Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

www.healthjobsuk.com - jobboard; Epsom; On-site; GBP 66,000 - 78,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in Epsom is seeking a Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist. This role involves leading a team that specializes in mental health for older adults, ensuring high-quality care delivery. Candidates should have a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and significant experience in clinical settings. The position is part-time (0.6 WTE). We welcome applications for those prepared to step into this leadership role and offer a supportive working environment.

Benefits

Flexible working

Excellent health and wellbeing support

Access to staff networks

Qualifications

• Extensive post qualification clinical experience.
• Experience of leading in clinical practice or service development.
• Driving licence and access to a vehicle for community roles.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and supervision for psychologists in community mental health teams.
• Deliver specialist psychological assessments and interventions for older adults.
• Contribute to service development and quality improvements.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical governance

Interpersonal communication

Psychological assessment

Education

Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology

Clinical supervision course

Job description

Employer Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Horizon House Town Epsom Salary £66,653 - £77,094 Incl. 5% Fringe HCAS, pa, pro rata. Salary period Yearly Closing 30/01/2026 23:59

Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

NHS AfC: Band 8b

Job overview

Would you like to work in an organisation that sits in the top 10 best NHS Mental Health, Learning Disability and Community Services Trust to work for. This ranking is based on staff feedback in the 2023 NHS Staff Survey.

We are delighted to invite applications from an experienced, enthusiastic and compassionate Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to join our Older People’s Psychology team as a Principal Psychologist (0.6 WTE / 22.5 hours per week). We welcome applications from those already working at Principal Psychologist level, as well as those ready to step up into this role.

This is a leadership and highly specialist clinical role for a psychologist with a strong interest in working with older adults living in the community with mental health difficulties and/or dementia. You will play a key role in shaping high-quality, person-centred psychological care across East Surrey, while supporting and developing a skilled psychology workforce.

You will receive professional and clinical supervision from the Lead Consultant Psychologist for Older People’s Services, alongside specialist group neuropsychology supervision from a Clinical Neuropsychologist. You will join a friendly and supportive network of psychologists working with older people in community and inpatient services across Surrey and North East Hampshire.

We have a strong culture of reflection, learning and professional development. Our service has close links with the University of Surrey Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training Programme, offering placements and contributing to teaching.

The role requires travel across sites and home visits as part of community-based working. A driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential.

Main duties of the job

Leadership and Supervision

• Providing professional leadership, supervision and clinical governance oversight for Psychologists working within Older People’s Community Mental Health Teams across East Surrey (covering Epsom, Redhill, Tandridge, Mole Valley and Elmbridge).
• Supporting and developing psychologists, fostering a culture where staff feel valued, supported and engaged.
• Working collaboratively with senior operational and clinical leads to promote compassionate, inclusive and psychologically informed care.

Clinical Sessions

• Working closely and collaboratively with the multidisciplinary teams
• Delivering specialist psychological and neuropsychological assessments, formulations and interventions for older adults with severe, chronic and/or complex mental health and dementia presentations living in the community.
• Providing consultation, advice and training to multidisciplinary colleagues on psychological aspects of care.

Service Development

• Working as part of the senior psychology leadership team to develop and shape the role of Older People’s Psychology provision across East Surrey.
• Contributing to service developments and quality improvements.
• Supporting evidence-based practice, ensuring care is safe, effective and high quality.

Working for our organisation

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is the leading provider of mental health, learning disability, neurodevelopmental and drug and alcohol services in Surrey and North East Hampshire. We support people of all ages and are passionate about providing high quality care that is delivered at the right time as close to home as possible to help people recover and stay well.

We are one of the top 10 mental Health, Learning Disability and Community Trust to work for nationwide. Our Trust is an inclusive and supportive employer that offers a wide range of staff networks, flexible working, free parking and excellent health and wellbeing support. We also provide a wide range of opportunities to help staff develop and progress.

Surrey is a beautiful county lying just 30 minutes away from Central London and from the South Coast. Our historic market towns and bustling districts are enveloped in wonderful countryside, and our excellent road and rail networks bring the rest of the country within easy reach. For international travel, both Gatwick and Heathrow airports are nearby.

Please note that we reserve the right to close posts as soon as sufficient applications are received.

Regrettably, due to UK Home Office requirements we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please review the Job Description for even further information about the jobs main responsibility details.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology qualification or equivalent
• Completion of an appropriate clinical supervision course
• Additional academic clinical qualification relevant to area of work
• Additional leadership/management study

Experience

• Extensive post qualification clinical experience in relevant clinical setting
• Experience of leading in clinical practice, service development or project work
• Experience of supervising trainees, assistant psychologists, qualified clinical/counselling psychologists and others providing psychological therapies
• Experience of implementing change following audit and service evaluation
• Experience of advising other professionals on complex psychological issues and risk
• Driving Licence for community-based roles involving client visits it is essential to hold driver’s license and access to a vehicle

We are seeking to enrich the diversity of our Trust to better reflect demographic needs of the populations we serve and to enhance the skills of our workforce. We actively encourage applicants with underrepresented personal characteristics to apply for this role if you match the job description. Please note that you are not restricted from applying for this role if you do not identify with these characteristics and all applicants will be considered fairly against the job description.

As a flexible working and friendly organisation, we want to ensure that you can work in a way that is best for us, our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s job share, part time or any other flexible working patterns.

Women in our Trust are under‑represented in some senior grades. We are therefore encouraging women to apply for posts at 8A and above.

Sponsorship

Regrettably, due to UK Home Office requirements we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.

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.