Principal Clinical Psychologist, staff support

22.5 hours per week post- 0.6 WTE

This post provides strategic and clinical leadership in the development, implementation and evaluation of a trauma-informed pathway of psychological staff support for managing adverse and distressing events within an acute paediatric Trust.

The role brings together a programme of work focused on wellbeing awareness, psychologically informed skills training, post-incident support and resource development, delivered in partnership with Clinical Psychology and the Simulation Team to achieve sustainable, organisation-wide improvements in staff wellbeing and patient care.

The post-holder will apply highly specialist clinical psychology models of trauma, resilience, compassion and moral injury at an organisational level, embedding these into practice through training, consultation and pathway development. A key component of the role is the design and clinical oversight of psychologically informed simulation-based training, alongside the provision of a targeted specialist response to staff following incidents, including consultation and facilitation of psychological debriefs.

The post-holder will lead on evaluation, reporting and service development, and build organisational capacity by working collaboratively with leadership, multidisciplinary teams and existing staff support roles across both hospital sites.

• Provide clinical and strategic leadership in implementing a trauma-informed pathway of staff support following adverse and distressing events.
• Lead the design, delivery and clinical oversight of psychologically informed training, including simulation-based approaches.
• Deliver a targeted specialist psychological response following incidents, including consultation and facilitation of debriefs.
• Develop and embed resources, guidance and support pathways to enhance staff wellbeing.
• Build organisational capacity by training and supporting staff, leaders and existing support roles (e.g. PNAs/PMAs, link psychologists).
• Work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and both hospital sites to ensure equitable access and engagement.
• Lead on evaluation, outcome measurement and reporting to demonstrate impact and inform service development.
• Contribute to ongoing service and organisational development, promoting trauma-informed practice.
• Training to staff in facilitating debriefs (immediate huddles and group reflective debriefs).
• Teaching in trauma awareness and self-care.
• Delivering simulation training in wellbeing and communication in difficult situations.
• Collate and report on outcomes following training and support provided.
• Developing trauma informed self help resources.
• Support professionals in staff support roles to skill up in managing colleagues in distress and screening for traumatic stress.
• Deliver psychological debriefs.