Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Psychologist Principal

The closing date is 26 February 2026

Job summary

We are excited to announce a fantastic opportunity has arisen for an 8b clinical or forensic Psychologist to join the Forensic Autism Service (FAS).

The Forensic Autism Service is a dedicated service focussed on reducing admission to secure inpatient services, supports discharges and transitions to the community and work to prevent re-admission to hospital for this service user group. The FAS is a multidisciplinary group of motivated and passionate colleagues whose work focusses on assessment, formulation, consultation, specialist case management, system level working, training, and workforce development.

Psychology holds a key role within this by providing specialist psychological input to developing an understanding of the service user with formulation, risk assessment and consultation to guide direct interventions and provide advice to those working with the service user about risk management, treatment and pathway planning. The post holder in the Forensic Autism Service (FAS) will work with service users, their natural supports, in-patient colleagues, and other partner agencies and stakeholders.

As part of the wider Psychological Services Team, the post holder will be expected to develop expertise in all aspects of forensic/clinical practice across the different services within Guild Park.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic psychologist with experience and expertise working in forensic settings.Relevant experience would include an excellent awareness of autism, expertise in risk assessment and management, expertise in formulation and experience in providing consultation and training. The role requires the ability to work with clients who present with the full range of clinical needs and risk behaviours, and the ability to engage with, and respond to, highly complex clinical, professional and ethical challenges, and demands on clinicians and services.

The successful post holder would be expected to

Undertake assessments/ risk assessments

Provide excellent formulations to support the understanding of a service user

Provide consultation and advice to a wide variety of colleagues and stakeholders

Excellent communication with service users, colleagues, stakeholders, external agencies

Offer supervision to fellow team members

Develop and deliver training

Undertake audit and service evaluation

Inform and develop practice and service provision

The post will be supported via clinical supervision and managerial supervision.

About us

LSCFT values diversity and inclusion, recognising that talent from varied backgrounds creates a flexible, creative, and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from all, regardless of age, disability (including those with experience of accessing or caring for someone who has accessed mental health or learning disability services), ethnicity, gender, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.

Our aim is to reflect the communities we serve, so we particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups. If you'd like to discuss your application, please ask.

We also welcome individuals with lived experience relevant to the role or service area, as your insight brings authenticity to our services.

LSCFT support flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as term time, part time, compressed hours and flexi-time.

Date posted

12 February 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum, pro rata (subject to confirmation)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

351-BAY915-MS

Job locations

Forensic Community Service (FCS), Guild Park

Whittingham Lane

Preston

PR3 2JH

Job description

Job responsibilities

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Doctoral level training in clinical/ forensic psychology or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS.

Desirable

Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.

Knowledge

Essential

Doctoral level knowledge (or equivalent) of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical/ forensic fields of psychology.
Knowledge of legislation, and its implications in relation to the client group and mental health.
Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS by completion of CPD log demonstrating a minimum of 40 hours per year.
Formal training in supervision of other psychologists

Experience

Essential

A minimum of 4 years experience of working as a qualified psychologist.
Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for client's psychological care and treatment both as a professionally qualified care co-ordinator and also within the context of multidisciplinary care plan.
Experience of teaching, training and supervising.
Demonstrable experience of conducting complex audit/research and service evaluation

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Doctoral level training in clinical/ forensic psychology or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS.

Desirable

Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.

Knowledge

Essential

Doctoral level knowledge (or equivalent) of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical/ forensic fields of psychology.
Knowledge of legislation, and its implications in relation to the client group and mental health.
Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS by completion of CPD log demonstrating a minimum of 40 hours per year.
Formal training in supervision of other psychologists

Experience

Essential

A minimum of 4 years experience of working as a qualified psychologist.
Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for client's psychological care and treatment both as a professionally qualified care co-ordinator and also within the context of multidisciplinary care plan.
Experience of teaching, training and supervising.
Demonstrable experience of conducting complex audit/research and service evaluation

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.

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

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

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Forensic Community Service (FCS), Guild Park

Whittingham Lane

Preston

PR3 2JH

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Forensic Community Service (FCS), Guild Park

Whittingham Lane

Preston

PR3 2JH

Employer's website

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