Principal Clinical Psychologist – Neonatal Principal Clinical Psychologist
Band 8b – 0.6 WTE – Permanent
Closing date: 15 July 2026
Are you a Clinical Psychologist passionate about delivering compassionate support to families accessing the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit? Do you want to thrive in an innovative multidisciplinary team, develop clinical psychology within the NICU MDT, and step into a clinical leadership role?
Main duties of the job
The Neonatal Unit at Royal Stoke University Hospital (University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust) is a busy Level 3 NICU with 26 cots (10 intensive care, 6 high dependency, 14 special care). There is a 10‑bed Transitional Care Unit and a Neonatal Community Outreach Team supporting discharge and transition to home.
The Unit receives approximately 6,500–6,800 births and supports about 600 admissions a year, caring for babies born between 22 weeks and over 42 weeks gestation.
As part of the NICU Team, you will provide assessment, formulation, and intervention to families; support staff teams; and work creatively to embed clinical psychology into the NICU MDT. You will also represent the LMNS in the local neonatal workstream and provide clinical supervision to other clinical psychologists locally.
Job responsibilities include:
- Delivering high‑quality care to babies and families throughout their neonatal journey, including end‑of‑life care when required.
- Supporting research and audit and contributing to best practice across the service.
- Practising within the Family Integrated Care Model and promoting parents as partners in care.
- Attending deliveries in the Delivery Suite, Interventional Radiography Department, and collaborating with Fetal Medicine and Antenatal Screening teams.
- Supervising and mentoring junior clinical psychologists and staff as needed.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Post‑graduate doctoral‑level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) accredited by the BPS, covering psychopathology, psychometrics, neuropsychology, at least two distinct psychological therapies, and developmental psychology.
- Post‑doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
Knowledge
- Doctoral‑level knowledge of evidence‑based practice relevant to neonatal care.
- Highly developed skills in caring for difficult groups, including dual diagnoses, additional disabilities, and severely challenging behaviour.
Experience
- Work as a qualified applied psychologist with diverse client groups and varying clinical severity across care settings.
- Experience working with people with complex co‑morbid physical and mental health needs.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This role requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975.
Equal Opportunity
The Trust is committed to ensuring a diverse workforce. We welcome applications from under‑represented groups, including women, people with disabilities, those from global majority backgrounds, and the lesbian, gay, bi, and trans communities. The Trust also supports the Step into Health scheme and encourages applicants from the Armed Forces Communities to apply.
North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust
£66,582 to £77,368 a year – Pro rata, per annum
#J-18808-Ljbffr…