Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Clinical/Forensic/Counselling Psychologist B8a

The closing date is 17 March 2026

Job summary

We are excited to announce a fantastic opportunity has arisen for an 8a Clinical/ Forensic/ Counselling Psychologist to work across the Forensic Outreach Service (FOS) and the Forensic Community Mental Health Team (FCMT). Both of these teams form part of the Community Business Unit at Guild Park. The Forensic Outreach service provides a consultancy service to local services who manage cases where there are significant risk concerns. The FCMHT is a multi-disciplinary team whose task is to ensure safe and lasting transitions for service users moving on from secure inpatient care into the community. The post holder would be joining experienced and friendly multi-disciplinary teams as well as a supportive group of psychology colleagues.

The role requires the post holder to have the ability to work with clients who present with the full range of clinical needs and risk behaviours, and the ability to engage with, and respond to, highly complex clinical, professional and ethical challenges, and demands on clinicians and services. There will also be opportunities to use audit and evaluation to inform and develop practice and service provision.

Main duties of the job

Other aspects of the psychology role would include to:

Provide risk formulation based psychological advice to the team,Implement direct psychological intervention to some service users managed by the team
Provide formal consultation and reflective space to MDT practitioner
Undertake joint working with other key stakeholders including the Community Mental Health Teams and inpatient services within LSCFT's Adult Mental Health Network in managing high risk and complexity of need.
Consult with the referrer in order to work towards building comprehensive risk formulations with which to guide recommendations to the referring team;
Provide psychologically informed guidance to other FOS team practitioners that are from Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Social Work disciplines;
Where feasible, model alternative approaches and solutions through direct working with service users that have been referred.

As part of the wider Psychological Services Team, the post holder will be supported to and expected to develop expertise in all aspects of forensic/clinical practice across the different services within Guild Park.

We would welcome applications for individuals considering taking up this post as the preceptorship/development post at band 7-8a. The post holder will be expected to reach the set of competencies expected of a Clinical/Forensic/ Counselling Psychologist working at 8a within an agreed time frame in order to make the transition to the higher grade.

About us

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area.

Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.

For more information please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.

Date posted

03 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

351-SPS1498-MF-A

Job locations

Parlick Centre, Guild Park

Preston

PR3 2JH

Job description

Job responsibilities

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For more details on this vacancy please review the attached job description and person specification.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Post graduate doctoral level clinical psychology training and/or the training equivalent training for those trained prior to 1996 or equivalent forensic/ counselling qualification.
Eligibility for graduate membership of the BPS and HCPC Registration.
Evidence of continuing professional development consistent with professional and HCPC requirements

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge and skills in the use of complex methods and techniques of psychological assessment and intervention, including: risk assessment models and approaches; ability to utilise and interpret neuropsychological assessment tools and approaches
Ability to work independently, on own initiative and as part of complex teams and services, and to organise and prioritise own workload within competing demands and short deadlines
Highly developed skills in providing advice and consultation to other professional and non-professional groups

Experience

Essential

Experience of working as a clinical or forensic or counselling psychologist with clients with complex and enduring mental health and risk needs.
Experience of providing a range of psychological assessments and interventions and adapting these to meet clients' presenting needs/communication abilities as required.
Experience of providing clinical supervision and leadership regarding psychological interventions and casework.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Post graduate doctoral level clinical psychology training and/or the training equivalent training for those trained prior to 1996 or equivalent forensic/ counselling qualification.
Eligibility for graduate membership of the BPS and HCPC Registration.
Evidence of continuing professional development consistent with professional and HCPC requirements

Knowledge

Essential

Knowledge and skills in the use of complex methods and techniques of psychological assessment and intervention, including: risk assessment models and approaches; ability to utilise and interpret neuropsychological assessment tools and approaches
Ability to work independently, on own initiative and as part of complex teams and services, and to organise and prioritise own workload within competing demands and short deadlines
Highly developed skills in providing advice and consultation to other professional and non-professional groups

Experience

Essential

Experience of working as a clinical or forensic or counselling psychologist with clients with complex and enduring mental health and risk needs.
Experience of providing a range of psychological assessments and interventions and adapting these to meet clients' presenting needs/communication abilities as required.
Experience of providing clinical supervision and leadership regarding psychological interventions and casework.

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.

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

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

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Parlick Centre, Guild Park

Preston

PR3 2JH

Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Parlick Centre, Guild Park

Preston

PR3 2JH

Employer's website

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