Job summary
We are looking for an outstanding psychological professional to lead the Acute and Community Psychological Services Department at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. This senior position provides strategic, professional and operational leadership across all psychological services within the Trust, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based care for people with physical health conditions in both acute and community settings. The role combines clinical responsibilities with broader leadership and strategic service-development functions.
Successful applicants will be required to provide an immunisation and vaccination report, from either their current UK occupational health provider or their UK GP.
****Interviews for this post are due to take place 23rd February 2026***
Main duties of the job
As Head of Psychological Services , you will oversee professional governance for practitioner psychologists and psychological therapists, including supervision frameworks, service standards, research governance and workforce development. You will collaborate with senior leaders, system partners and national networks to shape and enhance psychological provision in line with Trust priorities and wider integrated care strategies. The post holder will provide expert advice on the psychological dimensions of healthcare, lead service development and innovation, oversee delivery of the Psychological Services business plan, and manage budgets, performance and quality outcomes. You will play a vital role in advancing research, education and training, including strong collaboration with regional Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training programmes. This is a key leadership role requiring vision, strategic acumen, excellent interpersonal skills and a strong commitment to the Trust's values of Compassion, Openness, Pride, Partnership, Improve, Learn and Respect. You will champion excellence in psychological practice, support staff wellbeing, and foster a culture of inclusive, patient-centred and high-quality psychological care.
About us
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, rated as good by the Care Quality Commission, is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the UK.
We are extremely proud of our employees across our hospital sites, with high quality patient care at the heart of everything we do.
Boasting some of the most modern facilities in Western Europe, the Trust is renowned for being at the forefront of research and innovation as part of its blossoming reputation as a worldwide leader in healthcare.
We are proud to be recognised as a Pathway to Excellence designated organisation - please click the link for further details about this prestigious award. Pathway To Excellence - University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (uhcw.nhs.uk)
By joining our exciting journey, you will form part of a passionate, talented team and will be able to access a wide range of learning and development opportunities. There has never been a better time to join our team.
The Trust is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different perspectives available in our diverse society. We want everyone to feel they are respected, valued, can achieve their potential and receive the most appropriate and relevant care. We will create an environment where the equality and human rights principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy are promoted and are part of the organisation's core values.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work collaboratively with multidisciplinary and managerial colleagues to achieve effective evidence-based psychological service provision, ensuring that services provided are high quality, cost-effective, culturally appropriate and based on best clinical and professional practice and meet Trust and service objectives, national strategic and policy guidelines, commissioner requirements and user/carer needs and expectations.
- To Lead on the strategic direction and supporting the effective delivery of psychological care for people affected by physical health problems within acute and community settings in the Trust.
- To act as Chief Psychological Professions Officer (CPPO) and represent UHCW at service, place, system and national forums. To be an active member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Psychological Professions Council and regularly attend the Clinical and Care Forum within the ICB to represent psychological professions within physical health settings.
- To act as a resource to senior management within UHCW on psychological aspects of physical health services, research and teaching. To support the Trust Executive Board and Trust Consultant Clinical Psychologists/Service Leads in the integration and development of policies associated with psychological care in physical health setting, including multidisciplinary team working as appropriate.
- To identify and translate national and local initiatives into local priorities in line with University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire values and corporate strategy to plan and develop psychological services for people affected by physical health problems working with the Trust Executive team, Consultant Clinical Psychologist/service leads, relevant Directorate leads and stakeholders.
- To ensure, and be responsible for, the autonomous and systematic service provision and provide professional leadership and accountability for all psychological services for people affected by physical health problems within UHCW including those working through a service level agreement.
- To advise on the development of appropriate psychological services for UHCW identifying service priorities, setting strategic objectives and managing clinical services, policy and service development, work force planning and income generation.
- To be responsible for the delivery of the business plan for Psychological Services.
- To be responsible for ensuring autonomous and systematic service provision of psychological services within the postholders relevant professional specialty.
- To be responsible for encouraging and enabling the implementation of a continuing programme of research and evaluation within the field of clinical health psychology within the Trust.
- To take an active role in identifying and ensuring the effective application of research and evaluation of the improvement of patient wellbeing within the Trust.
- In addition to clinical management and service management, the post holder will provide teaching, training, consultancy, staff support, research and service evaluation.
- To liaise with Course Directors from the Coventry and Warwick Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training Course, and other regional Doctoral Clinical Psychology Courses as required, to be responsible for ensuring the systematic provision of high quality, doctoral level placements in clinical psychology within the Trust for clinical psychology trainees.
- To co-ordinate and implement research and development activities and programmes, multidisciplinary teaching and lecturing and budgetary management for the psychological services budget and cost centres.
For further details of the role please see the attached job description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work collaboratively with multidisciplinary and managerial colleagues to achieve effective evidence-based psychological service provision, ensuring that services provided are high quality, cost-effective, culturally appropriate and based on best clinical and professional practice and meet Trust and service objectives, national strategic and policy guidelines, commissioner requirements and user/carer needs and expectations.
- To Lead on the strategic direction and supporting the effective delivery of psychological care for people affected by physical health problems within acute and community settings in the Trust.
- To act as Chief Psychological Professions Officer (CPPO) and represent UHCW at service, place, system and national forums. To be an active member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Psychological Professions Council and regularly attend the Clinical and Care Forum within the ICB to represent psychological professions within physical health settings.
- To act as a resource to senior management within UHCW on psychological aspects of physical health services, research and teaching. To support the Trust Executive Board and Trust Consultant Clinical Psychologists/Service Leads in the integration and development of policies associated with psychological care in physical health setting, including multidisciplinary team working as appropriate.
- To identify and translate national and local initiatives into local priorities in line with University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire values and corporate strategy to plan and develop psychological services for people affected by physical health problems working with the Trust Executive team, Consultant Clinical Psychologist/service leads, relevant Directorate leads and stakeholders.
- To ensure, and be responsible for, the autonomous and systematic service provision and provide professional leadership and accountability for all psychological services for people affected by physical health problems within UHCW including those working through a service level agreement.
- To advise on the development of appropriate psychological services for UHCW identifying service priorities, setting strategic objectives and managing clinical services, policy and service development, work force planning and income generation.
- To be responsible for the delivery of the business plan for Psychological Services.
- To be responsible for ensuring autonomous and systematic service provision of psychological services within the postholders relevant professional specialty.
- To be responsible for encouraging and enabling the implementation of a continuing programme of research and evaluation within the field of clinical health psychology within the Trust.
- To take an active role in identifying and ensuring the effective application of research and evaluation of the improvement of patient wellbeing within the Trust.
- In addition to clinical management and service management, the post holder will provide teaching, training, consultancy, staff support, research and service evaluation.
- To liaise with Course Directors from the Coventry and Warwick Clinical Psychology Doctoral Training Course, and other regional Doctoral Clinical Psychology Courses as required, to be responsible for ensuring the systematic provision of high quality, doctoral level placements in clinical psychology within the Trust for clinical psychology trainees.
- To co-ordinate and implement research and development activities and programmes, multidisciplinary teaching and lecturing and budgetary management for the psychological services budget and cost centres.
For further details of the role please see the attached job description.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
Desirable
Experience
Essential
Desirable
Knowledge
Essential
Desirable
skills
Essential
Desirable
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
Desirable
Experience
Essential
Desirable
Knowledge
Essential
Desirable
skills
Essential
Desirable
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential
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.
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.
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 Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Address
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire
Clifford Bridge Road
Coventry
CV2 2DX
Employer's website
https://www.jobsatuhcw.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)
