Consultant Lead Clinical Health Psychologist
Posted 1 day 4 hours ago by NHS
This is a great opportunity for a motivated and ambitious Clinical Psychologist who is interested in working within, and developing Clinical Health Psychology (CHP) services at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. The CHP department is already an established team and has a number of psychologists within medical and surgical specialities. This is an opportunity for someone to take on the day to day leadership, operational and professional management and development of the Department of CHP for the future. The post is full time (1.0 WTE) and will be supported by the Specialists and General Medicine Division and the Chief Psychological Professions Officer (CPPO). The post holder will lead and manage the wider CHP service (0.3 WTE) whilst also having a clinical role in leading, developing and delivering psychological services for:
Breast service - 0.3 WTE
Altruistic/Live Kidney/Liver Transplant services - 0.3 WTE
In-patient services - 0.1 WTE
The role will have a high degree of autonomy and will offer the opportunity for the postholder to develop and implement a vision for how CHP can be delivered, developed and expanded.
Main duties of the jobLead the provision of high-quality clinical health psychology services for clients, families, and carers across all CHP service lines.
Collaborate with CPPO and Division Leads to ensure strong leadership, safe services, and positive user experience.
Provide specialist psychological advice on service strategy, design, implementation, and staff development.
Contribute to cross-division group initiatives and hold a portfolio of specialist interests to support service development and governance.
Ensure systems for clinical leadership, supervision, and continuing professional development for psychologists.
Undertake complex clinical work and provide consultation to staff and external agencies.
Support research, audit, and service evaluation within the department.
About usWe are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment manager for this post who will put you in touch with the recruitment team. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Job responsibilitiesClinical Leadership
Work with CPPO and Division Leads to ensure engaged workforce, strong leadership, and safe, high-quality services.
Guide development of psychologically informed approaches across all CHP service lines.
Lead and implement changes to psychological therapy delivery in collaboration with senior colleagues.
Deliver appropriate assessment, formulation, and interventions, and communicate plans clearly to referrers and teams.
Provide specialist psychological expertise and consultation to professionals and agencies.
Contribute to risk assessment and management procedures.
Strategic Leadership
Collaborate with senior leaders to develop and implement departmental strategy.
Support development of responsive, accessible services for patients and families.
Interpret national and local guidelines to ensure compliance.
Facilitate delivery of commissioned services and partnership working with stakeholders.
Contribute to Trust-wide service development, governance, and quality initiatives.
Support workforce planning, recruitment, and staff development.
Professional Governance
Work with CPPO to ensure governance of psychological practice.
Line-manage designated staff, ensuring performance appraisal and professional development.
Provide systems for clinical and professional supervision across the department.
Manage psychological resources and contribute to financial control and audit processes.
Direct Clinical Care
Undertake complex clinical assessments and interventions.
Formulate and implement treatment plans based on evidence-based practice.
Provide clinical supervision and specialist advice to other professionals.
Teaching, Training and Supervision
Ensure supervision systems for all psychology grades.
Provide teaching, training, and consultation to staff and external agencies.
Support clinical placements for trainee psychologists and contribute to doctoral training programmes.
Research and Service Evaluation
Promote and implement research and audit programmes.
Advise on service evaluation and contribute to Trust-wide research initiatives.
ICT Responsibilities
Use IT systems for communication, documentation, and dictation technology for efficiency.
General
Maintain professional standards, comply with codes of practice, and engage in CPD.
Ensure adherence to Trust policies, safeguarding, infection control, and data protection requirements.
Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as Priority and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.
Person Specification Knowledge & Experience- Proven doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology
- Proven doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology
- Assessed demonstrable experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist
- Demonstrable experience of working with service users within the designated specialty
- Post qualification demonstrable experience within the designated specialty where the post is located
- Service evaluation tools, including audit
- Training in clinical psychology at postgraduate doctoral level, as accredited by the BPS (British Psychological Society) or equivalent
- Registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
- A high level ability to communicate complex information effectively
- Working in partnership
- Management and leadership skills
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.