Clinical Psychologist

OUR VALUES IN ACTION

Care and Compassion;
Quality and Teamwork;
Dignity and Respect;
Openness, honesty and responsibility

NHS Borders Psychology Service is pleased to invite applications for an enthusiastic Clinical Psychologist to join our Older Adults Psychology Service on a fixed‑term basis to provide maternity leave cover. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to a well‑established service, delivering specialist psychological care to older people across the Scottish Borders.

As part of this role, you will:

• Provide a high‑quality clinical psychology service within Older Adults, working closely with multidisciplinary colleagues across community and inpatient settings.
• Support the development of psychological practice through consultation, supervision, and teaching.
• Play a valued role as a key member of a friendly, collaborative, and supportive Psychology Service.

NHS Borders Psychology Service is a dynamic and supportive team committed to delivering evidence‑based psychological therapies, offering training, and promoting psychologically informed practice across the Health Board. We serve a largely rural population of around 115,000 and enjoy close working relationships across services.

We are within easy reach of Edinburgh and Newcastle, with excellent transport links. The Borders Railway offers a convenient 45‑minute journey from Edinburgh to Tweedbank, which is a short walk from the Borders General Hospital.

The Scottish Borders is a lovely area to live in, with excellent schools, abundant local amenities and easy access to Edinburgh and transport links. Superb leisure facilities including many golf courses, mountain bike trails, walking and other rural pursuits provide good quality affordable housing and an ideal high‑quality life in a scenic part of the country.

We welcome informal enquiries and would be happy to discuss the post with interested applicants.

Dr Suzanne Crooks

Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Lead for Older Adults Psychology Service

suzann

As from 1st April 2026, the Agenda for Change full‑time working week will be reducing from 37 to 36 hours per week. Part‑time hours will be reduced pro‑rata. However, there will be a corresponding increase in the hourly rate so that pay will not be affected.

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team.

For more details on these changes please visit: .

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigration Service.

As part of the pre‑employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre‑settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the  website.

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licensed Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or "going rate".

Further information on these criteria can be found.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

PLEASE NOTE:

We cannot accept late applications so please ensure your application is submitted early.

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.