Clinical Psychologist

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NHS Borders is delighted to invite applications for a Principal Clinical Psychologist for Children and Young People's Psychology based in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (Band 8B, 0.8 WTE / permanent).

We are looking for an experienced colleague with enthusiasm for supervision, training, multiagency collaboration, service development, quality improvement and clinical work to firmly commit to the Borders service and join us as a core team member for the next part of their career.

This post is an important position which helps anchor the Psychology team, based in our friendly multidisciplinary integrated CAMHS service (CAMHS, ND & CYP ID) but also serving wider national Psychology agendas. Jobplans here tend to be multifaceted in order for us to cover our service remit with a small number of staff and as befitting our small health board and rural locality.

We provide support for Tier 2 community partners, neurodevelopmental assessments and interventions, CAMHS ID/LD, Tier 3 multidisciplinary and psychological interventions for mental health difficulties, and Tier 4 intensive community treatment. We are innovating our service model and have numerous strands of service development and multiagency collaboration in progress.

This post is managed by the Lead for Children and Young People's Psychology and will fit alongside another part-time 8B colleague who together support and develop the provision of psychology to children, young people and their families across the Scottish Borders. Our posts are integrated into a multidisciplinary CAMHS service.

The post also has a remit to directly deliver assessment and interventions commensurate with experience at this professional level. Special interests, set within an enthusiasm for broad integrative practice would be highly valued. We are looking for a Clinical Psychologist with a number of years' clinical practice in general CAMHS, under 18s learning disability or CAMHS clinical subspecialities and preferably with experience of service development or quality improvement.

Applicants must have a professionally recognised doctoral training in Clinical Psychology, be currently registered with HCPC, be able to work in the UK immediately, and be eligible for a PVG for this age group and adults.

This role will require robust clinical competencies in evidence based interventions for mental health difficulties, and/or advanced skills around neurodevelopmental differences. Over time, the postholder will take on delegated responsibility for areas of clinical process, supervision, governance or service developments linked to national drivers. Continued professional development, mentoring for career progression, and options for bespoke multi-speciality jobplans are features of our Psychology Directorate's culture.

The CAMHS service includes Psychiatrists, CPNs, Specialist nurses, Healthcare Support Workers, a Speech and Language Therapist, sessional Occupational Therapists and an excellent Administrative team. We have a multidisciplinary leadership team management model, a strong staffing position within the Psychology team and solid staffing across Nursing and Psychiatry.

We provide core and specialist placements for Trainee CAAPs and Clinical Psychologists on the East of Scotland courses.

Our base is the Andrew Lang Unit, Selkirk and we also use Borders General Hospital and many locality venues across the Borders and alongside provision of NearMe (video) clinics. Use of a car is almost essential to deliver a service in our rural locality.

Whilst being a beautiful rural area, the Borders is still easily commutable from south and south eastern Scotland and north eastern England. Psychology jobplans currently support some working from home. Relocation expenses are available for eligible applicants moving into the immediate area.

If you wish to work more than the advertised 0.8 WTE, or across wider specialities, please call to discuss potential options.

Informal enquires and pre-application discussions are warmly encouraged.

Please contact: Dr Andy Gentil (Consultant Clinical Psychologist / Lead for Children & Young People's Psychology, NHS Borders):

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit:
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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.

As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards
will
check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website.

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or 'going rate'. Further information on these criteria can be found.

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 sponsoredBEFORE submitting your application form

• PLEASE NOTE: We cannot accept late applications so please ensure your application is submitted early**

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.