Closing date: 21 July 2026

Job summary
We are seeking an experienced, compassionate, and forward-thinking Principal Psychotherapist Lead to join our renal service at a pivotal time of development. This is a unique opportunity to shape and lead a psychologically informed service within a specialist physical healthcare setting, supporting patients living with complex and long-term renal conditions. In this role, you will provide expert clinical leadership, delivering high-quality psychological care to patients with complex needs while also influencing service development, staff support, and multidisciplinary working across the renal pathway. You will play a key role in embedding trauma-informed, patient-centred approaches, ensuring psychological care is fully integrated into the wider healthcare system. We are looking for someone who is not only clinically highly skilled, but also passionate about improving patient experience, reducing health inequalities, and supporting teams to deliver compassionate, psychologically informed care. We are committed to your professional growth, offering opportunities for leadership development, service innovation, and close collaboration with multidisciplinary colleagues across the organisation. You will have the autonomy to shape the role, influence practice, and contribute to meaningful improvements in patient care.
Main duties of the job
Clinical Leadership and Practice

• Provide highly specialist psychological assessment, formulation, and therapy for patients with complex renal and long-term health conditions.
• Deliver evidence-based psychological interventions, adapting approaches to meet diverse and often complex needs.
• Lead on embedding trauma-informed and psychologically informed care within the renal service.

Service Development and Improvement

• Lead and contribute to the ongoing development and transformation of the renal psychology/psychotherapy service.
• Identify gaps in provision and implement innovative, evidence-based solutions to improve patient care and outcomes.
• Contribute to audit, evaluation, and quality improvement initiatives.

Leadership and Team Management

• Provide line management, supervision, and mentorship to junior staff, trainees, and other team members.
• Support the development of a skilled, resilient, and psychologically informed workforce.
• Promote a culture of reflective practice, learning, and continuous improvement.

Multidisciplinary Working

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the multidisciplinary team, providing specialist psychological input to patient care planning.
• Build strong relationships across services to ensure integrated, patient-centred care.
• Provide consultation and psychological advice to staff within renal and wider hospital teams.

About us
The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level. We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people. King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
Details
Date posted: 09 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £66,274 to £73,496 a year per annum, including HCA
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 213-DivisionB-8030606
Job locations: King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, United Kingdom
Job description
The post holder will provide highly specialist psychological leadership and clinical expertise within the renal service, supporting patients with complex physical health conditions and associated psychological needs. They will be responsible for delivering advanced assessment, formulation, and evidence-based psychological interventions to individuals, families, and carers, often working with highly complex presentations including trauma, adjustment to chronic illness, and end-of-life care. A key aspect of the role is leading the development and delivery of a psychologically informed renal service, ensuring care is patient-centred, trauma-informed, and integrated within the wider multidisciplinary team. The post holder will work closely with medical, nursing, and allied health professionals, offering consultation, shared care planning, and expert advice to enhance overall patient outcomes. The role includes responsibility for service development, quality improvement, and contributing to strategic planning to meet the evolving needs of the patient population. The post holder will lead on audit, evaluation, and contribute to research activity where appropriate. In addition, they will provide clinical supervision, mentorship, and line management to junior staff and trainees, promoting a culture of reflective practice, continuous learning, and staff wellbeing. The post holder will also deliver training and education to the wider workforce, enhancing the psychological skills of the multidisciplinary team. They will ensure that all clinical work is delivered in line with professional guidelines, governance frameworks, and relevant legislation, maintaining high standards of documentation, risk management, and safeguarding practice.
Person Specification
Qualifications, Knowledge & Experience
Essential

• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist
• Postgraduate qualification (e.g. MSc) in Psychology or related field
• Significant post-qualification experience in acute setting within physical healthcare/long-term conditions services (e.g. cancer, renal, HIV, critical care), working with complex presentations
• Demonstrable experience leading a team, including line management, supervision, and coordination of multidisciplinary services
• Completed core professional training in psychotherapy/psychological therapy, plus additional post-qualification specialist training in a relevant modality or clinical area

Desirable

• Experience in facilitating therapeutic groups and/or staff reflective practice groups
• Proven experience leading or contributing to service development, quality improvement, or transformation initiatives
• Additional leadership/management qualification or training

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Apply through our website). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Apply through our website).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (Apply through our website).
Employer details
Employer name: King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address: King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website
Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Head of Nursing
alberto santin
alberto.santin@nhs.net