Psychologist - Child Health

Location: Wellington Regional Hospital - Children’s wards (Piko & Kōwhai Ward), Te Wao Nui 

Contract: Permanent, Part-time (0.6 FTE / 48 hours per fortnight). The role is worked across three weekdays, with specific days to be negotiated.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence. 

About the Role

Salary: APEX MECA Psychologists Salary Scale Step 1-14 ($87,125 - $153,750) pro rata

We’re seeking a proactive Psychologist to help develop and deliver an expanded support service within Wellington’s children’s wards. This role offers the chance to make a clear, practical difference for tamariki and their whānau by providing assessment, brief intervention, and psychological input as part of everyday care.

You’ll work closely with medical, nursing, and allied health teams, building strong relationships and contributing psychological perspectives to care planning. The work is varied and often fast-paced, suited to someone who is comfortable operating in an agile environment and forging a new path.

In addition to supporting patients and families, you may also be asked to provide support to staff. Your input can have a lasting positive impact on nursing and medical teams, helping us strengthen informal debriefing after challenging events and develop strategies that promote long-term mental health and wellbeing. 

We’re looking for someone who can work both autonomously and collaboratively, enjoys teaching and service development, and is confident sharing their knowledge while remaining open to learning. If you’re motivated by improving patient experience, enhancing staff wellbeing, and shaping a service that makes a real difference, we’d like to hear from you.

About the Team/Service/ Location

The Child Health Service for the Wellington Region and Central New Zealand is a tertiary center providing specialised medical and surgical care for children up to 16 years old. It offers a mix of inpatient, outpatient, day patient, and domiciliary services. Within Te Wao Nui, the inpatient wards Piko and Kōwhai provide dedicated care for hospitalised children.

Piko Ward (medical) has 23 inpatient beds and a 9-bed Short Stay Unit (SSU), caters for children requiring short-term care and observation. Kōwhai Ward (Surgical) has 17 inpatient beds and a 12-bed Children’s Day Stay (CDS), which caters for children requiring short-term care post day procedures and surgery.

About you 

• Strong communicator and effective team collaborator
• Professional, reliable, and sound in clinical judgement
• Proactive, solution-focused, and open to learning 
• Empathetic, child-centred, and calm under pressure
• Emotionally resilient and adaptable in fast-paced settings 

Skills and experience

• Registration with the NZ Psychologists Board and a current APC.
• Experience working with children, adolescents, and whānau, ideally in paediatric, health, or child mental health settings.
• Ability to provide developmentally appropriate assessment, formulation, and brief interventions in a hospital environment.
• Understanding of the psychological impact of illness, procedures, and hospitalisation on children and families.
• Strong skills in multidisciplinary teamwork, communication, and relationship-building.
• Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and culturally responsive practice.
• Ability to support staff wellbeing, including informal debriefing and guidance around stress and resilience.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellness’. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. 

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome application from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We are pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disability Community. 

How to Apply

To apply please click “apply now.”  All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal by 12 April. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Philip.Adamson@tewhatuora.govt.nz

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert. 

Position description Apply now

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