# Psychology NHS Jobs in Leeds > Psychology job landing page for Leeds from Job Clerk. ## Canonical URLs - **HTML:** https://www.jobclerk.com/jobs/psychology/leeds - **Markdown:** https://www.jobclerk.com/jobs/psychology/leeds.md ## Live Market Snapshot - **Live vacancies:** 3 - **NHS employers:** 1 - **New vacancies this week:** 1 - **Filter scope:** Scoped to Psychology and Leeds. - **Observed salary range:** GBP 49,387 to GBP 77,368 ## Role Summary 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. ## Typical Responsibilities - 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 - Developing care pathways or psychological frameworks for services - Leading or contributing to research and publications - Specialist group or individual therapy programmes ## 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+) ## Employers Hiring - Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (3 jobs) ## Locations Hiring - Leeds, North East and Yorkshire (3 jobs) ## Location Context 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. ## Relevant NHS Employers Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust ## FAQs ### 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. ### What career progression is available for NHS psychologists? Band 7 clinical psychologists can progress to Band 8a (principal psychologist), Band 8b-8c (lead or consultant psychologist), and Band 8d (head of psychology). Some psychologists specialise in neuropsychology, forensic psychology, or paediatric work. Research, teaching, and service leadership are also common pathways. ### How competitive is clinical psychology training? The DClinPsy is one of the most competitive postgraduate programmes in the UK. For 2025 entry, 5,910 applicants competed for 1,179 NHS-funded places, roughly a 1 in 5 acceptance rate. Each applicant can apply to up to 4 courses. Trainees are employed by the NHS at Band 6 (around £40,000) with fees paid. Most successful applicants have 1-3 years of relevant experience across assistant psychologist, research assistant, and support worker roles. ### What is the difference between assistant psychologist and psychological wellbeing practitioner roles? Assistant psychologists (typically Band 4-5) work under the supervision of a qualified psychologist, supporting assessment, therapy delivery, research, and audit across various settings. Psychological wellbeing practitioners (PWPs) are Band 5 roles in talking therapy services (formerly IAPT), trained to deliver low-intensity CBT-based interventions. PWPs have their own training programme and career path, while assistant psychologist posts are primarily stepping stones toward doctoral training. ### What counts as relevant experience for psychology training applications? Relevant experience typically means direct work with people experiencing psychological difficulties, in paid or voluntary roles. The strongest applications combine clinical experience (assistant psychologist, support worker, research assistant in a clinical setting) with evidence of research skills and reflective practice. Teaching, care work, helpline volunteering, and work with specific populations (learning disabilities, older adults, forensic) all count if you can link them to psychological thinking in your application. ## Agent Notes - This Markdown page is generated from the same Job Clerk SEO landing-page data as the HTML page. - Use the canonical HTML URL for user-facing references. - Live job counts change as source NHS adverts open and close.