Overview

The Principal Psychologist in Neuropsychology/Epilepsy Surgery is a senior clinical, leadership and service development role within the Neuroscience Centre at Beaumont Hospital.

Beaumont Hospital is the national referral centre for epilepsy surgery, providing a highly specialised multidisciplinary service for people with drug-resistant epilepsy being considered for surgical intervention. The post-holder will provide specialist neuropsychological expertise across the epilepsy surgery pathway, including pre-surgical assessment, multidisciplinary decision-making and post-surgical follow-up.

The post-holder will work closely with epileptologists, neurosurgeons, Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) and the wider multidisciplinary team, integrating neuropsychological findings with neurological, neuroimaging and neurophysiological information to support clinical formulation, treatment planning and surgical decision-making.

Clinical

• Deliver a specialist neuropsychology service for people with epilepsy and complex neurological presentations.
• Provide comprehensive neuropsychological assessment as part of the epilepsy surgery pathway
• Contribute specialist neuropsychological expertise to epilepsy surgery MDT meetings and complex clinical decision-making.
• Manage a complex clinical caseload and specialist referral pathways.
• Communicate complex neuropsychological findings clearly through high-quality reports, feedback and consultation.

Leadership and Service Development

• With the Head of Psychology and relevant clinical leads, lead the development and evaluation of specialist neuropsychology provision within the Neuroscience Centre and national epilepsy surgery service.
• Contribute to the development of effective neuropsychology pathways, protocols and models of care for epilepsy surgery.
• Promote quality improvement, clinical audit and evidence-based practice.
• Contribute to service planning, innovation and service redesign.

Management and Supervision

• Provide clinical supervision to psychology staff and specialist supervision in neuropsychological practice.
• Contribute to recruitment, induction, workforce planning and continuing professional development.
• Deputise for the Head of Psychology or senior manager as required.

Education, Research and Audit

• Provide specialist education and training to psychology and multidisciplinary colleagues in neuropsychology, epilepsy and epilepsy surgery.
• Lead and participate in research, audit and service evaluation relevant to neuropsychology and epilepsy surgery.

Essential

• Honours degree in Psychology and recognised postgraduate qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology.
• Minimum of 8 years post-qualification experience, including at least 3 years at senior level.
• Demonstrated specialist expertise in neuropsychological assessment and intervention.
• Substantial experience working with complex neurological and neuropsychological presentations.
• Experience of clinical supervision, leadership and service development.
• Strong multidisciplinary working and communication skills.

Desirable

• Specialist training, experience or qualification in Neuropsychology.
• Experience working as a Neuropsychologist within an epilepsy surgery service/pathway.
• Experience working within a specialist epilepsy multidisciplinary team.
• Experience in research, audit, service evaluation and publication.
• Experience in service planning, quality improvement and change management.
• Leadership and management training/experience.