Job summary
We look forward to welcoming a Highly Specialist Clinical / Counselling Psychologist into our Bariatric Liaison Psychiatry Service, to join our expanding Liaison Psychiatry Services at West London NHS Trust. The position will be based at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Weight Centre, at St Mary's Hospital, and is substantive. Flexible and part-time remote working arrangements are supported. There is an expectation of a minimum of 2 days a week on site, with flexibility to take up remote working for the remaining days or to make use office space at St. Mary's Hospital, depending on personal circumstances.
Liaison Psychiatry Services are innovative services providing prompt specialist assessment and management of people in the general hospital who are experiencing co-existing physical and mental health difficulties.
This post offers an exciting opportunity for those interested in working with people living with obesity.
You will be part of a passionate and dedicated multidisciplinary team, established for 15 years. .
The service falls under the umbrella of the psychological medicine service line at WLH, which means you will be regularly supervised by a psychologist and will also have the opportunity to interact, join CPD opportunities, and work jointly with other psychologists across the service line including health psychology, IAPT and liaison psychology.
Main duties of the job
Over recent years, the North West London (NWL) Sector, in partnership with two Mental Health Trusts in the has been committed to developing comprehensive and equitable Liaison Psychiatry Services, which meet the needs of the NWL population. West London NHS Trust now has comprehensive Liaison Psychiatry Services in each of its three boroughs, Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham, as well as developing highly specialised services such as Perinatal and Bariatrics. This reflects recognition of the benefits of comprehensive Liaison Psychiatry Services for patients and the wider NHS, and a sector wide commitment to develop these services.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse providers of mental and physical health, community and social care in the UK.
Our 3,982 staff care for people in hospital and in the community, helping them to recover and go on to lead full and productive lives. We aim to be the best organisation of our kind in the country.
We provide care and treatment for more than 800,000 people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, delivering services in the community (at home, in GP surgeries and care homes), hospital, specialist clinics and forensic (secure) units.
We arerated good overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Together, we're committed to promoting hope and wellbeing, working with patients, service users, carers, families and partners across the communities we serve.
We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and experience of mental illness.
Covid-19 vaccination is a condition of employment for this role, unless an exemption applies. The successful applicant may have contact with vulnerable service users and we will therefore seek proof of being fully vaccinated during the recruitment process.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are looking for applications from highly motivated, enthusiastic and committed individuals, who care about supporting people living with obesity. Interested candidates should hold Clinical / Counselling Psychologist status and have substantial clinical and managerial experience at Band 7 or Band 8a level. Previous experience in the field of weight management, liaison psychiatry, obesity or eating disorders is preferred.
The Psychologist will be working collaboratively with the Consultant Psychiatrist, as well as the rest of the multi-disciplinary Bariatric Surgery Team to contribute to the ongoing development of the service. You will be providing both expertise and inspiration to the team and qualities such as taking initiative, creativity to find solutions and a commitment and enthusiasm for developing both your own and team members skills will be essential. Likewise, a demonstrated ability to promote the ethos of a cohesive multidisciplinary team and be an effective team worker is essential. The successful candidate will also need to be able to develop excellent working relationships with both Mental Health Trust and Acute Trust colleagues and take a lead on service user involvement in service developments.
The position is a clinical role in working with people living with obesity via three out-patient clinics a week and therefore applicants should ideally have clinical experience in the management of patients within a multi-disciplinary setting, an understanding of the physiology of obesity and its treatments, and be able to work flexibly across age boundaries and medical and surgical specialities, as we provide a service for patients aged 18 and above within a team comprising surgeons, anaesthetists, dieticians, clinical nurse specialists and administrators. The post holder will be expected to contribute to supervision arrangements within the team.
We offer excellent supervision support and development opportunities. Learning and reflecting, is an important ongoing process for our services. We provide opportunities for all our staff to develop to their full potential and to participate in our on going improvements. All staff are given the opportunity to undertake professional development and research.
The roles report directly to the Consultant Bariatric Liaison Psychiatrist and Service Manager for Liaison Psychiatry Services Trust wide.
For an informal discussion and further information please view the JD & PS attached or contact Dr Samantha Scholtz (Consultant Bariatric Liaison Psychiatrist) on 07808 718059 or Shaun Hare Liaison Psychiatry Service Manager, on 07572865754
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are looking for applications from highly motivated, enthusiastic and committed individuals, who care about supporting people living with obesity. Interested candidates should hold Clinical / Counselling Psychologist status and have substantial clinical and managerial experience at Band 7 or Band 8a level. Previous experience in the field of weight management, liaison psychiatry, obesity or eating disorders is preferred.
The Psychologist will be working collaboratively with the Consultant Psychiatrist, as well as the rest of the multi-disciplinary Bariatric Surgery Team to contribute to the ongoing development of the service. You will be providing both expertise and inspiration to the team and qualities such as taking initiative, creativity to find solutions and a commitment and enthusiasm for developing both your own and team members skills will be essential. Likewise, a demonstrated ability to promote the ethos of a cohesive multidisciplinary team and be an effective team worker is essential. The successful candidate will also need to be able to develop excellent working relationships with both Mental Health Trust and Acute Trust colleagues and take a lead on service user involvement in service developments.
The position is a clinical role in working with people living with obesity via three out-patient clinics a week and therefore applicants should ideally have clinical experience in the management of patients within a multi-disciplinary setting, an understanding of the physiology of obesity and its treatments, and be able to work flexibly across age boundaries and medical and surgical specialities, as we provide a service for patients aged 18 and above within a team comprising surgeons, anaesthetists, dieticians, clinical nurse specialists and administrators. The post holder will be expected to contribute to supervision arrangements within the team.
We offer excellent supervision support and development opportunities. Learning and reflecting, is an important ongoing process for our services. We provide opportunities for all our staff to develop to their full potential and to participate in our on going improvements. All staff are given the opportunity to undertake professional development and research.
The roles report directly to the Consultant Bariatric Liaison Psychiatrist and Service Manager for Liaison Psychiatry Services Trust wide.
For an informal discussion and further information please view the JD & PS attached or contact Dr Samantha Scholtz (Consultant Bariatric Liaison Psychiatrist) on 07808 718059 or Shaun Hare Liaison Psychiatry Service Manager, on 07572865754
Person Specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training (or its equivalent) in Clinical Psychology OR Counselling Psychology, leading to eligibility for Chartered Status by the British Psychological Society
Desirable
- oPost-doctoral training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- oTraining in motivational interviewing or other specific behaviour change techniques and/or therapies aimed at reducing the harmful impact of stigma
Experience
Essential
- oExperience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of patients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings
- oExperience of working with a wide variety of patient groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
- oExperience of working with people living with overweight or obesity
- oExperience of working with people with mental health problems
- oExperience of facilitating therapeutic groups
- oDemonstrate further specialist training / experience through having received a minimum of 50 hours clinical supervision of working as a specialist clinical / counselling psychologist over a minimum of 18 months, or an alternative agreed by the Head of Psychology and Psychological Therapies Services
Desirable
- oExperience of teaching, training and/or supervision
- oExperience of the application of clinical /counselling psychology in different cultural contexts.
- oExperience of working with people with obesity and/or eating disorders
- oExperience of using structured techniques for promotion of health behaviour change such as motivational interviewing
- oExperience of running structured psycho-educational group-based interventions
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- oSkills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- oWell developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- oSkills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- oDoctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
- oEvidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS
- oFormal training in supervision of other psychologists
- oKnowledge of obesity and associated physical and psychological morbidity
Desirable
- oKnowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc)
- oHigh level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- oKnowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
- oKnowledge of NHS primary, secondary and social care and third sector support structures.
Other
Essential
- oAbility to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
- oAbility to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
- oAbility to manage time effectively and meet deadlines
- oCommitment to Equal Opportunities
- oCommitment to reflecting on own performance, seeking and accepting constructive feedback and learning from own and team experiences
- oSelf motivated, able to work autonomously and independently with confidence when required
- oExercise initiative, flexibility, tact and self awareness
- oWilling to use peer and group supervision creatively
- oBe able to work flexibly if required
- oBe aware of the limitations in own competencies and seek appropriate senior advice and leadership
- oSickness (or attendance) record that is acceptable to the Trust
Desirable
- oExperience of working within a multi-cultural framework
- oPersonal experience of mental health problems
Person Specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training (or its equivalent) in Clinical Psychology OR Counselling Psychology, leading to eligibility for Chartered Status by the British Psychological Society
Desirable
- oPost-doctoral training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- oTraining in motivational interviewing or other specific behaviour change techniques and/or therapies aimed at reducing the harmful impact of stigma
Experience
Essential
- oExperience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of patients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings
- oExperience of working with a wide variety of patient groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
- oExperience of working with people living with overweight or obesity
- oExperience of working with people with mental health problems
- oExperience of facilitating therapeutic groups
- oDemonstrate further specialist training / experience through having received a minimum of 50 hours clinical supervision of working as a specialist clinical / counselling psychologist over a minimum of 18 months, or an alternative agreed by the Head of Psychology and Psychological Therapies Services
Desirable
- oExperience of teaching, training and/or supervision
- oExperience of the application of clinical /counselling psychology in different cultural contexts.
- oExperience of working with people with obesity and/or eating disorders
- oExperience of using structured techniques for promotion of health behaviour change such as motivational interviewing
- oExperience of running structured psycho-educational group-based interventions
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- oSkills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- oWell developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- oSkills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- oDoctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
- oEvidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS
- oFormal training in supervision of other psychologists
- oKnowledge of obesity and associated physical and psychological morbidity
Desirable
- oKnowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc)
- oHigh level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- oKnowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
- oKnowledge of NHS primary, secondary and social care and third sector support structures.
Other
Essential
- oAbility to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
- oAbility to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
- oAbility to manage time effectively and meet deadlines
- oCommitment to Equal Opportunities
- oCommitment to reflecting on own performance, seeking and accepting constructive feedback and learning from own and team experiences
- oSelf motivated, able to work autonomously and independently with confidence when required
- oExercise initiative, flexibility, tact and self awareness
- oWilling to use peer and group supervision creatively
- oBe able to work flexibly if required
- oBe aware of the limitations in own competencies and seek appropriate senior advice and leadership
- oSickness (or attendance) record that is acceptable to the Trust
Desirable
- oExperience of working within a multi-cultural framework
- oPersonal experience of mental health problems
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
