NHS Scotland:
NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.
Who we are:
NHS Ayrshire and Arran are one of 14 territorial NHS Boards within NHS Scotland.
In support of our core purpose of Working together to achieve the healthiest life possible for everyone in Ayrshire and Arran, we are committed to a culture that is Caring, Safe, and Respectful. You will be required to work collaboratively in a safe, caring and respectful way.
To find out more about NHS Ayrshire and Arran please visit our website - NHS Ayrshire & Arran - Home (nhsaaa.net)
Position:
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Principal Clinical Psychologist within our Clinical Health Psychology Service based at Ayrshire Central Hospital. This post is offered on a permanent basis.
Hours:
36 hours per week. (Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm), but variation in contracted hours may be considered.
Job share will be considered for this post.
From 1 April 2026, the working week for NHS Agenda for Change staff in Scotland will be reduced. Full-time hours will reduce from 37 to 36 hours (pro rata for part-time staff) without loss of earnings.
UK Driving Licence:
A UK driving licence is preferred for this role.
What you will do:
This post sits clinically within the clinical health psychology service providing input to the specialist pain management service and the general medicine psychology service. The post holder will have operational day to day and professional line management by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist/Lead for Clinical Health Psychology, as an employee of the NHS Ayrshire & Arran's wider Psychological Service. The Clinical Health Psychology service consists of a number of Clinical Psychologists, linked to acute medical specialties: Cardiac, Post Viral Rehab, Pain, Bariatric, Weight Management, ICU/Critical Care and General Medicine. Within each of these acute specialist areas the Psychologist is an integral part of a multi-disciplinary team consisting of Nursing, Medical and Allied Health Professionals.
Within the general medicine service you will provide highly specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment for individuals experiencing distress as a result of their long term physical health condition. The general medicine service covers all acute medical teams in NHS Ayrshire & Arran including but not limited to: diabetes/endocrinology, oncology, renal, gastroenterology and respiratory. Within the specialist pain management service you will provide highly specialist psychological assessment, formulation and short to medium term therapy to individuals with a variety of persistent pain presentations. There will be opportunities to contribute to various areas of the pain service including the facilitation, development and evaluation of the Pain Management Programme, MDT vetting and wider pain service developments. You will offer advice and consultation on clients' psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and to other, non-professional carers; working autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures.
You will utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research within the area served by the team/service and provide clinical and professional supervision to other psychologists, CAAPs and/or trainees undertaking Doctoral training. You will undertake service development which may have an impact beyond own area of practice. You will provide training and supervision/coaching in the use of psychologically informed approaches within the wider MDT(s). You will work closely with the Consultant Clinical Psychologist/Lead for Clinical Health Psychology Service and the Clinical Lead of the Pain Service.
For further information on the role please click the link below to view the job description.
Knowledge, training and/or experience required for this post:
You will be an HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist with previous experience working with pain patients, patients with long term physical health conditions and/or working in medical settings. Applications from final year DClinPsy Trainee Clinical Psychologists are welcomed as are discussions about relevant transferrable experiences. This post will be based in Ayrshire Central Hospital but the clinical health psychology service is pan-Ayrshire, and a degree of travelling across NHS Ayrshire & Arran may be required - a car driver is preferred.
For further information on the requirements for the role please click the link below to view the person specification
For informal enquiries, please contact:
Dr. Lesley Allan, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Clinical Health Psychology Service
Telephone 01294 323565. Email lesley.allan@aapct.scot.nhs.uk
RIGHT TO WORK / CERTIFICATES OF SPONSORSHIP
To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found within the attached Candidate Information Pack.
It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran may be able to offer visa sponsorship for certain roles, provided the post meets the minimum salary threshold and any other required criteria. When considering if a post meets the salary threshold for sponsorship, please note the salary advertised is based on a full-time contract and must be pro-rated for part-time positions. Sponsorship is not guaranteed and is assessed on a case-by-case basis following interview and at the commencement of pre-employment checks.
Please visit here for further information.
We are unable to provide sponsorship for Band 2 posts or bank contracts.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES