Clinical Psychologist

Job responsibilities

• We are keen to embed trauma-informed care principles into our substance use services and this post will help drive this forward.

• To take responsibility for assessment, and treatment of own specialist caseload of clients with problem substance use, complex trauma, psychosis, and other significant mental health problems as well as offending histories.

• To use their expertise to communicate psychological formulations and treatment plans to carers and professional colleagues, in a way that effectively contains the anxiety present in the system and around the client.

• Contribute to planning, organising, auditing and developing policy and strategies for the delivery of a specialist psychology service within the multidisciplinary team.

• Responsible for provision of professional support, guidance and clinical supervision at Harbour, to other members of the MDT and more widely across Livewell as required.

• The postholder would be expected to develop specialist responsibilities and provide leadership from a psychological perspective on a specific area of expertise that balances their experience, interests and the needs of the service.

• Provide expert reports and opinion for use in Court, MHA tribunals, parole board hearings, Child Protection and Adult Protection Strategy Meetings, MAPPA and case conferences as needed.
• • The postholder will be exposed to emotionally distressing situations, which may include highly charged interactions, unpredictable or aggressive behaviour. The postholder will be required to work with both the victims and perpetrators of abuse.
  • Responsible for the planning, delivery and clinical supervision of a specialist clinical training placement for trainees on the postgraduate Doctoral Courses in Clinical, Counselling and Forensic Psychology.
  • Responsible for providing specialist consultation, advice and clinical supervision to non-psychology staff within the service, on psychological understanding, interventions and evaluations.
  • Responsible for developing and delivering teaching on psychological work and care for trainee psychologists and other professions in Livewell.
  • Responsible for initiating and maintaining research and development projects relevant to furthering both clinical knowledge and service evaluation and delivery.
  • Responsible for working within the Guidelines for Professional Practice of the Health & Care Professions Council, BPS, and the ACP-UK, and for adhering to policies and procedures of Livewell Southwest.
  • Responsible for participating in an annual appraisal with the Complex Needs Team Consultant Psychologist plus the service manager.
  • Responsible for continuing professional development (CPD) in line with the annual appraisal Professional Development Plan PDP, the Knowledge and Skills Framework KSF, HCPC and ACP-UK.
  • Responsible for keeping aware of and being knowledgeable about current developments within the profession of clinical psychology.
• Responsible for keeping up to date with legislation, national directives, policies and NICE guidelines in relation to the work.
• please see attached JD and spec

Qualifications

Essential

• Post-graduate Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS or Registered as a Clinical or Forensic Psychologist with the HCPC.
• - Registered as a clinical or forensic psychologist with the HCPC
• - Fully competent as a clinical or forensic psychologist supplemented by specialist courses and further training
• -Specialist training in clinical supervision

Desirable

• Other related academic qualifications to Masters or Doctoral level.
• Training in assessment measures specific to risk assessment (e.g. HCR-20)
• - Group work skills
• - Advanced keyboard skills

Personal Attributes

Essential

• -- Effective team and co-working skills
• --Kindness, warmth, empathy and integrity
• -Enthusiasm for working within substance use services
• - Ability to work under pressure and set priorities.
• - Ability to deal with patients and carers who may be distressed, angry, confrontational or violent.
• Ability to lead teams and motivate others.
• - Ability to sit for prolonged periods during assessments, patient interviews, case conferences.
• - Ability to cope with frequent exposure to highly distressing and emotional situations.
• - Ability to work autonomously & as part of a team.
• - Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to hold the stress of others.

Desirable

• Lived experience of mental health problems
• Ability to identify, provide appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable and extensive post qualification NHS experience at a senior level within community, forensic or substance misuse settings as would meet the minimum requirements for a Consultant post as judged by a National Assessor.
• - Extensive experience of teaching, training and providing professional and/or clinical supervision to both pre-qualified and qualified psychologists
• - Extensive experience of assessing and treating clients in a range of settings.
• - Extensive experience of leading consultation and advice to staff groups supporting vulnerable clients around high risk situations where there is considerable anxiety in the system.

Desirable

• - Experienced Consultant Forensic or Consultant Clinical Psychologist with experience of substance use services
• -- Record of having published in peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books
• - Experience of leadership

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• - A working knowledge of current good practice, recent government policies relating to, and critical awareness of a range of psychological models applicable to delivering psychological interventions for people within substance use services and those who support them.
• - Ability to analyse and interpret highly complex and risky situations involving a range of options to make a decision about an appropriate course of action or solution to a problem.
• -Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management in adult with complex needs and substance use and/or other dependent/vulnerable/ disenfranchised groups.
• -Knowledge and skills in clinical supervision of other psychologists
• - Skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families and professionals both within and outside the NHS.
• - Knowledge of research design and methodology as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.
• - Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for complex problems (e.g. forensic presentations, trauma, behaviours that challenge).

Desirable

• Knowledge and skills in the psychological assessment and management of complex trauma
• -Knowledge of legislation and national standards and guidelines that relate this client group.

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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