Senior Clinical Psychologist

Posting date:	26 January 2026
Salary:	£55,690.00 to £62,682.00 per year
Additional salary information:	£55690.00 - £62682.00 a year
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	09 February 2026
Location:	Blackpool, FY3 8NR
Company:	NHS Jobs
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	C9382-26-0042

Summary

Clinical Working within a specialised clinical area, as directed by the Head of the Psychology Directorate, and led by the Lead clinician - to respond appropriately to referrals,carrying individual accountability for clinical decisions and taking responsibility for working with complex psychological and physical presentations. To jointly plan, deliver and evaluate specialised formulation-driven treatment plans in a team-based approach in conjunction with other multidisciplinary team members, providing expertise and advice to facilitate effective and appropriate provision of psychological care by all team members. To provide highly specialist psychological assessments of patients referred to the service, based on appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources (including psychometric measures, rating scales, neuropsychological tests, direct and indirect observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the patients care). To provide feedback on the outcome of the assessment to patient/carers. This can involve providing and receiving highly complex and sensitive information with the need to use a high level of interpersonal and effective communication skills in a sometimes hostile and highly emotive atmosphere, requiring frequent intense concentration. To summarise for multidisciplinary colleagues the outcomes of assessments, formulation and treatment. To work to engage patients in decision-making and in the assessment, formulation and intervention process, as appropriate. To formulate and implement plans for psychological therapy and / or management of a patients needs, based upon an appropriate therapeutic framework pertinent to the patients presenting issues and employing methods based on evidence of efficacy across the full range of care settings. Negotiating the implementation of such plans and the sharing of complex and sensitive information. To be responsible for developing and implementing a range of specialist psychological interventions for individuals, carers and groups, adjusting and refining psychological formulations, drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining multiple (sometimes conflicting) provisional hypotheses. To contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all patients of the service across all settings and agencies serving the client group. To contribute directly to multidisciplinary formulations and intervention plans. To support psychological ways of working across the specialist service and the Directorate of Psychology. To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultations to increase understanding of psychological approaches by other professionals. This requires specialist knowledge underpinned by appropriate clinical and psychological theories and models. To exercise responsibility and autonomy for the assessment, treatment and discharge of patients ensuring appropriate assessment, formulation and intervention, communicating with relevant colleagues and others involved with the care of the patient as necessary. To make skilled evaluations and decisions about treatment options, taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes, that have shaped the individual and their significant others. To deliver specialist psychological interventions on an individual basis. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management. To act as main care provider, where appropriate, ensuring the provision of a care package appropriate for the patients needs, co-ordinating with the work of others involved with their care. TEACHING, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION To receive regular clinical and professional supervision, keeping an appropriate record in line with Directorate procedures and Trust policy. To provide specialist advice, consultation, training and clinical supervision to colleagues as appropriate for the provision of psychologically based interventions. To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with the patient group across a range of agencies and settings, where appropriate. To disseminate knowledge and skills on the management of, and good practice with, patients with complex health presentations by offering teaching, consultation and shared learning with members of the MDT, with other Trust staff, and with colleagues from the family of psychology roles as required. To contribute to the pre- and post-qualification teaching of clinical psychology trainees, as appropriate. To contribute to the supervision of assistant psychologists and volunteers on placement if appropriate. To provide specialist clinical placements for doctoral level clinical psychology trainees from the regional training courses, as appropriate, and to provide clinical supervision to clinical psychology trainees. To undertake regular line management and clinical supervision. RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT To jointly plan and implement systems for the evaluation and monitoring of the service, through the deployment of professional skills in research, service evaluation and audit and ensuring use of psychological frameworks for understanding and provision of high quality care. Research includes auditing the service and may involve quantitative and qualitative methods, making decisions on appropriate use of psychometrics, clinical outcomes, assessments and reflective scientist-practitioner skills. Provide descriptive and evaluative data on services provided, including collection of relevant statistical data. To provide research advice to other staff undertaking research within the service and if, appropriate, supervision of trainees research and development, and of other professionals. To utilise theory and evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work, group work, and work with other team members, and across the service. MANAGEMENT, RECRUITMENT, POLICY & SERVICE DEVELOPMENT To participate in the development of a high quality, responsive and accessible service including liaising with the Principal Clinical Psychologist and the Head of the Psychology Directorate on those aspects of the service where psychological and/or organisational matters need addressing. To exercise delegated responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the service/team. To participate as appropriate in staff recruitment, both in the short-listing process and as a member of interview panels for assistant, trainees and qualified clinical psychologists. To be responsible for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the service, including maintaining systematic clinical record keeping and records of relevant professional meetings. Implement appropriate local policies & guidelines and propose changes to these in consultation with line manager and team. Contribute to service development and propose changes to practice as appropriate. To participate fully in the Psychology Directorate by attending meetings and supporting workstreams as required. IT RESPONSIBILITES To apply computer skills for research and teaching purposes (such as Word, Outlook, SPSS, PowerPoint). To access and contribute to computerised patient record systems as required. GENERAL To ensure the development, maintenance and dissemination of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external Continuing Professional Development training and development programmes. In particular, to continue to develop expertise in the specialist clinical area and within clinical psychology through participation in CPD activities in accordance with professional guidelines, as agreed with line manager and Head of Directorate. To ensure the development and articulation of best practice in psychology within the Directorate and contribute across the service by exercising the skills of a reflexive and reflective scientist practitioner, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of clinical psychology and related disciplines and connecting with national groups of psychologists working in appropriate fields. To maintain high standards of clinical record keeping, including electronic data entry and recording where relevant, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society, HCPC and in line with Trust policies and procedures. To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific client group and the practice of clinical psychology. The above list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be fully comprehensive and may be amended to take account of changing circumstances or requirements following consultation with the post holder