Principal Psychologist

Priory Group; Gosport; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 58,000; Part time

Job summary

Priory Hospital Nelson House in Gosport is seeking a Principal Psychologist to lead the psychology service and deliver high-quality assessment and interventions for adults with mental health and complex needs.

You will supervise, train, and support the team, develop service quality through governance and clinical development, and collaborate with the multidisciplinary team to plan care and discharge. HCPC registration and post-qualification experience are essential.

Qualifications

• HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist.
• Post-qualification experience in mental health settings.
• Formal training in at least two therapeutic modalities.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior clinical leadership within the psychology service and ensure high-quality assessments and interventions.
• Lead on assessment, formulation and treatment planning for patients with complex needs.
• Provide clinical supervision and support to psychology and wider clinical teams.
• Support development and quality improvement of psychological services with governance and safeguarding.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams on risk management, care planning and discharge planning.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Assessment skills

Interventions

Risk management

Team collaboration

Education

Postgraduate qualification in Psychology (HCPC)

Job description

Priory Hospital Nelson House
Salary £34,950.00 FTE 58,250.00 Part-time / 22.5 Hours

Located in Gosport, Hampshire, Priory Hospital Nelson House is a rehabilitation service which offers both level 1 and level 2 care, supporting males presenting with mental health conditions and complex needs, who may also have behaviours that challenge and substance misuse issues. We are well-placed to accept patients who need higher levels of care and intensive therapeutic support, as well as those stepping down in acuity.

In this role, you will play a key part in patient recovery, supporting the assessment and delivery of tailored treatment plans while ensuring dignity, respect, and high standards of care. Provide senior clinical leadership within the psychology service, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based psychological assessment and interventions. Lead on the assessment, formulation and treatment planning of patients with complex mental health needs, ensuring care is individualised and recovery focused. Work closely with the multidisciplinary team, contributing psychological expertise to risk management, care planning, clinical reviews and discharge planning. Provide clinical supervision, consultation and support to members of the psychology and wider clinical teams, promoting best practice and professional development. Support the development and quality improvement of psychological services at Priory Hospital, ensuring practice is aligned with clinical governance, safeguarding and Priory standards. You can find additional information in the attached job description.

Essential for the Role – Principal Psychologist

Applicants must hold a recognised postgraduate qualification in Psychology that meets the requirements for HCPC registration and must be currently registered with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist. Candidates should have formal training in at least two therapeutic modalities, alongside relevant post-qualification experience and the clinical competencies required to work at Principal Psychologist level. This position is not suitable for newly qualified psychologists or applicants who are not yet HCPC registered.

The Following Experience Would Be Beneficial

We would particularly welcome applications from psychologists with experience of working within mental health, inpatient or specialist clinical settings, particularly those who have experience working with complex presentations. Experience of providing clinical supervision, contributing to multidisciplinary teams, supporting service development and quality improvement, and delivering evidence-based psychological interventions would also be highly desirable.