Band 8b Principal Clinical Psychologist: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

Are you ready to lead transformation at the front door of mental health care?

We are seeking an experienced and innovative 8b clinical psychologist to play a key leadership role in our Initial Response Service (IRS) – a 24/7 single point of access service. The role focuses on psychologically informed triage; formulation; risk management; staff support and service transformation, to ensure people receive the right help at the first point of contact. The postholder will need to have the ability to work flexibly, as IRS is 24/7, where peak demand is expected to be outside of normal working hours.

Main duties of the job

Provide psychological leadership within IRS, CRHT and NHS 111 mental health option services.

Lead psychologically informed triage, formulation, risk assessment and risk management for complex, urgent and crisis presentations.

Deliver expert clinical consultation regarding managing crisis presentations.

Provide structured consultation and supervision to IRS staff.

Support NHS 111 clinicians with formulation, risk assessment and psychologically informed decision-making.

Develop and align psychological practice across IRS, CRHT and NHS 111 to evidence-based and best-practice standards.

Provide training, reflective practice sessions and post-incident reflections to multidisciplinary teams.

Support the delivery of trauma-informed, autism-informed and psychologically informed care.

Contribute to patient safety processes, after-action reviews and the production of reports.

Provide one day a week of direct clinical work.

Develop integrated pathways with system partners including NHS 111, primary care, crisis services and acute care pathways.

Lead and support urgent care service transformation, pathway development and continuous quality improvement initiatives.

Promote a standardized approach to safety planning, clinical decision-making and risk formulation across services.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology, or its equivalent, including eligibility for chartered status with the BPS
• Further post-qualification, post-graduate training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
• Registered as a practitioner psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Desirable

• Evidence of CPD in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Experience

Essential

• Specialist complex psychological assessment and treatment of people with a wide range of mental health problems, of varying severity and complexity.
• Extensive experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist and evidence of specialist knowledge gained through practice and ongoing training.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups and presenting problems including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems.

Desirable

• Representing psychology within MDT setting (clinical and organisational contexts).
• Experience of clinical work in a setting relevant to the post

Skills

Essential

• Use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
• Assessment, evaluation and management of risk associated with mental ill health and related psychopathology.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively complex, highly technical and clinically highly sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS

Desirable

• Production of reports suitable for public presentations and presentation in medico-legal setting.
• High level knowledge in the assessment and evaluation of psychological therapies.

Knowledge

Essential

• Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnosis, people with additional disabilities etc.)
• Practitioner level knowledge of at least two models of psychological therapy.
• Legislation and its implication for clinical practice and the appropriate management of people presenting with mental health problems

Other

Essential

• Commitment to continuing professional development, to partnership working and to reflective clinical practice.
• Able to identify, and employ appropriate clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice.
• Ability to travel Independently
• Undertake physical intervention training and remain trained in techniques, as required by role

Desirable

• Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
• Experience of providing specific support intervention and strategy for staff.

Closing Date: 11 October 2026