Clinical Psychologist

LSCft; Preston; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust invites applications for a Clinical Psychologist (Band 7–8a) based at Guild Lodge, Preston. The post focuses on high-risk, forensic and complex case work within low/medium secure settings, with opportunities to develop neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation skills.

The role offers preceptorship for Band 7 recruits, with support for professional development and multidisciplinary collaboration across the Psychological Services Team.

Qualifications

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and HCPC registration required.
• Eligibility for Graduate membership of the BPS.
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) required.

Responsibilities

• Assess and formulate service user risks and needs; provide group and individual interventions.
• Contribute to development of psychological knowledge and skills of the workforce through consultation, training and supervision.
• Work within forensic/clinical practice across low/medium secure settings at Guild Lodge.

Skills

Clinical judgement

Risk assessment

Communication skills

Education

Postgraduate doctoral level clinical psychology training

BPS membership eligibility

HCPC Registration

CPD evidence

Job description

Site Guild Lodge Town Preston Salary £49,387 - £64,750 per annum (subject to confirmation) Salary period Yearly Closing 12/10/2026 23:59

Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism, community, and physical health services for the populations we serve.

As an integrated Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) delivers a comprehensive range of services, including:

• Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults, including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, and forensic services with low and medium secure care.
• Specialist mental health inpatient care for individuals with learning disabilities, alongside specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
• Extensive community physical health and well‑being services for children and adults, covering prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and long and/or medium secure settings.

The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,500 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health, general nurses, children’s nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers, as well as those specialising in learning disabilities and community physical health services.

We are pleased to offer one post (one 1.0 x WTE) for a qualified Clinical Psychologist, working at either band 7 or 8a dependent on experience.

The post would be a preceptorship for those recruited at band 7. The post is based in Guild Lodge, which includes men’s, women’s medium and low secure services as well as the nationally recognised secure Acquired Brain Injury service. The post will be based primarily within the men’s service; however, the successful applicant may also be expected to support the women’s service as part of their role, depending on service need.

The successful candidate will contribute to the provision of a high quality, specialist clinical psychology service, to service users with forensic, complex and high-risk needs, resident at Guild Lodge, within low and/or medium secure settings.

Candidates wishing to develop their skills and knowledge in neuropsychological assessment and rehabilitation, psychosis, personality difficulties, and developmental trauma will find the setting to be of particular interest.

For further information please contact:

Dr Phaedra Robinson, Principal Clinical Psychologist
Tel. [phone]

Main duties of the job

The post-holders will be expected to assess and formulate service user risks and needs and provide a range of group and individual interventions. An interest in acquiring skills in relational and integrative approaches such as Schema Therapy may be an advantage, as training and supervision may be provided.

The post holders will contribute to the development of the psychological knowledge and skills of the wider workforce through consultation, joint working, and training and/or supervision of other professionals.

As part of the wider Psychological Services Team, the post holders will have opportunities to develop expertise in all aspects of forensic/clinical practice.

Working for our organisation

LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.

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.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

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

Person specification

Qualifications

• Post graduate doctoral level clinical psychology training and/or the training equivalent training for those trained prior to 1996.
• Eligibility for graduate membership of the BPS.
• HCPC Registration.
• Evidence of continuing professional development consistent with professional and HCPC requirements.

Experience

• Experience of working as a clinical psychologist or as a trainee clinical psychologist with clients with complex and enduring mental health and risk needs.
• Experience of working as a forensic psychologist, or trainee forensic psychologist in a clinical setting
• Experience of providing a range of psychological assessments and interventions and adapting these to meet clients’ presenting needs/communication abilities as required.
• Experience of using information derived from a variety of sources and to make complex clinical judgements and formulate clients' needs.

Knowledge

• Knowledge and skills in the use of complex methods and techniques of psychological assessment and intervention, including risk assessment models and approaches.
• Ability to independently integrate and analyse complex clinical information derived from a variety of sources to inform individual care, treatment and management plans.
• Highly developed and effective communication skills both written and oral, including the ability to communicate sensitive and potentially challenging psychological information to a wide range of lay and professional people.
• Knowledge of a range of clinical research, audit and evaluation methods; ability to utilise these to inform clinical and service practice;
• Knowledge of, and ability to utilise and interpret, neuropsychological assessment tools and approaches.

You are advised to consider applying for LSCFT vacancies as soon as possible as in some instances vacancies are closed as soon as a sufficient number of applications have been received. If you are not invited to interview within four weeks of the closing date then please assume that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful, as it is not possible to contact all unsuccessful candidates.

Please note that further communication from LSCFT will normally be to the email address given on the application form. You should also ensure that email addresses and telephone numbers are provided for your referees, to enable LSCFT to contact them.

Please ensure that you read the person specification as your application will be measured against this document.

If you use AI to assist with your application, you must declare this. Undeclared use may result in withdrawal. Please ensure your application reflects your own skills and experiences. While AI tools can assist, they may produce generic or inaccurate content. We encourage you to provide personal examples that demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria.

For all posts which require a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check please be aware of the Disclosure and Barring Service Code of Practice, a copy of which is available by logging on to the DBS website. If the post is subject to DBS disclosure, a charge will be made to the successful candidate(s).

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. You are therefore advised to consider applying for this vacancy as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Name Dr Phaedra Robinson Job title Principal Clinical Psychologist Telephone number 01772 406716 Additional information

For further information please contact:

Dr Phaedra Robinson, Principal Clinical Psychologist
Tel. [phone]