplinary team consisting of three consultant haematologists, specialist nurses, a social worker and a team of junior doctors.
The psychology service is led by a Band 8a Highly Specialist Counselling Psychologist who will support the successful candidate through the provision of professional supervision and operational line management.
About us
The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. In June 2026, we launched our new strategy for 2026-31. Our vision is to transform healthcare, and we have agreed six strategic ambitions to help us improve care for patients, and the working lives of our staff.
Our six strategic ambitions are deliveringhigh-quality patient care; creating a great place to work; leading pioneering research, innovation and education; building strong and successful partnerships; providing timely and efficient care; and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
We have also agreed four new organisational values - Caring, Collaborative, Inclusive, Innovative - and these underpin everything we do, and how our teams interact with the patients under our care.
We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.
King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
Job description Job responsibilities
Clinical and client care
To provide specialist psychological assessments (including neuropsychological assessments if this is within the post holder's competencies), formulations and interventions for patients in the adult haemoglobinopathy service. To develop and deliver psychological interventions that are tailored to the needs of both inpatients and outpatients. To produce detailed reports based on the results of psychological assessments (and neuropsychological assessments where applicable). To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred patients when required. To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans. Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
To contribute to the effective working of the haemoglobinopathies team and the haematology service and to help contribute to the development and facilitation of a psychologically informed framework for the service. To contribute to the team and service's delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities. To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services. To advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of patients. To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals in order to develop and review care plans. Policy and service development
To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes. To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities. To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects. Care or management of resources
To take care of and use carefully the Trust's equipment and physical resources. To ensure that the post holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies when needed. Management and supervision
To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of an assistant psychologist if required, under supervision from a more senior psychologist. To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant course's supervision training. Teaching and training
To provide occasional specialist training in psychological approaches to other professions as appropriate. To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles. Record-keeping and information governance
To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded by Trust policies and local procedures. To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry. Research and development
To undertake regular complex service evaluation, audits or research relevant to service needs. Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development
To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist according to HCPC and Trust guidelines. To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the HCPC 'Standards for Continuing Professional Development'. To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies. To comply with the HCPC 'Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics' and 'Standards of Proficiency', and ensure professional development in line with these. To adhere to the BPS's Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.
Person Specification
Essential & Desirable - Person Specification Essential
Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration. Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist. Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs. Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature. Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience. Experience of developing and carrying out research projects. Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment. Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics. Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities. To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences. Knowledge of the selection and administration of specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources. To communicate skilfully and sensitively (at both a written and oral level) complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues within and outside the NHS, and overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information. To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews. Skills in the use of methods of psychological assessments and intervention in a specialist area, such as cognitive behaviour therapy. To plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists. To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials. Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data. Ability to work effectively within complex multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environments, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles. Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate. Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings. Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these. Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour. Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed towards self
Desirable
Experience in the provision of cognitive behavioural therapy Experience of working in multidisciplinary teams with colleagues from a range of disciplines. Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs specifically related to physical illness. Experience in the psychological management of haematological disorders, and/or chronic pain. Experience of undertaking and interpreting neuropsychological assessments and writing reports based on the results.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check 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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address King's College Hospital
Denmark Hill
Camberwell
SE5 9RS
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.kch.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)