Principal Clinical Psychologist

Overview

Job title: Principal Clinical Psychologist (Band 8b, fixed term 10 months to cover maternity leave)

Site: Upton Lea Resource Centre, Chester. Hours: Part time – 10 hours per week. Salary: £64,455 – £74,896 per annum pro rata. Closing date: 21/10/2025 23:59.

This is a 0.2–0.26 WTE post for a principal clinical psychologist to contribute to the ongoing development of the Mental Health and Intensive Support Team (MHIST). Due to the restricted time scales, there will not be direct work involved initially; however, there will be opportunities to support more junior psychological staff and non-psychologists and to contribute to strategic work in continually improving the service. You will be supervised by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist in the team.

Main duties of the job

To ensure the systematic provision of a high quality specialist clinical psychology service to clients with complex presentations that will include personality disorder, complex trauma and other comorbid conditions across community and in-patient care. To advise, supervise and support the assessment and treatment provided by clinical members of the teams who provide psychologically based care and treatment within the service. To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the service/team. To utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research. To propose and implement policy changes within the area served by the service.

Working for our organisation

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership (CWP) provides health and care services for a population of over one million people, including mental health, learning disability, community physical health and all-age disability care, as well as three GP surgeries in Cheshire. We employ around 4,500 staff across 73 sites and have services across Wirral and Cheshire, as well as Trafford, Warrington, Bolton, Halton, Liverpool and Stockport. Our aim is to help improve the lives of everyone in our communities, adopting a compassionate, person-centred approach to everything we do. We are rated as Outstanding for Caring by the Care Quality Commission, with a Good rating overall.

As a Disability Confident Employer, Rainbow Badge Scheme member, Veteran Aware organisation and proud holder of the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award, CWP is committed to inclusive recruitment practices and developing a culture that values differences. We welcome applications from people with direct experience of accessing our services.

All new starters commence in post on one fixed start date each month, in line with our Prepare to Care (P2C) induction programme date. P2C offers up to 3 weeks training to support induction and initial training requirements of the role. Whether you are just starting out or seeking to apply existing skills in a new role, you will find something at CWP.

Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities

Please download a copy of the job description for full details of the main responsibilities for this role. Our recruitment and selection processes are based on both competence and values, using a values-based approach in interviews. Review the Trust’s Values and reflect these in your application, providing examples from work experience or personal life where these values are demonstrated.

An applicant guide to support you through recruitment can be accessed on the Trust website. For guidance, contact our recruitment team via email or by calling 01244 393100. If you have a disability that meets the Equality Act 2010, please indicate if you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. Inform the team if you have special support needs for interview and selection processes. The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to armed forces applicants who meet criteria and encourages applications from armed forces personnel.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies. New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above. Applications may close early if a large number of applications are received.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
• Registered with the Health Professions Council as a Clinical Psychologist

Desirable criteria

• Post-doctoral training in additional specialised areas of psychological practice and post-qualification specialist training in particular psychotherapeutic approaches (e.g., cognitive analytic therapy, ACT, EMDR, DBT).

Knowledge & Expertise

• Skills in complex psychological assessment, intervention and management requiring sustained concentration.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with clients, families, carers and colleagues; ability to convey highly technical information clearly.
• Experience providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Doctoral-level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation relating to the client group and mental health.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS.
• Formal training in supervision of other psychologists or equivalent experience (e.g., 50 hours supervision in a specific modality, case presentations, group supervision).
• Knowledge of attachment theory.

Desirable criteria

• Well-developed knowledge of theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for difficult-to-treat groups (e.g., personality disorder, dual diagnoses, additional disabilities).
• Knowledge of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies.

Experience

• Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist for a minimum of four years with two years at a highly specialist level.
• Experience with diverse client groups across the life course and care settings, maintaining professionalism in challenging situations.
• Experience exercising full clinical responsibility for clients’ psychological care and treatment as a qualified Clinical Psychologist within a multidisciplinary care plan.
• Experience of teaching, training and/or professional/clinical supervision.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of representing psychology in multidisciplinary care.
• Experience across the full range of care settings and in various cultural contexts.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Further details, informal visits contact: Sarah Parkinson, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, 01244 393100, or via email.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and Disclosure to the DBS. DBS costs are deducted from salary. You may enroll in the DBS Update Service. New entrants commence at the minimum of the scale.

Additional information

If you consider yourself Neurodivergent and need help to complete your application form, please contact 01244 393100.

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