Senior Principal Clinical Psychologist

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.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran is one of 14 territorial NHS Boards within NHS Scotland.

In support of our core purpose of Working together to achieve the healthiest life possible for everyone in Ayrshire and Arran we are committed to a culture that is Caring, Safe, and Respectful. You will be required to work collaboratively in a safe, caring and respectful way.

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An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Principal Clinical Psychologist within Older Adult Psychology Services to be part of a new innovative service development within the Discharge Without Delay (DWD) Programme, specifically within an Acute Frailty Multidisciplinary Team. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of whole system change for psychology workforce that will have a real impact on patient outcomes.

The post will be based at Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock, working in an integrated team that has shared values, vision, drive and an improvement focus.

From 1 April 2026, the working week for NHS Agenda for Change staff in Scotland will be reduced. Full-time hours will reduce from 37 to 36 hours (pro rata for part-time staff) without loss of earnings. This post (37 hours) is offered on a full-time basis (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm), but variation in contracted hours may be considered.

Attending the University Hospital Crosshouse for daily huddles and providing an on-site clinical role is a key requirement of the post. This post is offered on a fixed term basis for 18 months or until 30th March 2027. Secondments may be considered.

UK Driving Licence/Car Ownership:
Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential to this role.

Job Purpose:

The post holder will form part of an expanded integrated MDT as part of an innovative whole system approach to meet the aims of the Discharge Without Delay Programme in Ayrshire and Arran. Specifically, the role will provide Specialist Psychological Assessment at the ‘Front Door’ of patients being admitted with complex Frailty within the Acute Frailty Unit and Medicine for the Elderly inpatient wards.

The role will contribute to team assessment, inform team decision making, whilst liaising and working closely with Health, Community, and Social care partners, ensuring patients with complex psychological and cognitive needs are managed throughout their journey of care by supporting other teams involved in supported discharge and preventing readmissions. The role also includes service development and impact assessment for the programme locally specific to psychology impact, and possibly wider regarding research methodology support to the team, whilst supervising another member of psychology workforce within the programme at another acute site.

Outline of main tasks, duties and responsibilities of the role:
The postholder will work with Acute Frailty leads and clinicians, and key collaborators across all HSCP teams involved in managing and delivering care within the DWD Programme such as Discharge to Assess (D2A)/Home First teams, Community Hospital/Step Down Units, or Hospital at Home (H@H) to provide highly specialist psychological care and contribute to programme development. Clinical Supervision of another qualified Clinical Psychologist delivering a clinical role within Frailty/DWD programme is part of the Senior role.

Service development within Frailty/DWD and pathway development support will be provided by the Older Adult Psychology Clinical Lead. Formal assessment of the impact of the role/expanded MDT via Quality Improvement and formal research is a main task within the role. Disseminating updates, impact assessments, and data outcomes to the DWD programme is expected. Engaging with key members of the team,…