Director of Psychology (EGPP)

Join NHS Lothian – the growing healthcare organisation based in the Lothians and Edinburgh – and become part of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Associated Services Senior Leadership Team as Director of Psychology. This post offers blended remote and on‑site working to suit the preferred candidate’s needs.

Within Lothian, Psychological Therapies are delivered by the Health and Social Care Partnership across 16 core specialties: Adult Mental Health, CAMHS, Older People’s Mental Health, Learning Disabilities, Clinical Health, Addictions, Forensic, Maternity and Neonatal, Perinatal, Physical Rehabilitation, Trauma, Veterans, Staff Support and Wellbeing, and Digital Therapies. You will lead and operationally manage a workforce of 241 staff – clinical and counselling psychologists, clinical associates, accredited therapists, EPPs, assistant psychologists, peer support workers, clinical trainees and business‑enabling staff.

Responsibilities

• Lead the ongoing and collaborative redesign of Applied Psychology Services to manage demand and reshape delivery across Lothian, aiming for flexible, accessible services from digital delivery through Primary Care to Specialist Mental Health and Acute Psychology Services.

• Embody NHS Lothian’s values of innovation, creativity, compassion, caring and kindness in all aspects of leadership and patient care.

• Develop and maintain service‑user outcomes and feedback loops for continuous service improvement, aligning with NHS Lothian objectives and the 4 Health and Social Care Partnerships.

• Foster a culture of trust, respect, openness, collaboration, encouragement and integrity, inspiring cohesion and high performance at all levels of psychology staff.

• Support recruitment and retention through varied career pathways, including management, teaching, research, improvement and innovation.

Qualifications

• Doctorate-level (or equivalent) qualification in Clinical or Applied Psychology and registration with the HCPC.
• Significant experience in senior leadership roles, demonstrating effective support for large services and teams.
• Competency in complex Demand, Capacity, Activity, Queue (DCAQ) and trajectory modelling, and experience of service redesign and organisational change.
• Senior Consultant Psychologist experience, including Head of Specialty managerial and leadership responsibilities.

Support and Equality

We will fully support disabled candidates, those with long‑term conditions, and neurodivergent applicants by providing reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

All candidates must have the legal permission to work in the United Kingdom, as regulated by the UK Visa and Immigration Service.

Required

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check than is currently in place. If the post is assessed as a “regulated role”, appointment will be subject to the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. Any changes will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team.

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among its workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for a truly representative workforce where every employee feels respected and empowered to give their best. NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.