Band 8a Principal Clinical Psychologist

Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services); Ashby de la Launde; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A government health service seeks a Principal Clinical Psychologist to provide high-quality, trauma-informed mental health care to military personnel. This full-time role requires expertise in psychological assessment and therapeutic intervention within a team setting. The position offers competitive salary and substantial benefits including training funding and flexible working options.

Benefits

Privilege Days off

Flexible working options

Professional registration fee reimbursement

Funding for training

Access to on-site gym

Qualifications

• Experience working with complex mental health presentations.
• Skilled in applying evidence-based psychological therapies.
• Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist psychological assessment and intervention for military personnel.
• Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team.
• Develop and deliver training for staff.

Skills

Trauma-informed care

Psychological assessment

Team collaboration

Client-centred care

Education

Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology

Job description

Go back Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services)

Band 8a Principal Clinical Psychologist

The closing date is 27 November 2025

We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for a Band 8A Clinical Psychologist to join our team based at the Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH), RAF Digby, Lincolnshire.

This is a unique and rewarding role where you will deliver high‑quality, trauma‑informed, client‑centred occupational mental health care to tri‑serving military personnel across the East of England.

This is a full‑time position working 37.5 hours per week. All requests to work flexibly will be considered, allowing for business needs.

Due to security reasons, please note that this position is reserved for UK Nationals only.

What we offer

• 2.5 Privilege Days a year, in addition to the Annual Leave / Bank Holiday allowance (pro‑rata)
• Defence wide wellbeing initiative gifting a day a month (pro‑rata) to use as you see fit
• Options for flexible working patterns and hybrid working (minimum 60% of time in office)
• Professional registration fees (e.g., HCPC) re‑imbursed
• Access to funding for further training (including training in specific therapeutic modalities)
• Access to specialist, model‑specific supervision groups
• Quarterly UK‑wide Defence Psychology cadre events with funded travel, accommodation and subsistence
• Free parking
• Access to on‑site gym, shop, & café

Main duties of the job

Work in a unique clinical setting supporting the mental health and operational readiness of military personnel.

Be a key member of a supportive and forward‑thinking multidisciplinary team including Clinical Psychologists, Consultant Psychiatrists, CBT therapists, EMDR practitioners, Mental Health Nurses, and Social Workers.

Engage with a diverse range of clinical presentations from mild to complex, spanning a full array of presentations.

Benefit from a strong Clinical Psychology culture with expertise in:

• Compassion‑Focused Therapy (CFT)
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Schema Therapy
• Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
• Systemic and Narrative approaches

Being part of a distinctive organisation working to provide a meaningful impact to enlisted personnel.

About us

The Ministry of Defence is committed to attracting and retaining people from across the full range of backgrounds and enabling flexible ways of working as the norm. We offer maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks of statutory pay and an additional 13 weeks unpaid, and paternity leave of 2 weeks full pay.

In return, you can expect a department that helps you learn and develop recognising your expertise and contribution, both as an individual and as part of a team.

If you’ve ever wanted to do more, see more, go further or be better, we have roles in more professions and vocations than ever before. Let’s see where your future will take you, together.

Job responsibilities

• Provide highly specialist psychological assessment, formulation, and intervention for serving personnel, including offering advice and consultation to non‑psychologist colleagues, line managers, and carers.
• Provide psychological therapy for complex cases, with flexibility to offer up to 30 treatment sessions.
• Work collaboratively with the MDT, internal and external agencies to ensure joined‑up safe and effective care.
• Clinically supervise psychological therapists and other professionals.
• Develop and deliver training in areas relevant to practice for multi‑disciplinary staff and defence personnel.
• Utilise research skills for audit, policy and service‑development/quality improvement initiatives.
• Work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service.

What we’re looking for

• Experienced in working with complex mental health presentations, particularly where there are comorbid conditions and complex trauma presentations.
• Skilled in trauma‑informed care and applying evidence‑based psychological therapies to complexity.
• Keen to work as part of a team and collaborate to ensure high standards of clinical care and practice.
• Interested in working within a unique occupational health context.

Ready to apply?

If you’re passionate about delivering impactful psychological care in a unique and supportive setting, we’d love to hear from you.

For more information before applying, please email Dr Charlene Bennett (Consultant Clinical Psychologist) at [e-mail] to arrange an informal chat.

Selection process

At application stage you will be assessed against your CV:

• Provide evidence that you have the required skills, knowledge, experience, qualifications and memberships in the CV section of the application form.
• Include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlined in the job advert.

At interview you will be assessed against the following behaviours:

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace

Interview may include direct questions and clinical scenario‑based discussions.

Additional information

• Requests to work flexibly and/or part time will be considered, taking into account business needs.
• Salary will be pro‑rated where part‑time hours are undertaken.
• All employees joining Ministry of Defence who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6‑month probation period (unless otherwise advised).
• Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before appointment – level of security needed is security check.
• Reserved posts are open to UK nationals only, while non‑reserved are open to UK, Commonwealth, EEA and certain non‑EEA nationals.
• Access to the NHS pension scheme is available to the successful candidate.
• Applicants who require Hepatitis B evidence will need to provide documentation; failure may result in withdrawal of offer.

Person Specification

The full list of essential and desirable criteria for this role can be found within the attached Job Description and Person Specification document.

Behaviour Statement

• Have you been dismissed for gross misconduct related to bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation within the past five years, or resigned or otherwise left a role but would have been dismissed for such good‑conduct reasons if the adverse decision had continued? Please respond with Yes or No as appropriate.

Provide a CV

• Please copy and paste your full CV as your response to this question; you will not be able to upload your CV as an attachment.
• Please ensure to refer to the essential criteria where applicable as your application may be rejected if insufficient information is included.
• Please use double spacing where possible.

Qualifications

• Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent accredited by The British Psychological Society (BPS) conferring eligibility for chartership and full membership of Division of Clinical or Counselling Psychology). Training must have included models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.

Knowledge and skills

• Skill in using complex psychological assessment, intervention and management requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• Well‑developed skills in communicating complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, families, carers and professional colleagues.
• Skill in providing consultation to other professional and non‑professional groups.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, design and complex, multivariate data analysis in clinical psychology.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as required by HCPC.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to client group and mental health.
• Higher level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.

Experience

• Demonstrated experience as a qualified clinical or counselling psychologist (Band 7 or above) with evidence of completion of relevant training/preceptorship to carry out supervisory activities appropriate to an NHS Band 8a grade post.
• Experience working with a wide variety of client groups across the life course and presenting with varying clinical severities across outpatient, community, primary care, in‑patient and residential settings, maintaining professionalism under emotionally intense circumstances.
• Experience in exercising responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment, both as a care coordinator and within a multidisciplinary care plan context.
• Relevant prior experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist in adult mental health or an associated client group where the experience gained is relevant and transferable.
• Experience of clinical research (implementation or supervision).

Registrations and memberships

• Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist under protected title.
• Provide your membership registration number – application will not progress without a valid number.
• You are required to be registered with the relevant professional body prior to submitting your application.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a disclosure check with the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Salary and contract details

£55,690 to £62,682 a year (Pro rata for part‑time)