Specialist Psychologist / Highly Specialist Psychologist

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL

1.1 To provide comprehensive highly specialist psychological assessments and treatments of service users referred to the team based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of highly complex, contentious and/or sensitive data from a variety of sources including psychometric tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with service users, family members and others involved in the service users care. The post-holder will also be required to administer a wide range of highly complex Psychometric tests that require the manipulation of materials at a high level of speed and accuracy. These procedures require long periods of highly focussed concentration with narrow margins for error.

1.2 To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.

1.3 To formulate and implement highly complex plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a service users mental health problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework (i.e. psychological formulation) of the service users problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy. The post-holder will monitor progress during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care.

1.4 To be responsible for implementing a range of highly specialist psychological interventions for individual service users, carers, families and groups. This will be employed both within and across teams, individually and in synthesis. The post-holder will adjust and refine psychological formulations, drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.

1.5 In conjunction with colleagues, develop outcome measures to provide an empirically measured standard for delivery of own and supervisees psychological provision.

1.6 Clinical work will require the analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options, to develop complex formulations based upon a range of theoretical perspectives, which will allow the most effective highly specialised programme of care.

1.7 To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of service whose problems are managed by psychologically-based care plans.

1.8 To provide highly specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly service users formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.

1.9 To contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all service users of the service, across all multidisciplinary teams, settings and other agencies serving the client group.

1.10 To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual service users and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management.

1.11 To manage diary to ensure adequate provision of direct clinical work, as per the minimum standards of four face-to-face direct clinical sessions of one hour per each full work day. Additional duties/activities within the areas of training/supervision, service planning/development, research/ evaluation, professional development and attendance at key meetings will, as negotiated and agreed with professional manager may at times reduce these activity levels.

1.12 The post-holder will be required to work with service users in situations that may be highly antagonistic, abusive and hostile. He/she will be required to communicate, in a skilled and sensitive manner, highly complex, highly sensitive and/or highly contentious information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care, where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills. This will include the writing of clinical reports, letters, and notes in line with Trust operational standards, and liaison with the Senior Operational Manager for Adult Acute Services.

Qualifications

Essential

• Doctoral Psychology qualification or equivalent.
• Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council

Desirable

• Relevant specialist CPD (e.g CBT-E, SSCM, MANTRA, Motivational Interviewing, DBT, EMDR).
• Post qualification training in psychological therapy.
• Accreditation in a/or multiple relevant psychological therapies.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of work in adult mental health services and working with people with severe and complex mental health needs, including eating disorders
• Evidence of clinical experience of working with eating disorder client population particularly in assessment, formulation, treatment planning and implementation.

Desirable

• Teaching and training of Psychology and other staff.Clinical supervision experience
• A clear track record of managing complexity and risk whilst maintaining high standards of service delivery.
• A comprehensive understanding of the changing NHS and Social Care environment and the challenges they face
• Evidence of specialist interest in working with adults with eating disorders during training.
• Extended casework in relevant speciality area before and during training.
• Experience of offering line management
• Clinical audit work in specialist area.
• Experience in undertaking leadership roles within psychology services in the NHS and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi-disciplinary and multi-agency contexts

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of specialist therapeutic interventions with the client group

Desirable

• Knowledge of more than one psychological therapy.
• Knowledge of legislation and its implications for clinical practice.

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Must be a car driver with a valid driving licence or have access to transport with appropriate business insurance in order to travel to meet the needs of the service.

Desirable

• Advanced, specialist skills in psychological assessment, formulation and intervention
• Strong leadership qualities, resilience and ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Effective team player with good liaison and communication skills.
• Very well organised with good administration skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to cope with workload pressure and prioritise workload.
• Ability to make clinical decisions around complex and emotive issues.
• Empathy/engagement with the client group.
• Self-awareness and emotional resilience.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).