What qualifications do I need to become an NHS psychologist?

For clinical psychologist posts: a BPS-accredited psychology degree, relevant clinical experience (usually gained in assistant psychologist or research roles), a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy), and HCPC registration. Counselling and health psychologists have separate doctoral routes.

What is the difference between Band 7 and Band 8 psychologists?

Band 7 psychologists are typically qualified clinical psychologists in their first years of post-qualification practice. Band 8a and above includes principal and consultant psychologists with additional responsibilities such as service leadership, specialist expertise, or significant supervisory roles.

How much do NHS psychologists earn?

Under the 2026/27 pay scale, NHS psychologists typically start at Band 7 (approximately £49,000-£57,000) and can progress to Band 8a-8d roles (£58,000-£109,000). Consultant psychologists and heads of service at Band 8c-8d earn the highest salaries.

Which NHS trusts hire psychologists in Leeds?

Major NHS employers for psychologists in Leeds include Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

Psychology Jobs in Leeds

NHS psychology posts include clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, health psychologists, and assistant psychologist roles. Qualified psychologists typically enter at Band 7 after completing a doctoral programme, with principal and consultant posts at Band 8. Competition for training places and qualified posts is high, so the person specification matters more than usual.

2 live vacancies in Leeds · 1 NHS employers · updated hourly

View all NHS jobs in Leeds

Open Positions

£49k - £65k

Salary Range

NHS Trust

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Working in Psychology roles in Leeds

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust runs multiple major sites including St James's, one of the largest teaching hospitals in Europe. The city also hosts specialist services and a large mental health trust covering West Yorkshire. For psychology candidates, this means roles can appear across acute hospitals, community services, specialist teams, mental health providers, and integrated care settings depending on the local NHS workforce mix.

Job Clerk is currently tracking 2 live psychology vacancies in Leeds from 1 NHS employers. New posts can include permanent, fixed-term, bank, part-time, and rotational opportunities, so it is worth checking both the broad Psychology results and the band-specific pages below.

Recent salary data for these psychology roles ranges from about £49,387 to £64,750 per year, depending on band, specialist experience, and whether high-cost area supplements apply.

Common work areas

Complex case formulation and specialist assessment
Supervising trainees, assistant psychologists, and other staff
Consultation and reflective practice to teams
Service evaluation, audit, and outcome measurement

Typical requirements

HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy) or equivalent approved route
Subspecialty experience relevant to the advertised post
Supervision training or qualification (for Band 8a+)

Local employers

Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Bands hiring in Leeds

Current psychology pages for Leeds include Band 7. Use these band pages when you want salary expectations, seniority, and job descriptions narrowed to a specific level.

Local practical context

Leeds station provides rail connections to London (2h15), Manchester (1h), and York (25 min). Local bus services cover most hospital sites, though inner-city traffic can be slow during peak hours.

Housing costs are well below London and the South East. No high-cost area supplement applies, but overall living costs allow more of the salary to go further.