Principal PsychologistNHS

Job summary

Are you an experienced and compassionate Psychologist looking for an opportunity to combine clinical excellence with leadership and service development? Join Farmfield Hospital as the Principal Psychologist to play a key role in shaping and delivering high-quality psychological services within a specialist multidisciplinary environment. Farmfield Hospital is a secure inpatient forensic mental health service providing medium and low secure care for adult men with complex mental health needs, offering a rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful impact on recovery and rehabilitation. As Principal Psychologist, you will provide clinical leadership, expert psychological assessment, and evidence-based therapeutic interventions for individuals with complex mental health needs. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams, you will help ensure service users receive high-quality, person-centred care that supports recovery and positive outcomes. You will undertake comprehensive psychological assessments, develop formulations, and deliver a range of therapeutic interventions tailored to individual needs. Using your advanced clinica

Main duties of the job

The role of Principal Psychologist at Farmfield Hospital is designed for an experienced and compassionate psychologist who seeks to blend clinical excellence with leadership and service development. This position is essential for shaping and providing top-notch psychological services in a secure inpatient forensic mental health environment. The role encompasses delivering expert psychological assessment and therapeutic interventions for adult men with complex mental health needs. Clinical leadership is a core responsibility, working with multidisciplinary teams to ensure high-quality, person-centered care. Responsibilities include performing psychological assessments, developing individualized formulations, and offering expert input into treatment planning. Additionally, the position involves contributing to the development and management of psychology services, ensuring professional standards, and promoting continuous improvement throughout the organization.

Job description

Are you an experienced and compassionate Psychologist looking for an opportunity to combine clinical excellence with leadership and service development? Join Farmfield Hospital as the Principal Psychologist to play a key role in shaping and delivering high-quality psychological services within a specialist multidisciplinary environment.

Farmfield Hospital is a secure inpatient forensic mental health service providing medium and low secure care for adult men with complex mental health needs, offering a rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful impact on recovery and rehabilitation. As Principal Psychologist, you will provide clinical leadership, expert psychological assessment, and evidence-based therapeutic interventions for individuals with complex mental health needs. Working closely with multidisciplinary teams, you will help ensure service users receive high-quality, person-centred care that supports recovery and positive outcomes.

You will undertake comprehensive psychological assessments, develop formulations, and deliver a range of therapeutic interventions tailored to individual needs. Using your advanced clinical expertise, you will provide specialist input into treatment planning, make complex clinical decisions, and support the delivery of effective, evidence-based care.

Alongside your clinical responsibilities, you will contribute to the development and coordination of psychology services, ensuring high professional standards and promoting continuous improvement. You will provide consultation, guidance, and psychological expertise to colleagues across the service, helping to embed psychologically informed approaches and support the wider multidisciplinary team.

A key aspect of the role will be providing supervision, training, and professional support to psychology colleagues and other staff groups, helping to develop capability and enhance the quality of care delivered across the service. You will also contribute to risk assessment and management processes, offering specialist advice on the psychological needs of service users and supporting safe, effective decision-making.

As a senior member of the clinical team, you will play an important role in service development and quality improvement. You will contribute to audits, research, policy development, and service evaluation activities, using data and evidence to enhance clinical practice and improve outcomes for service users.

If you're passionate about clinical leadership, innovation, and delivering outstanding psychological care, we'd love to hear from you.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

• An Honours Degree in Psychology, or an equivalent qualification, recognised for graduate membership of the BPS.
• A Doctoral Degree in a Practitioner Psychology discipline or an equivalent qualification recognised by the HCPC.
• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist.
• Proficient knowledge of diverse clinical presentations.
• Proficient knowledge of psychological theories and models underpinning assessment, formulation and intervention.
• Proficient knowledge of evidence-based psychological interventions.
• Proficient awareness of service user individualised needs and contexts.
• Proficient knowledge of psychometrics and use of validated assessment tools.
• Proficient knowledge of statistical procedures, research methods, audit processes, and outcome evaluation.
• Proficient knowledge of clinical risk assessment, safeguarding and legal/ethical frameworks relevant to clinical practice.
• Ability to identify and proactively resolve problems within a service.
• Understanding of clinical governance, policy frameworks and legislation in relation to clinical presentations and particular service user group.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriate record keeping.
• Eligible for Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) status with the BPS. (D)
• Evidence of postgraduate study in a subject relevant to the study of Psychology. (D)
• Specialised training or experience in a relevant area of Psychology. (D)
• Advanced understanding of working with trauma and trauma-informed approaches. (D)
• Strong understanding of leadership, workforce development, service improvement and organisational change. (D)

What You’ll Get

At Elysium Healthcare, we believe in taking care of the people who care for others, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and future:

• Annual base salary of £65,000
• The equivalent of 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays) – plus your birthday off and the option to buy additional annual leave, in our annual selection window.
• Career development and training to help you achieve your professional goals
• Access to our Rewards & Benefits platform Ely-Vate; Your one-stop destination for everyday savings, exclusive benefits, and wellbeing hub!
• Wellbeing support and activities to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Access to Blue Light Card, which provides a range of exclusive offers and discounts
• Life Assurance, for added peace of mind
• Stream – instant access to earned wages when you need it, plus access to save, directly from your wages, alongside financial wellbeing support.
• 24/7 GP service and second medical opinion, to ensure you are the best you can be
• Enhanced Maternity Package, so you can truly enjoy this special time
• Pension contribution, to help secure your future
• Free meals and onsite free parking

About us:

Elysium Health care has over 8,000 employees and a unique approach to the delivery of care. With a network of over 80 services across England and Wales covering Mental Health, Neurological, Learning Disabilities & Autism, Children & Education, there is opportunity for you to grow and move.

Elysium Healthcare is part of Ramsay Health Care with a global network that extends across 10 countries and employs over 86,000 people globally.

Elysium Healthcare follows safer recruitment of staff for all appointments and is a Disability Confident employer, committed to inclusive and accessible recruitment. It is a requirement that all staff understand it is each person’s individual responsibility to promote and safeguard the welfare of service users. All candidates will be subject to a DBS disclosure

About us

Elysium Healthcare is a well-established provider in the delivery of specialized mental health care services. With over 8,000 employees, Elysium operates more than 80 services across England and Wales, covering disciplines such as Mental Health, Neurological, Learning Disabilities & Autism, and Children & Education. The organization is part of Ramsay Health Care, a global network with operations across 10 countries, employing over 86,000 people worldwide. Elysium Healthcare is devoted to maintaining high standards in care delivery, focusing on providing environments that promote recovery and well-being. Elysium is committed to the principles of safer recruitment and is an equal opportunity employer, actively promoting inclusive and accessible recruitment practices. As a Disability Confident employer, Elysium ensures that its recruitment process is open to people with disabilities.