Job summary Mid Yorkshire NHS Teaching Trust has been awarded new funding to develop a specialist obesity service and extend the existing bariatric service to provide an improved, evidence-based service across Wakefield. It will also reduce inequalities by targeting priority groups in line with NICE guidelines. The new Specialist Obesity and Bariatric Service will replace previous T3 and T4 services to provide a patient-centred, needs based service, which will allow seamless and more timely care for patients who require specialist interventions like bariatric surgery, injectable drugs and non-surgical weight-management programmes. Non-surgical and surgical pathways will include clinical psychology, dietetic and physiotherapy interventions. Patients will be able to access all parts of the service that are appropriate for them, following multidisciplinary team (MDT) assessment and recommendations. The service has been commissioned on a permanent basis, so we are looking to expand capacity in all areas of the service. The Specialist Obesity and Bariatric Service has been commissioned to process 250 referrals annually with the aims of contributing to a long-term healthy weight strategy, reducing obesity in the Mid Yorkshire Region, and to improve health outcomes by lowering obesity-related disease risks and support increased life expectancy in Wakefield. Main duties of the job This post is to support the development of the clinical psychology aspect of the service. With support and supervision from the Consultant Clinical Psychologist in the Specialist Obesity and Bariatric Service, the post-holder will work as part of the wider MDT, provide a specialist psychology service for patients with complex obesity needs through detailed assessment, formulation, and interventions, on a one-to-one and group basis, in both surgical and non-surgical parts of the pathway. The post-holder will be based at Dewsbury and District Hospital but may be required to run group sessions and attend meetings at one of the other sites in Wakefield (Pinderfields). The post-holder may also work remotely for part of the week. Communications and Working Relationships The post-holder will be: Accountable to the Consultant Clinical Psychologist Service Lead for Specialist Weight Management and Bariatric Services and the Head of MY Psychological Services An extended member of the Specialist Obesity and Bariatric Service Multi-Disciplinary Team About us We are an acute trust caring for over half a million people in Wakefield and Kirklees. Our 10,000 staff work in patients homes, the community, and our three hospitals in Pontefract, Dewsbury, and Pinderfields (Wakefield). We prioritise our people and values so we can deliver the best possible care to patients. Our team is friendly, passionate, and innovative, always seeking better ways to work. We support work-life balance and foster a diverse, inclusive environment where everyone belongs. Our staff networks offer safe spaces to share ideas and concerns so we can increase awareness and appreciation of equality, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and especially encourage members of the LGBTQ community, ethnic minority groups, and people with disabilities or neurodivergence to apply, as they are currently underrepresented in the Trust. If you value caring, high standards, improvement, and respect, join the MY team to make a difference every day. Application guidance: We understand that more applicants are using AI technology to help with their applications. While these tools can be useful, they cannot fully capture your skills, knowledge, and experience. Its important that you personalise your application. Relying solely on AI is not recommended, as it may reduce your chances of success. Our screening process is thorough, so if you have used AI, please make sure to disclose this on your application form. Date posted 06 March 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 8a Salary £53,755 to £60,504 a year Pro-rata Contract Permanent Working pattern Flexible working Reference number C9377-FCS5056 Job locations MY Psychological Services Staincliffe Wing Dewsbury and District Hospital West Yorkshire WF13 4HS Job description Job responsibilities Main Clinical Duties (Determined via yearly job planning process). Please see Supporting Information for full Job Description. To develop and provide the psychological component of the new Specialist Obesity and Bariatric Service. To provide specialist psychological assessment of patients based on the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological tests self-report measures, direct and indirect observation and semi-structured interviews with patients, family members/carers and/others involved in the patients care. To draw upon a range of conceptual models and therapeutic frameworks to formulate, develop and implement specialised programmes of care for individuals, couples and groups. To make skilled evaluations and decisions about treatment options; taking account of therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual and are relevant to the presenting problems. To refine psychological formulations by drawing upon different explanatory models of proven efficacy and maintaining several provisional hypotheses. To manage situations where there may be a difference of opinion over decisions made in the patients best interests, taking the psychological impact on the patient into account. To communicate in a sensitive and skilled manner the information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plan to the patient themselves, their carers, referral agents and where appropriate other involved professionals. This will involve providing sensitive information using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills when patients, or their relatives may be highly distressed. To carry individual accountability for all clinical decisions, and exercise responsibility and autonomy for the assessment, treatment and discharge of patients. To respect diversity. To treat everyone with dignity and respect and act in ways that acknowledge and recognise peoples expressed beliefs, preferences, and choices. To provide highly specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to the patients treatment plan. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual patients and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management. To provide specialist input into Bariatric Patient Information Seminars. Job description Job responsibilities Main Clinical Duties (Determined via yearly job planning process). Please see Supporting Information for full Job Description. To develop and provide the psychological component of the new Specialist Obesity and Bariatric Service. To provide specialist psychological assessment of patients based on the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological tests self-report measures, direct and indirect observation and semi-structured interviews with patients, family members/carers and/others involved in the patients care. To draw upon a range of conceptual models and therapeutic frameworks to formulate, develop and implement specialised programmes of care for individuals, couples and groups. To make skilled evaluations and decisions about treatment options; taking account of therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual and are relevant to the presenting problems. To refine psychological formulations by drawing upon different explanatory models of proven efficacy and maintaining several provisional hypotheses. To manage situations where there may be a difference of opinion over decisions made in the patients best interests, taking the psychological impact on the patient into account. To communicate in a sensitive and skilled manner the information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plan to the patient themselves, their carers, referral agents and where appropriate other involved professionals. This will involve providing sensitive information using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills when patients, or their relatives may be highly distressed. To carry individual accountability for all clinical decisions, and exercise responsibility and autonomy for the assessment, treatment and discharge of patients. To respect diversity. To treat everyone with dignity and respect and act in ways that acknowledge and recognise peoples expressed beliefs, preferences, and choices. To provide highly specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to the patients treatment plan. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual patients and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management. To provide specialist input into Bariatric Patient Information Seminars. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Post-graduate Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent for those trained before 1996) as accredited by BPS. HCPC registration. Further training in a specialist area of clinical practice through post-doctoral training or a combination of specialist short courses together with an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning. Desirable Completion of formal clinical supervisor training sufficient to be able to supervise doctoral trainees. Knowledge, Skills and Personal Attributes Essential Up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific patient group and mental health generally. The ability to communicate effectively in both written and oral formats, highly complex and clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues. Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups. The ability to plan, organise and manage own caseload flexibly, adapting to the changing priorities of a complex organisational environment. Provide effective teaching, training, and clinical supervision for multi-disciplinary teams. The ability to undertake complex multi-agency working and liaise with multiple systems. Utilise psychometric tests competently. Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work. The ability to adapt creatively for interventions in mental health for patients with communication difficulties and or cognitive problems. Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by HCPC / BPS. Desirable Knowledge in relation to pathways for specialist services in obesity. Knowledge of communication skills training for health care professionals. Experience Essential Experience of working with patients with physical health conditions and conducting specialist assessments and interventions, across the full range of care settings. Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care. Experience of teaching, training, consultation. Desirable Experience of work in the area of weight management, complex or disordered eating, bariatric surgery. Experience of the application of psychology in different social and cultural contexts. Experience of providing Clinical Supervision. Personal Attributes Essential The ability to work in accordance with The Mid Yorkshire NHS Teaching Trust values and behaviours. The ability to engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in highly distressing and challenging circumstances. The ability to work flexibly and cooperatively as part of a team. The ability to use own initiative and make decisions independently. Ability to cope with continual exposure to distressing and highly emotional clinical material. The ability to use language that is appropriate and sensitive. Ability to cope with the physical requirements of the job; being resilient to the distressing content of therapy sessions and the physical symptoms patients may be experiencing. Other Essential Enthusiasm for a broad range of psychological phenomena. Interest in models of service delivery and an ability to articulate the value added by clinical psychology services within the context of the multi-disciplinary team. The ability to work flexibly and with clinical autonomy in a multi-professional context and in an acute healthcare context. The ability to use highly complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Post-graduate Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent for those trained before 1996) as accredited by BPS. HCPC registration. Further training in a specialist area of clinical practice through post-doctoral training or a combination of specialist short courses together with an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning. Desirable Completion of formal clinical supervisor training sufficient to be able to supervise doctoral trainees. Knowledge, Skills and Personal Attributes Essential Up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific patient group and mental health generally. The ability to communicate effectively in both written and oral formats, highly complex and clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues. Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups. The ability to plan, organise and manage own caseload flexibly, adapting to the changing priorities of a complex organisational environment. Provide effective teaching, training, and clinical supervision for multi-disciplinary teams. The ability to undertake complex multi-agency working and liaise with multiple systems. Utilise psychometric tests competently. Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work. The ability to adapt creatively for interventions in mental health for patients with communication difficulties and or cognitive problems. Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by HCPC / BPS. Desirable Knowledge in relation to pathways for specialist services in obesity. Knowledge of communication skills training for health care professionals. Experience Essential Experience of working with patients with physical health conditions and conducting specialist assessments and interventions, across the full range of care settings. Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care. Experience of teaching, training, consultation. Desirable Experience of work in the area of weight management, complex or disordered eating, bariatric surgery. Experience of the application of psychology in different social and cultural contexts. Experience of providing Clinical Supervision. Personal Attributes Essential The ability to work in accordance with The Mid Yorkshire NHS Teaching Trust values and behaviours. The ability to engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in highly distressing and challenging circumstances. The ability to work flexibly and cooperatively as part of a team. The ability to use own initiative and make decisions independently. Ability to cope with continual exposure to distressing and highly emotional clinical material. The ability to use language that is appropriate and sensitive. Ability to cope with the physical requirements of the job; being resilient to the distressing content of therapy sessions and the physical symptoms patients may be experiencing. Other Essential Enthusiasm for a broad range of psychological phenomena. Interest in models of service delivery and an ability to articulate the value added by clinical psychology services within the context of the multi-disciplinary team. The ability to work flexibly and with clinical autonomy in a multi-professional context and in an acute healthcare context. The ability to use highly complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings. 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). Additional information 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 The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust Address MY Psychological Services Staincliffe Wing Dewsbury and District Hospital West Yorkshire WF13 4HS Employer's website https://www.midyorks.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)