Principal Clinical Psychologist

Job details

• Job reference: 254685
• Salary: Band 8A (£65,125 - £70,303)
• Job closing date: 06/08/2026
• Job Type: Other Therapeutic
• Location: NHS Lothian
• Employment type: Fixed-term
• Hours Per Week: 18
• Job posted date: 23/07/2026
• Employer (NHS Board): NHS Lothian
• Department: Psychology

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Principal Clinical Psychologist (Neuropsychology)

Lothian Clinical Neuropsychology Service

Clinics at locations across NHS Lothian.

Line management base at Astley Ainslie Hospital

Band 8A fixed term for 12 months

Up to 0.5 w.t.e (18 hours), fewer or more hours may be available

An opportunity has arisen for a Clinical Psychologist with expertise in Neuropsychology to contribute to a waiting list initiative to address the longest waits across a range of outpatient Neuropsychology services.

This part time position may be combined with additional hours in this or other parts of the NHS Lothian Psychology service for a candidate wishing additional hours. Job sharing or similar options can be explored for candidates wishing fewer hours. The post is offered on a fixed term basis due to short term funding, with a commitment to length of contract of 12 months from start date.

You will provide outpatient clinics and liaison with local neurorehabilitation, rehabilitation medicine and neurology colleagues. The work will be primarily outpatient clinic based – both face to face and remote by video and telephone calls. There will be an expectation to provide clinics in West Lothian, as this is where most of our longest waits are currently. Additionally, clinics may be provided at other locations. We currently operate at Astley Ainslie Hospital, East Lothian Community Hospital, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and other locations. A realistic job plan will be agreed with successful candidate(s) based on configuration of hours taken and to address the longest waiting times based on current demand.

The service contributes to assessment, treatment and recommendations to support people and their families dealing with complex needs relating to brain injury, stroke, progressive and other neurological conditions. The acute service takes a high volume of referrals for neurology clinics and provides group interventions. The services are staffed by 7.8w.t.e. qualified staff covering all inpatient and outpatient neuropsychology service across Lothian and Regional services.

Clinical supervision and support will be from our experienced Band 8A Psychologists, with line management and additional support from Consultant Neuropsychologists.

You will contribute to education, training and consultancy across the neuropsychology services and in multidisciplinary contexts. You will assist with data gathering and evaluation and will be encouraged to use research and service improvement methodology within the scope of the waiting list project.

The neuropsychology service has close links with the University of Edinburgh D.Clin.Psychol. course, providing teaching and specialist training placements. There will be opportunities to gain supervision skills and to support the clinical supervision of Assistant Psychologists and others. We are keen to support suitable candidates to attain further expertise in Clinical Neuropsychology to develop careers in this specialism and will work with you to support this.

Clinical Neuropsychology services in Lothian are managed with the Psychology Directorate in NHS Lothian therefore providing links with colleagues in other specialist areas.

All enquiries regarding the post are welcomed. For further information please contact Dr. Joanna Gouick. Professional Lead Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist, email: joanna.gouick@nhs.scot ; or Dr David Gillespie, Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist and Lead for DCN (Acute Neuropsychology services david.gillespie@nhs.scot

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 in the further information for this vacancy.

Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

Please note: As this post is part-time, the salary will be pro-rata.