Principal Clinical Psychologist

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Clinical or Counselling psychologist to join Rotherham Care Group, as part of the clinical leadership structure within our Primary Care Mental Health Hub and our specialist Locality Teams. We are looking for someone with excellent clinical skills and a strong drive for working collaboratively as part of teams and systems to enhance services.

Main duties of the job

Based within our PCN aligned Community Mental Health Hubs in Rotherham, the candidate will be responsible for ensuring the systematic provision of a high-quality comprehensive specialist psychological service. They will work closely with our Community Directorate Lead for Psychological Professions in contributing to strategic service development and trauma informed pathways of care for working age and older adults presenting with complex / severe mental illness. They will also take a leadership role in our Locality teams to ensure clear pathways throughout our service.

They will join a growing team of Psychological professions in our service including Clinical Psychologists, CBT therapists, CAPs, MHWPs and Assistant Psychologists working in these services. The post holder will provide regular supervision to Clinical Psychologists and other Psychological Professions as needed. They will have a liaison role with provider partners, as part of the Community Mental Health Transformation, supporting us in working together as a whole system with equal partnership, promoting integrated working and placing the patient at the centre of all that we do.

CPD and engagement with our wider professional networks is supported and there is a strong focus on supervision and professional development.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
• Registration with BPS or ACP
• Post doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
• Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Registration with BPS or ACP

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working as a specialist clinical psychologist
• Experience of working in community mental health services.
• Experience of working with complex health difficulties / severe mental illness
• Experience of working with individuals and families.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience of liaison and joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies
• Experience of teaching, training, clinical supervision and field supervisor for doctoral theses
• Experience of research and development
• Active participation in quality and service improvement initiatives

Desirable

• Experience in clinical / professional leadership
• Experience working with trauma presentations in individuals and their families
• Experience of working clinically with older adults
• Experience of delivering psychological therapy to a wide variety of client groups, ages, contexts and presenting problems, reflecting the full range of clinical severity, across a range of care settings, within the NHS

Skills

Essential

• Communicate highly complex, highly sensitive and contentious information effectively, to a wide range of people
• Adapt creatively the evidence base for interventions in mental health for clients with communication difficulties / learning disabilities.
• Articulate the value added by applied psychology services within the context of multidisciplinary mental health and learning disability healthcare provision.
• Undertake complex multiagency working and liaise with multiple systems
• Utilise psychometric tests competently
• Provide effective teaching, training and clinical supervision for the multidisciplinary team.
• Identify, provide and promote appropriate interventions / means of support for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours.
• Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work.
• Use approved breakaway techniques
• Demonstrate effective keyboard skills
• Use multimedia materials for presentations in professional, academic and public settings.

Knowledge

Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of evidence- based practice relevant to the role
• Doctoral level knowledge of risk assessment and risk management
• Doctoral level knowledge of Clinical governance
• Doctoral level knowledge of knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health and its implications for clinical practice.
• Doctoral level knowledge of audit and research methodology
• Doctoral level knowledge of social Inclusion agenda

Desirable

• Knowledge of the Trust’s Quality Improvement System
• Highly developed knowledge and skills in the care of difficult to treat groups e.g. dual diagnoses, additional disabilities or severely challenging behaviour

Closing Date: 13 July 2026