Job requirements
Essential
36 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Experience of working in the NHS.
- Experience
Experience of working in a health psychology setting
- Experience
Experience working with patients in hospital or cancer care settings
- Experience
Experience of working with a multidisciplinary setting and liaising with external stakeholders
- Experience
Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups
- Experience
Experience of undertaking research or service evaluation or audit within the NHS and the verbal and written dissemination of findings
- Experience
Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts
- Experience
Experience of providing assessment/ therapy/ supervision/teaching & training
- Qualifications
Post-graduate doctorate level training in Clinical Psychology as accredited by the BPS including specifically models of psychopathology, psychological therapies
- Qualifications
HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist
- Qualifications
Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of clinical practice
- Qualifications
Evidence of continuous professional development including relevant specialist courses, training and experience
- Special Requirements
Knowledge of working in a cancer service or other health setting
- Special Requirements
A finisher- completer with an eye for detail and strong organisational and planning skills
- Special Requirements
Interest in addressing social inequalities
- Special Requirements
Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Special Requirements
Skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Special Requirements
Emotional resiliance in maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and hospital environment.
- Special Requirements
Able to transport equipment.
- Special Requirements
Able to travel to multiple hospitals across the Trust and regionally.
- Statutory Registration
Registered with appropriate professional body - HCPC
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Able to provide a culturally sensitive service.
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Able to have a flexible and dynamic approach to working in terms of the ability to work collaboratively and/or independently as required.
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Able to work flexibly and using a range of therapeutic approaches in response to individual clients needs.
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Able to work flexibly within the service according to clinical demand and manage competing priorities and deliver reliable outcomes
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Able to contain and work with organisational stress, hospital triggers and to have resilience in holding the stress of others.
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Highly developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Ability to sit and concentrate for extended periods
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Ability to use clinical governance procedures to support and maintain good clinical practise
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Ability to use computer packages for statistical analysis, presentations
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Training in the supervision of psychologists
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological approaches applied in physical health care settings.
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Knowledge of legislation and implications for clinical practice
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
Desirable
12 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Experience
Experience in working with pathway development
- Experience
Experience of working with hard to engage populations
- Experience
Experience of running groups
- Experience
Experience of consultation work to health professionals and MDT working
- Experience
Experience of teaching and training other health professionals
- Experience
Experience of working in partnership with community and voluntary sector organisations.
- Qualifications
Post Qualification in staff supervision
- Special Requirements
Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS
- Statutory Registration
Member of BPS or ACP
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Experience in design and delivery of group work
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts
- Special Skills & Knowledge
Experience of working with couples and families
Job summary
A rare opportunity has arisen for a clinical psychologist to play a pivotal role in the development of a new adult psycho-oncology service for people affected by cancer in County Durham and Darlington (CDDFT): building pathways and supporting patients.
This post will begin with a focus on supporting Lung cancer patients who are at particular risk in our area and with sharing learnings regionally.
At the heart of CDDFT's psychological approach is the critical nature of proximity, listening, involvement in systemic issues and how service design can either entrench or challenge inequality.
We want to shape a psychologically informed service that genuinely reaches all types of people in all manner of locations - so that no one is left behind.
If this approach sounds exciting to you, you have experience of working in phsyical health settings, and are motivated to build a service that makes a difference. We want to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
This role wil begin with scoping and developing psychological support with a focus on lung cancer population needs. It will involve speaking with patients, MDTs, charities, external stakeholders to help develop ways to provide specialist psychological assessment and evidence-based interventions that are appropiate for the population in all their variety.
You won't be alone, this is part of a servicewide approach so you will work directly with the head of service. A key aspect of the role will be to share learnings across the wider lung cancer region to support dissemination of best practice.
To really enjoy this job you will need to be creative and innovative, but also a real completer finisher with an eye for detail and evaluation.
About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.
You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.
We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.
Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.
Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.
For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.
Details
- Date posted: 02 October 2026
- Pay scheme: Agenda for change
- Band: Band 8a
- Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum, pro rata
- Contract: Permanent
- Working pattern: Full-time
- Reference number: C9439-2627-NP-1276-1
- Job locations: Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust, Hollyhurst Road, Darlington, County Durham, DL3 6HX, United Kingdom
Job responsibilities
You will play a pivotal role in developing psycho-oncology support for people affected by lung cancer in County Durham and Darlington. You will be highly motivated to offer a service that addresses social inequalities and will develop effective working relationships across, population, organisations and boundaries to do this creatively.
You will work closely with the CDDFT lung multi-disciplinary team to ensure the needs of people affected by lung cancer are supported and to develop ways that psychology can fit into exisiting approaches.
You will hold an active caseload, delivering specialist assessments and interventions for people affected by lung cancer, as well as contributing to research, training, and service development to enhance psycho-oncology delivery and care within the organisation.
A key aspect of the role will be to share learning from the service across the wider region, to inform and support regional psycho-oncology care .
You wil be supported by the consultant psychologist and head of service
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Clinical Psychologist with County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust in Darlington, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Psychologist role. The advertised salary is £57528.00 to £64750.00. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 23 Oct 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (02 Oct 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHSjob search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
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