Principal Clinical Psychologist

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Oxford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS teaching trust in the UK is seeking a Clinical Psychologist to provide assessments and interventions for children with complex medical conditions. Responsibilities include supervision, collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams, and leading clinical research initiatives to improve care quality. Candidates must possess a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills.

Qualifications

• Experience in adult mental health.
• Demonstrated commitment to CPD through ongoing training.
• Training in Clinical Supervision is required.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychological assessments for children with complex conditions.
• Supervise psychologists and contribute to service development.
• Communicate effectively with healthcare professionals.

Skills

Expertise in psychological assessment for children

Strong communication and leadership skills

Ability to work autonomously in MDTs

Commitment to ongoing research

Cognitive behaviour therapy

Education

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or statement of equivalence

Job description

Responsibilities

• Provide psychological assessments and interventions for children with rheumatological and paediatric conditions.
• Conduct complex assessments using clinical interviews, testing, and family consultations.
• Offer psychological support to patients, families, and the MDT, using evidence-based interventions.
• Supervise psychologists, trainees, and MDT members.
• Provide expert advice on psychological aspects of paediatric care.
• Lead clinical research and contribute to audits and service improvement.
• Provide clinical placements and supervision for trainees and junior staff.
• Contribute to service development and staff recruitment/training.
• Provide specialized psychological assessments and interventions for children with rheumatological and complex medical conditions.
• Conduct assessments using clinical interviews, testing, and family consultations.
• Develop and implement evidence-based therapies, adjusting treatments as needed.
• Offer therapy to children, young people, and families, focusing on complex presentations such as functional disorders.
• Collaborate with the MDT to create and adjust treatment plans.
• Communicate effectively with healthcare professionals and manage cases autonomously.
• Consult and provide expert psychological advice on patient care, diagnosis, and treatment.
• Deliver systemic therapy and guide treatment strategies.
• Lead clinical research in paediatric psychological medicine and conduct audits to ensure evidence-based service.
• Support research activities and present findings at conferences.
• Contribute to service development and ensure high-quality, responsive care.
• Manage trainees’ clinical, research, and educational activities.
• Communicate sensitive information empathetically to patients and families.
• Provide written reports on assessments and interventions for the MDT.
• Triage referrals, building close links with third sector and mental health services to match patients to the right level of support timely.
• Work closely with the Assistant psychologist and other team members to deliver a comprehensive service to patients and staff.

Qualifications

• Expertise in psychological assessment and intervention for children with complex medical conditions.
• Ability to work autonomously and collaborate within MDTs.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.
• Commitment to ongoing research and service innovation.
• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or statement of equivalence.
• Eligible for chartered clinical psychology status.
• Demonstrated commitment to CPD through ongoing training.
• Additional specialist therapy training.
• Training in Clinical Supervision.
• Expertise in paediatric/health psychology.
• Experience of working with families with long-term conditions.
• Experience of working as a key member of an MDT.
• Experience of working across a range of different cultural contexts.
• Experience of risk assessment and risk management.
• Expertise in working across the lifespan.
• Experience in adult mental health.
• Ability to deliver high quality cognitive behaviour therapy.
• Ability to provide clear leadership on aspects of psychological care to specialist and local medical teams.
• Advanced skills in using a wide variety of theories and interventions suitable to client need and work setting.
• Advanced skills for offering live supervision to multi-disciplinary colleagues.
• Ability to contribute to and steer the research programme of the department.
• Up-to-date knowledge of developments in psychological treatments.
• Excellent communication skills, including managing psychology resource and unit caseload to ensure waiting list targets are met.
• Experience of clinical supervision for trainee clinical psychologists, MSc students and undergraduates.
• Experience of audit.
• Knowledge and understanding of NHS funding.
• Self‑directing.
• Flexible and innovative.
• Car driver licence with appropriate UK professional registration.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals – the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.