Principal Clinical Psychologist

We are seeking an experienced, compassionate and forward-thinking Principal Clinical Psychologist to join our Children and Young People's Mental Health service in West Lancashire. This is an excellent opportunity to take a senior clinical role within a comprehensive multidisciplinary team, helping us deliver high-quality, formulation-led and evidence-based care to children and young people, their families and carers.

You will bring highly specialist clinical expertise alongside the confidence to provide leadership, consultation and supervision across the service. Working autonomously within professional guidelines, you will also play an important part in clinical governance, service improvement, research, audit and the development of psychological practice across the locality

Main duties of the job

As Principal Clinical Psychologist, you will:

o provide highly specialist psychological assessment, formulation and intervention for children and young people with complex needs;o draw on evidence-based models and specialist therapies, which may include CBT, systemic approaches and EMDR;o undertake and advise on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management;o offer specialist advice, consultation and clinical leadership to multidisciplinary and multi-agency colleagues;o contribute to care planning and, where appropriate, act as care coordinator;o provide clinical and professional supervision to qualified and assistant psychologists, psychological therapists and colleagues from the wider MDT;o support trainee clinical psychology placements and contribute to teaching, training and workforce development;o help oversee the governance and quality of psychological and therapeutic provision, including outcomes monitoring, professional development and job planning; ando lead and contribute to research, audit, service evaluation, policy development and improvement work.

About us

Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you'd like to discuss your application, please ask.

We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services.

LSCFT support flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi-time.

The wellbeing of our people is at the heart of everything we do. We offer a wide range of resources, tools and support to help you thrive both in and out of work.

Explore our full wellbeing offer here: Keeping our workforce well

Details

Date posted

07 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£66,582 to £77,368 a year

per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

351-BAY1099-JD

Job locations

Westgate House

Skelmersdale

WN8 6DS

United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS.
• Professional Registration with appropriate professional body (HCPC registered as a clinical Psychologist)

Knowledge

Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.
• Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health.

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of substantial post-qualification experience.
• Demonstrable experience of conducting complex audit, research and service evaluation.
• Experience of teaching, training and professional and clinical supervision.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS.
• Professional Registration with appropriate professional body (HCPC registered as a clinical Psychologist)

Knowledge

Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.
• Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health.

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of substantial post-qualification experience.
• Demonstrable experience of conducting complex audit, research and service evaluation.
• Experience of teaching, training and professional and clinical supervision.

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 .

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 .

Employer details

Employer name

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Westgate House

Skelmersdale

WN8 6DS

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.lscft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Westgate House

Skelmersdale

WN8 6DS

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.lscft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Qualifications

Essential

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS.
• Professional Registration with appropriate professional body (HCPC registered as a clinical Psychologist)

Knowledge

Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.
• Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health.

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of substantial post-qualification experience.
• Demonstrable experience of conducting complex audit, research and service evaluation.
• Experience of teaching, training and professional and clinical supervision.