Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 8a Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist (0.5WTE) to lead on the development and management of the enhanced pathway of Ealing Mental Health Support Team (MHST+). The role sits within our Mental Health Support Team (MHST) offer, providing early intervention mental health input directly into mainstream Primary and Secondary schools.
The MHST+ team was established in 2021, to provide evidence-based early intervention support in mainstream schools, for children diagnosed with a Learning Disability (LD) or Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC), or awaiting assessment for an ASC diagnosis. Recently, the MHST+ pathway has expanded to develop a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) pathway, and is constantly developing and evolving in response to feedback and evidence. The team has been praised for its innovative ASCLD offer, and are often invited and contacted to present or share learning for MHSTs nationally. We strive to continue to develop an offer that is meaningful for the people we work with.
Please note that we will also consider a Band 7 with leadership experience, on a preceptorship route working towards the essential criteria needed as an 8a. Therefore, this post is also being advertised as a Band 7 to 8a preceptorship Clinical Psychology role.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide senior leadership for the clinical functioning of the MHST+ team. You will contribute to providing early intervention mental health support for children/young people with Autism and/or LD, or who are on the waiting list for an Autism diagnosis, in mainstream schools, as well as the CBT pathway within the team. This may expand to include other enhanced offers.
You will contribute to identifying gaps and generating potential ideas for developing the service. You will develop strong working relationships with key stakeholders to enable joint working to best meet the needs of children and young people, including those with ASC/LD and the systems around them.
You will contribute to developing and implementing a range of interventions and projects within schools and may be invited to contribute to developing borough-wide strategies for young people, including those specifically with ASC/LD.
You will hold a small caseload, offering high quality evidence-based interventions to support children and young people, as well as provide clinical supervision for trainee and other psychological therapies staff within the team.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the British Psychological Society, or equivalent if trained overseas.
- Eligible to work as a Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical / Counselling) as approved by the Health Care Professions Council.
Desirable
- Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
- Post-doctoral/graduate training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice with children and young people.
- Clinical training as part of a CYP IAPT collaborative in a recognised evidenced based approach i.e. CBT, Parenting Skills or other.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of children, adolescents and their families across a range of care settings, (e.g. outpatient, community, primary care, in patient settings).
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client 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
- Experience of working with children, adolescents and their families
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision/reflective practice.
- Experience of working with evidence-based approaches to low mood, anxiety and behaviour problems
Desirable
- Experience working with children, adolescents (and their families) with learning disability and/or neurodevelopmental conditions (eg. ASD, ADHD, etc) in a CAMH setting.
- Experience of working with other agencies and providing consultation.
- Experience of assessment and intervention around Neurodiversity
Knowledge
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
Desirable
- Knowledge and skills in specialist neuropsychological assessment and treatment with children and young people with neuro-developmental difficulties
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. children with challenging behaviour, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).
- High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
Other Requirements
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
- Ability 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.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the British Psychological Society, or equivalent if trained overseas.
- Eligible to work as a Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical / Counselling) as approved by the Health Care Professions Council.
Desirable
- Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
- Post-doctoral/graduate training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice with children and young people.
- Clinical training as part of a CYP IAPT collaborative in a recognised evidenced based approach i.e. CBT, Parenting Skills or other.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of children, adolescents and their families across a range of care settings, (e.g. outpatient, community, primary care, in patient settings).
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client 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
- Experience of working with children, adolescents and their families
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision/reflective practice.
- Experience of working with evidence-based approaches to low mood, anxiety and behaviour problems
Desirable
- Experience working with children, adolescents (and their families) with learning disability and/or neurodevelopmental conditions (eg. ASD, ADHD, etc) in a CAMH setting.
- Experience of working with other agencies and providing consultation.
- Experience of assessment and intervention around Neurodiversity
Knowledge
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
Desirable
- Knowledge and skills in specialist neuropsychological assessment and treatment with children and young people with neuro-developmental difficulties
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. children with challenging behaviour, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).
- High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
Other Requirements
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
- Ability 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.
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).
