Senior Principal Clinical Psychologist - Frailty

About the role

NHS Ayrshire and Arran are one of 14 territorial NHS Boards within NHS Scotland, committed to a culture that is Caring, Safe, and Respectful while working together to achieve the healthiest life possible for everyone in Ayrshire and Arran. The post is for a Senior Principal Clinical Psychologist within the Discharge Without Delay (DWD) Programme, specifically in an Acute Frailty Multidisciplinary Team based at Crosshouse Hospital.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist psychological assessment at the ‘Front Door’ for patients admitted with complex frailty in the Acute Frailty Unit and Medicine for Elderly inpatient wards.
• Contribute to team assessment and inform team decision‑making.
• Liaise and work closely with health, community, and social care partners to manage patients with complex psychological and cognitive needs throughout their care journey.
• Support other teams involved in supported discharge and preventing readmissions.
• Undertake service development and impact assessment for the programme locally (psychology impact) and possibly wider research methodology support.
• Supervise another member of the psychology workforce within the programme at another acute site.
• Engage with Acute Frailty leads, clinicians, and key collaborators across HSCP teams (Discharge to Assess/Home First, Community Hospital/Step Down Units, Hospital at Home) to deliver highly specialist psychological care and contribute to programme development.
• Formal assessment of the role/expanded MDT impact via Quality Improvement and formal research; disseminate updates, impact assessments, and data outcomes to the DWD programme.
• Provide highly specialist psychological assessment and consultation specific to cognitive and psychological care for complex frail patients at risk of long acute stays, contributing to diagnostic clarity and supporting earlier discharge.

Requirements

• HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist with older adult psychology specialty training, knowledge and experience relevant to the post.
• Full UK driving licence (essential).

Schedule

36 hours per week, full‑time basis (Monday‑Friday, 9 am – 5 pm); variation in contracted hours may be considered. Attendance at University Hospital Ayr for daily huddles and provision of an on‑site clinical role is a key requirement.