University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Consultant Lead Clinical Health Psychologist

The closing date is 25 February 2026

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Job summary

This is a great opportunity for a motivated and ambitious Clinical Psychologist who is interested in working within, and developing Clinical Health Psychology (CHP) services at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. The CHP department is already an established team and has a number of psychologists within medical and surgical specialities. This is an opportunity for someone to take on the day to day leadership, operational and professional management and development of the Department of CHP for the future. The post is full time (1.0 WTE) and will be supported by the Specialists and General Medicine Division and the Chief Psychological Professions Officer (CPPO). The post holder will lead and manage the wider CHP service (0.3 WTE) whilst also having a clinical role in leading, developing and delivering psychological services for:

Breast service - 0.3 WTE

Altruistic/Live Kidney/Liver Transplant services - 0.3 WTE

In-patient services - 0.1 WTE

The role will have a high degree of autonomy and will offer the opportunity for the postholder to develop and implement a vision for how CHP can be delivered, developed and expanded.

Main duties of the job

Lead the provision of high-quality clinical health psychology services for clients, families, and carers across all CHP service lines.

Collaborate with CPPO and Division Leads to ensure strong leadership, safe services, and positive user experience.

Provide specialist psychological advice on service strategy, design, implementation, and staff development.

Contribute to cross-division group initiatives and hold a portfolio of specialist interests to support service development and governance.

Ensure systems for clinical leadership, supervision, and continuing professional development for psychologists.

Undertake complex clinical work and provide consultation to staff and external agencies.

Support research, audit, and service evaluation within the department.

About us

We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment manager for this post who will put you in touch with the recruitment team. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Details

Date posted

11 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£76,965 to £88,682 a year £76,965 - £88,682 Per Annum Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

216-DH-DC7734381

Job locations

Derriford Hospital

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Leadership

Work with CPPO and Division Leads to ensure engaged workforce, strong leadership, and safe, high-quality services.

Guide development of psychologically informed approaches across all CHP service lines.

Lead and implement changes to psychological therapy delivery in collaboration with senior colleagues.

Deliver appropriate assessment, formulation, and interventions, and communicate plans clearly to referrers and teams.

Provide specialist psychological expertise and consultation to professionals and agencies.

Contribute to risk assessment and management procedures.

Strategic Leadership

Collaborate with senior leaders to develop and implement departmental strategy.

Support development of responsive, accessible services for patients and families.

Interpret national and local guidelines to ensure compliance.

Facilitate delivery of commissioned services and partnership working with stakeholders.

Contribute to Trust-wide service development, governance, and quality initiatives.

Support workforce planning, recruitment, and staff development.

Professional Governance

Work with CPPO to ensure governance of psychological practice.

Line-manage designated staff, ensuring performance appraisal and professional development.

Provide systems for clinical and professional supervision across the department.

Manage psychological resources and contribute to financial control and audit processes.

Direct Clinical Care

Undertake complex clinical assessments and interventions.

Formulate and implement treatment plans based on evidence-based practice.

Provide clinical supervision and specialist advice to other professionals.

Teaching, Training and Supervision

Ensure supervision systems for all psychology grades.

Provide teaching, training, and consultation to staff and external agencies.

Support clinical placements for trainee psychologists and contribute to doctoral training programmes.

Research and Service Evaluation

Promote and implement research and audit programmes.

Advise on service evaluation and contribute to Trust-wide research initiatives.

ICT Responsibilities

Use IT systems for communication, documentation, and dictation technology for efficiency.

General

Maintain professional standards, comply with codes of practice, and engage in CPD.

Ensure adherence to Trust policies, safeguarding, infection control, and data protection requirements.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as Priority and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Leadership

Work with CPPO and Division Leads to ensure engaged workforce, strong leadership, and safe, high-quality services.

Guide development of psychologically informed approaches across all CHP service lines.

Lead and implement changes to psychological therapy delivery in collaboration with senior colleagues.

Deliver appropriate assessment, formulation, and interventions, and communicate plans clearly to referrers and teams.

Provide specialist psychological expertise and consultation to professionals and agencies.

Contribute to risk assessment and management procedures.

Strategic Leadership

Collaborate with senior leaders to develop and implement departmental strategy.

Support development of responsive, accessible services for patients and families.

Interpret national and local guidelines to ensure compliance.

Facilitate delivery of commissioned services and partnership working with stakeholders.

Contribute to Trust-wide service development, governance, and quality initiatives.

Support workforce planning, recruitment, and staff development.

Professional Governance

Work with CPPO to ensure governance of psychological practice.

Line-manage designated staff, ensuring performance appraisal and professional development.

Provide systems for clinical and professional supervision across the department.

Manage psychological resources and contribute to financial control and audit processes.

Direct Clinical Care

Undertake complex clinical assessments and interventions.

Formulate and implement treatment plans based on evidence-based practice.

Provide clinical supervision and specialist advice to other professionals.

Teaching, Training and Supervision

Ensure supervision systems for all psychology grades.

Provide teaching, training, and consultation to staff and external agencies.

Support clinical placements for trainee psychologists and contribute to doctoral training programmes.

Research and Service Evaluation

Promote and implement research and audit programmes.

Advise on service evaluation and contribute to Trust-wide research initiatives.

ICT Responsibilities

Use IT systems for communication, documentation, and dictation technology for efficiency.

General

Maintain professional standards, comply with codes of practice, and engage in CPD.

Ensure adherence to Trust policies, safeguarding, infection control, and data protection requirements.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as Priority and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Person Specification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Proven doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology
  • Proven doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology
  • Assessed demonstrable experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist
  • Demonstrable experience of working with service users within the designated specialty

Desirable

  • Post qualification demonstrable experience within the designated specialty where the post is located
  • Service evaluation tools, including audit

Qualifications

Essential

  • Training in clinical psychology at postgraduate doctoral level, as accredited by the BPS (British Psychological Society) or equivalent
  • Registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist

Desirable

  • Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Aptitude & Abilities

Essential

  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
  • A high level ability to communicate complex information effectively
  • Working in partnership

Desirable

  • Management and leadership skills
Person Specification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Proven doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology
  • Proven doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology
  • Assessed demonstrable experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist
  • Demonstrable experience of working with service users within the designated specialty

Desirable

  • Post qualification demonstrable experience within the designated specialty where the post is located
  • Service evaluation tools, including audit

Qualifications

Essential

  • Training in clinical psychology at postgraduate doctoral level, as accredited by the BPS (British Psychological Society) or equivalent
  • Registration with the Health Professions Council (HPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist

Desirable

  • Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Aptitude & Abilities

Essential

  • Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
  • A high level ability to communicate complex information effectively
  • Working in partnership

Desirable

  • Management and leadership skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Neuropsychologist

Rupert Noad

rupert.noad@nhs.net

01752439779

Details

Date posted

11 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£76,965 to £88,682 a year £76,965 - £88,682 Per Annum Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

216-DH-DC7734381

Job locations

Derriford Hospital

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH


Supporting documents

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