PP) Head of Service and Consultant Applied Psychologist

Position: 259483 (PP) Head of Service and Consultant Applied Psychologist
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.

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Use AI wisely:
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Why this matters:
Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.

Tip:
Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you—not an AI tool.

NHS Lothian Post:
Head of Service (pan-Lothian) and Consultant Applied Psychologist:
Adult Mental Health Band: 8DService: NHS Lothian Psychology Service NHS Lothian Psychology Service is delighted to invite applicants for full time permanent post to join our senior management team as a Head of Service for Adult Mental Health with a portfolio of services and responsibilities to oversee that include Pan Lothian Psychological Therapies as well as Complex Adult Mental Health including psychology services and staff in Acute, In-patient, and CMHT psychology services.

NHS Lothian is the second largest NHS Board in Scotland and has an excellent psychology service that spans in patients, outpatients, and complex care. You will be joining at an exciting time of change and service development. We are keen to find the right person who is experienced, dynamic and committed.

The Psychology Directorate is hosted within Royal Edinburgh and Associated Services and led by the Director of Psychology with a senior team who are committed to supporting and developing staff alongside quality improvement and other programmes that enhance the quality of care provided. The proposed base for this post is the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, with the option of hybrid working, but we are open to discussing this.

We welcome informal discussions or queries- please contact Dr Caroline Cochrane, Director of Psychology, caroline.cochranet 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 Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

Please note:

we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

Job reference:259483

Salary:

Band 8D (107,) Job closing date:25/09/2026

Job Type:Other Therapeutic

Location:

Royal Edinburgh Hospital

Employment type:

Permanent Hours Per Week:
36
Job posted date:11/09/2026

Employer (NHS Board): NHS Lothian Department:
Psychology