Job Summary: Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist (Band 8B)

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is recruiting a Principal Clinical or Counselling Psychologist for a 12-month fixed-term post within the Inverclyde Inpatient Service. Based at Langhill (Inverclyde Royal Hospital), this is a leadership-level role (Band 8B) designed to bridge a critical gap in psychology service delivery. You will lead psychological care across acute admissions wards, while providing specialized consultancy to the Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit (IPCU) and the long-stay Willow Ward.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Leadership: Deliver core psychology services with a heavy emphasis on complex assessment, psychological formulation, and multi-disciplinary (MDT) care planning.
Consultancy: Provide expert psychological consultation to MDT staff to enhance the overall psychological care environment within inpatient wards.
Governance & Supervision: Oversee the governance of Psychological Therapies (PTs), ensuring robust systems for supervision are in place for staff delivering psychological interventions.
Training & Support: Deliver specialized training and support to the wider multidisciplinary team to upskill staff in psychologically informed care.
Strategic Alignment: Work with the management team and the wider NHSGGC inpatient psychology network to meet regional service objectives.

Role Details

Salary: £74,003 – £79,164 per annum (Band 8B).
Location: Langhill, Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Greenock.
Contract: Fixed-term (12 months), Full-time (1.0 wte).
Working Week: Note that from 1st April 2026, the full-time working week reduces from 37 to 36 hours with no loss of pay.

Candidate Requirements

Professional Registration: Must be a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist registered with the HCPC.
Experience: Substantial post-qualification experience in Adult Mental Health (AMH).
Leadership: Proven experience in supervision and contributing to leadership tasks within a multidisciplinary team.
Inpatient Knowledge: Previous experience working in an inpatient psychiatric setting is highly desirable.

The Team & Support Network

The successful candidate will not work in isolation. You will be part of a structured, supportive network:

Local Integration: Linked to Inverclyde’s CMHT, OP-CMHT, and PCMHT.
Regional Links: Connected to Inpatient Services in Renfrewshire and the wider Clyde-wide Psychology staffing.
Development: Access to a broad range of professional development and CPD opportunities within one of the UK’s largest NHS boards.

Core Focus: The Biopsychosocial Formulation

At the Band 8B level, your role is to move the team beyond simple diagnosis toward a rich, integrated formulation that guides the entire MDT.

Assessment: Integrating complex history and presentation.
Formulation: Creating a shared understanding of the user’s difficulties to inform the care plan.
Intervention: Ensuring evidence-based psychological therapies are delivered safely and effectively.

Application Guidance: AI and Authenticity

Important: NHSGGC has issued a strict directive regarding the use of AI in applications.

Originality: Candidates must provide authentic responses. The use of AI to generate or significantly modify application answers is strongly discouraged.
Verification: By submitting, you confirm the work reflects your personal knowledge and experience. Non-compliance may result in withdrawal from the process.

How to Apply

Given the high volume of interest in Band 8B roles, this post may close early.

Informal Inquiries: Contact Mary Howley (Professional Lead for Psychology) at 01475 558000 or via her NHS Scotland email.

Deadline: Aim to submit well before Monday, March 30, 2026, as early closure is likely.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is the largest NHS health board in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK. Headquartered in Glasgow, the board provides strategic leadership and healthcare services for a diverse population of approximately 1.2 million people. Its operations span a vast network of facilities, including world-class acute hospitals like the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, as well as primary care, mental health services, and community health partnerships. The board’s culture is driven by a commitment to “Better Health, Better Care, and Better Value,” focusing on clinical excellence, innovation, and reducing health inequalities across the region.

Culture and Workplace

The organization’s culture is anchored in its core values: Care and Compassion, Dignity and Respect, Quality and Safety, and Openness and Transparency. As one of the region’s largest employers, NHSGGC emphasizes a multidisciplinary, collaborative environment. It invests heavily in staff wellbeing and professional development, offering extensive clinical training and leadership programs. The board is also a major hub for medical research and innovation, fostering a culture where frontline staff are encouraged to participate in groundbreaking trials and service redesign projects.

Key Organization Highlights

Feature	Details
Specialization	Comprehensive public healthcare (Acute, Primary, and Community)
Headquarters	J B Russell House, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, Glasgow, G12 0XH
Workforce	Approximately 39,000 staff members
Flagship Facility	Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (one of Europe’s largest)
Market Edge	Leading European center for academic medicine and clinical research

Strategy & Innovation

NHSGGC is currently focused on its “Moving Forward Together” strategy, which aims to transform how healthcare is delivered by integrating services more closely and utilizing digital technology. The board is a pioneer in Precision Medicine and host to the West of Scotland Innovation Hub, which collaborates with industry and academia to develop life-saving technologies. Key initiatives include a major push toward Net Zero healthcare and the expansion of “Hospital at Home” services to provide acute-level care in patients’ own residences.

To apply for this job please visit apply.jobs.scot.nhs.uk.