Clinical Psychologist

NHS National Services Scotland; Carstairs; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

A health service provider in Scotland seeks a Clinical Psychologist to join a motivated team within a high secure clinical environment. This role involves conducting psychological assessments and interventions for patients with various mental disorders. Opportunities for professional development, training, and collaboration with other disciplines are available. Applicants must have appropriate qualifications and the right to work in the UK. Closing date for applications is 19th November 2025.

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years or older.
• Relevant psychological qualifications and experience required.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychological assessments and interventions to patients.
• Collaborate with clinical colleagues across disciplines.
• Deliver training and supervision to staff.

Job description

Clinical Psychologist

AfC Band 8a plus a High Secure Environmental Allowance of £1,750.47 per annum and a High Secure Clinical Responsibility Allowance of £4,201.29 per annum.

Hours – 37

Contract Duration – Fixed Term (1 Year)

Post Details

The State Hospital Psychology Department is pleased to advertise a fixed term Clinical Psychologist post to join its highly motivated team. This is an exciting opportunity to work within a unique environment. The State Hospital provides high secure care for patients from Scotland and Northern Ireland. Our vision is to excel in the provision of high secure forensic mental health services, to develop and support the work of the Forensic Network, and to strive at being an exemplar employer.

The Psychology Department delivers high quality psychological assessments and comprehensive risk assessments as well as a range of individual and group psychological interventions across four service areas. This post will provide input to patients with a range of mental disorders.

As part of the clinical team, the postholder will work closely with colleagues from other disciplines and will have the opportunity to contribute to hospital‑wide initiatives. The postholder will also have opportunities to deliver training, offer supervision and reflective practice, provide consultancy to colleagues, and share research expertise with others across the hospital site. Because this is a national service, the post offers opportunities that may be unavailable in other Health Boards.

There are close links with stakeholder services, including the East of Scotland Clinical Psychology Training course, Medium and Low secure forensic services, as well as other UK High Secure Hospitals. We are pleased to have close links with the Forensic Network and support the work that they do across the country, providing additional opportunities. The service is committed to supporting and developing its staff team.

Core Values

We share the same core values as every other NHS Scotland health board: care and compassion; dignity and respect; openness, honesty and responsibility; quality and teamwork, and our core values are central to service delivery.

Key Information

This position will be required to work in all clinical locations within the State Hospital.

Closing Date: 11.59pm on Wednesday 19th November 2025
Interview Date: TBC

If you have any queries or require assistance regarding the application form or recruitment process, please contact the HR Team at [e-mail].

We anticipate high interest in this position; therefore, we may close the vacancy prior to the closing date once sufficient applications are received. Please submit your application early to avoid disappointment.

Equality and Inclusion

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among its workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The State Hospital welcomes applications from all sections of society. Applicants for clinical roles must be 18 years or older.

Right to Work

To work in the United Kingdom, you must demonstrate that you have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is granted by the UK Visa and Immigration Service. NHS Scotland Boards will check this entitlement as part of pre‑employment checks. You can evidence this through a number of routes, including specific types of visa, settled and pre‑settled status, etc. Please refer to the GOV.UK website for more information.

We are not licensed to issue sponsorship certificates under current UKVI regulations. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship to work with us. It is essential that you have checked that you have an appropriate right to work in the UK BEFORE applying.

Reduced Working Week (from 1 April 2026)

From 1 April 2026, the working week for NHS Agenda for Change staff in Scotland will reduce from 37 to 36 hours for full‑time employees. Part‑time staff will receive a pro‑rata reduction in hours, with no loss of earnings. The State Hospital will implement this change, though it may not be possible to transition immediately in all departments. If the department cannot safely accommodate the reduced hours, you may be required to continue working 37.5 hours per week until adjustments can be made. You will, of course, be remunerated accordingly. Our priority is to implement the 36‑hour working week across all areas as soon as it is safe and practical.