Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Principal Clinical Psychologist

The closing date is 23 March 2026

Job summary

My name is Emma and I am the Consultant Clinical Psychologist for the All Age Learning Disability Service (Children, young people and their families), within Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust. I work with Alison, Michaela, Mary, Lisa and Jenny who are all Clinical Psychologists working with children, young people and their families across the Service. Each of us work within a local MDT made up of nurses, occupational therapists and psychiatrists, alongside colleagues within our adult teams.

The South Cumbria team are one of our local MDTs and are currently looking for someone to join them!

They are a caring and supportive team of professionals who pride themselves in being creative and innovative, being driven to offer a service which is genuinely person centred. By this, I mean they are a team which is led by the individuals whom they support. There is careful consideration of the young person's needs, and those of their family, and how they as a team can meet these preferences. They are continually learning together and finding innovative ways of working to meet these needs.

They are passionate in being part of an All Age Service, which is fairly unique across England, and for this reason they have regular locality development sessions, and each team member has a vital role in sharing knowledge and skills.

For further details /informal visits please contact us using the details provided.

Main duties of the job

This is also the same for us as a group of Clinical Psychologists, who regularly meet to share ideas and support each other with areas of development particular to Clinical Psychology.

In reading this advert, this role may be of interest to you. The advert is currently funded at a Principal Clinical Psychologist grade, so if you have the experience, then great!

There are plenty of opportunities to grow the role, pursue your own clinical interests, and gain support from colleagues both within your locality MDT and the wider psychological team.

If not yet, then please do not be put off considering this role. We would still encourage you to contact us and explore if this opportunity is right for you.

To provide Clinical Psychology input to children/young people and their families/carers, in receipt of support from the All Age Learning Disability Service (LDS). This would include the provision of enhanced specialist psychological assessment and therapy, working within the policies, procedures and protocols applicable to the service.

To offer advice and consultation on children and young people's psychological care, where appropriate, to families and/or professional carers, colleagues, and other professionals. To develop and implement formal systems of consultancy within the nominated team(s), as directed and guided by the Consultant/Professional Lead. Working autonomously within professional guidelines and overall service policies and procedures.

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.

The wellbeing of our people is at the heart of everything we do. We offer a wide range of resources, tools and support to help you thrive both in and out of work.

Explore our full wellbeing offer here: Keeping our workforce well

Details

Date posted

10 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

351-PEN1069-EB

Job locations

College House

Barrow-in-Furness

LA14 1NB


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached the job description and person specification for more information about this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in clinical 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
  • HCPC registered as a Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical)

Knowledge

Essential

  • Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical 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

Experience

Essential

  • 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, as part of a learning disability service/provision.
  • Experience of working Psychologically with individuals who have a learning disability, including severe and multiple or profound disabilities.
  • Post doctorate experience of working with children and their families/carers.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Doctoral level training in clinical 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
  • HCPC registered as a Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical)

Knowledge

Essential

  • Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical 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

Experience

Essential

  • 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, as part of a learning disability service/provision.
  • Experience of working Psychologically with individuals who have a learning disability, including severe and multiple or profound disabilities.
  • Post doctorate experience of working with children and their families/carers.

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

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Address

College House

Barrow-in-Furness

LA14 1NB


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Address

College House

Barrow-in-Furness

LA14 1NB


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Dr Emma Hignett

Emma.Hignett@lscft.nhs.uk

01254226482

Details

Date posted

10 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

351-PEN1069-EB

Job locations

College House

Barrow-in-Furness

LA14 1NB


Supporting documents

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