Specialist Paediatric Clinical Psychologist

Job summary

Senior Clinical Psychologist in Paediatrics

Band 8a

Job (Contract) Type

Fixed Term (maternity cover until 31st August 2026)

Working Pattern

22.5 hours/week (0.6 WTE)

Essential Working Days: ideally Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays

Why we are recruiting:

We have an exciting opportunity for a senior clinical psychologist to join the Psychological and Mental Health Services (PAMHS) department at Great Ormond Street Hospital covering maternity leave. You will be providing a service to children with visual conditions and their families.

The successful candidate will provide a specialist clinical psychology service to children and families referred to the Ophthalmology team at GOSH, working closely with consultants and allied health professionals. The role includes provision of psychological assessment, formulation and evidence-based interventions on a predominantly outpatient basis.

What we can offer:

You will be working with the Surgery & Development Stream (a team of paediatric clinical psychologists) who offer psychological input to children under the care of thirteen medical specialties. In addition to your work with the Ophthalmology team you will contribute to the flexible delivery of psychology services across the stream, in response to new developments and organisational changes.

We are one of three paediatric psychology streams within the hospital and sit within the wider psychological and mental health services.

Main duties of the job

As a psychology team we draw on a range of therapeutic modalities including Narrative, CBT, Systemic, ACT, compassion focussed therapy. There are opportunities to work in creative, formulation-driven ways with young people and families. You will be offering individual, family, parent and group psychological interventions, as well as working within GOSH MDTs and with external agencies.

There is a strong commitment to continuing professional development in line with job planning. A range of academic teaching is offered within the department as well as special interest groups in medicalised trauma, medically unexplained symptoms, narrative therapy, cognitive assessment, and others. Utilisation of research skills for audit, policy and service development and research is encouraged.

As the post is fixed-term we will be thinking with you about your development within and beyond this contracted post to support your career.

What we are looking for/who we are looking to recruit:

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic, highly motivated and innovative clinical psychologist. We are looking for someone who is confident in working within physical health and/or work with children and young people and who is keen to develop clinical skills in the psychology of health conditions.

If this sounds like you, please apply now.

About us

GOSH is committed to recruiting the best person for the job, based solely on their ability and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the role; through a process that is fair, open, consistent and free from bias and discrimination.

We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture where all staff are valued, respected and acknowledged. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability status or length of time spent unemployed.

We particularly welcome applications from BAME communities, people with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions and LGBT+ community members.

We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants and employees are treated fairly and consistently. We are proud to be accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, a member of Business Disability Forum and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

We have active and Executive supported BAME, LGBT+ and Allies, Disability and Long-Term Health Conditions and Women's staff networks. Staff networks are employee-led groups formed around interests, issues and a common bond or background. Staff network members create a positive and inclusive work environment at Great Ormond Street Hospital by actively contributing to the Trust's mission, values and efforts specific to inclusion. All of our staff networks are open to any employee.

Details

Date posted

04 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£64,156 to £71,148 a year per annum inclusive, pro rata for part time

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

271-BBM-7345916

Job locations

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Great Ormond Street

London

WC1N 3JH

Job description

Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents, please see those attached.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents, please see those attached.

Person Specification

GOSH Culture and Values

Essential

• Our Always values | Always welcoming | Always helpful | Always expert | Always one team
• Knowledge and Understanding of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Understanding of Diversity and Inclusion challenges in the workplace.
• Demonstrable contribution to advancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Academic/Professional qualification/Training

Essential

• Honours degree in Psychology
• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS/HCPC, including clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, and lifespan developmental psychology.EA
• Registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council as Practitioner Psychologist
• Post-doctoral training and recorded CPD experience and /or further qualifications in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Experience/Knowledge

Essential

• Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist at specialist level.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity.
• Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care.
• Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts and of working in a multicultural framework.
• Experience of presenting psychology to multidisciplinary audiences at conferences or other educational settings.
• Experience and expertise with a specialist paediatric client group.
• Experience of supervising trainee psychologists and/or other professionals.

Skills/Abilities

Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their carers and other professionals.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to distressing situations and challenging behaviours.
• Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
• Evidence of skilled and productive multidisciplinary team working.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, including verbal abuse.
• Evidence of specialised psychological therapeutic skills as used in complex cases within paediatrics

Person Specification

GOSH Culture and Values

Essential

• Our Always values | Always welcoming | Always helpful | Always expert | Always one team
• Knowledge and Understanding of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Understanding of Diversity and Inclusion challenges in the workplace.
• Demonstrable contribution to advancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Academic/Professional qualification/Training

Essential

• Honours degree in Psychology
• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS/HCPC, including clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, and lifespan developmental psychology.EA
• Registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council as Practitioner Psychologist
• Post-doctoral training and recorded CPD experience and /or further qualifications in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Experience/Knowledge

Essential

• Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist at specialist level.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity.
• Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care.
• Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts and of working in a multicultural framework.
• Experience of presenting psychology to multidisciplinary audiences at conferences or other educational settings.
• Experience and expertise with a specialist paediatric client group.
• Experience of supervising trainee psychologists and/or other professionals.

Skills/Abilities

Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their carers and other professionals.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to distressing situations and challenging behaviours.
• Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
• Evidence of skilled and productive multidisciplinary team working.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, including verbal abuse.
• Evidence of specialised psychological therapeutic skills as used in complex cases within paediatrics

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Great Ormond Street

London

WC1N 3JH

Employer's website

https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Great Ormond Street Hospital

Great Ormond Street

London

WC1N 3JH

Employer's website

https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)