Verified Skilled Worker sponsor

Principal Psychologist – South Beds CMHT

East London NHS Foundation Trust

Dunstable, LU5 4JD £66,582 – £77,368 a year Permanent Posted 7 August 2026 Apply by 20 September 2026

Home Office register entry: East London NHS Foundation Trust, London

Visa sponsorship

This role is listed by an employer that holds a live Home Office sponsor licence on the Skilled Worker route.

Closest occupation match: SOC 2225, Clinical psychologists. Pay for this occupation is set by national pay scales (NHS bands), so no single Home Office going rate applies.

This occupation falls under the Health and Care Worker route. Public reference figures for that route: the general salary minimum is £25,000 a year, and salaries set by national pay scales (NHS bands) at or above the relevant band rate typically meet the occupation's requirement. Individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. These figures are public reference information, not advice or a verdict on this job.

Role description

Job summary

Looking for the next step in your career? Look no further! We have an opportunity for aPrincipal Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to work in our South Bedfordshire Adult Community Mental Health Services network in a post which has leadership elements alongside clinical and supervision responsibilities. You will provide senior clinical and strategic input into these two local services which provide care and support for people (and their families) who experience serious mental health difficulties, such as psychosis and complex emotional needs. Whilst we are seeking full time hours for this post, we could consider an applicant who can offer part-time hours of 0.8wte or more, or applicants who can offer a job-share at 1.0wte hours. The main duties involve ensuring the systematic provision of a high-quality comprehensive specialist psychological service to the service users of the Community Mental Health Teams. You will work closely with the team managers and senior clinicians in leadership roles, and be part of a thriving multi-disciplinary network of mental health professionals, Peer Support Workers, VCSE partners and administrators. There is a dedicated group of psychologists (including assistant psychologists and Clinical Associates in Psychology) and therapists for whom you would provide supervision and leadership.

Main duties of the job

The candidate will be experienced in working with this client group and be familiar with NHS services, have a track record of working to develop and support multidisciplinary approaches and pathways, and have experience in the management of demand and flow through services. Experience in supervision, consultation, leadership, and service development is essential, along with highly developed clinical skills in assessment, formulation and evidence-based interventions for people presenting in secondary care mental health services. The psychologists and services in our area place high value on trauma-informed care and on co-production, quality improvement and innovation, and on improving access for people in our diverse and rural communities - so we are very interested in hearing from people whose core values align with those.

The post requires people to be able to travel to locations around rural South Bedfordshire.

About us

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive - so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations

Date posted

07 August 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£66,582 to £77,368 a year Per Annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

363-BED6863638-L

Job locations

Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard

Grove View Integrated Health and Care Hub, Court Drive

Dunstable

LU5 4JD

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please read the attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the vacancy.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

Post-Graduate Doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology or equivalent accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)
Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Experience

Essential

Experience of working as a qualified Clinical Psychologist including substantial post-qualification experience within speciality.
Experience of working with teams and team leads to provide specialist psychological consultation, advice and support.

Desirable

Experience of proposing and implementing service development projects within relevant service area.
Relevant management / leadership training certificate.
Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
Experience of providing teaching and training to psychologists and/or other professional groups.

Knowledge & skills

Essential

Knowledge and understanding of NHS psychology careers and the barriers experienced by some socio-demographic groups
A knowledge and understanding of organisational development and change
Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies
Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis. Up to date knowledge of psychological research and national guidance Knowledge of legislation and its implications for clinical practice with this client group.
Aware of the potential impact of discrimination & disadvantage on mental health.
Able to be flexible and adapt approach according to need.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.