Job summary
We're looking for a Clinical Psychologist to join a team of leading experts in psychosis research, testing a novel psychological treatment for distressing voices.
Could this be you?
The Talking with Voices II trial is investigating whether a new form of dialogical therapy promotes recovery, and reduces distress for voice hearers. This post offers the opportunity to work as part of a national team delivering and testing the therapy as part of a multi-site randomised controlled trial. The postholder will receive specialist manualised therapy training and frequent supervision to deliver the intervention to adult service-users with persistent, distressing voices. Data from this study will inform NHS service development.
The team is led by Dr Eleanor Longden and Prof Tony Morrison (Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust). Dr Bryony Sheaves and Prof Daniel Freeman (Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford) are leading the Oxford trial site. The post-holder would join the Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis (O-CAP) research team, led by Professor Freeman.
Main duties of the job
As a research clinical psychologist you will provide a highly specialist psychological intervention, developed for the purposes of the Talking with Voices trial. Participants will be based in Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust and neighbouring NHS Trusts. You will attend individual and group based supervision and be expected to meet key milestones for the trial, including recruitment targets. You will help with advertising and recruitment of the trial in NHS mental health teams, alongside the trial's Research Assistants. You will supervise the Research Assistant at the Oxford trial site and be expected to contribute to the Trust's social inclusion agenda by enabling staff, service users and carers from diverse background to flourish by creating a psychologically safe environment in the Talking with Voices trial.
You must hold a doctorate in clinical psychology and have excellent knowledge of the theory, evidence base and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for people with psychosis and trauma-related difficulties.
About us
You will be part of the multi-site Talking with Voices Trial team. Manchester is the lead site, and other trial sites are Oxford, London and Newcastle. You would be based in the Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis (O-CAP) research group in the Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford. The team, led by Professor Freeman currently comprises clinical psychologists, a project co-ordinator, research workers/assistant psychologists, DPhil students, and computer scientists specialising in virtual reality.
Benefits of working for Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust include:
- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, with an increase to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Staff accommodation
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
Job description
Job responsibilities
What we need from you!
- An HCPC registered clinical psychologist with a passion for innovation, and developing the evidence base for psychological therapies.
- A knowledge of and expertise into the issues of providing psychological therapy to service users experiencing distressing voices.
- An insight into and empathy for the difficulties faced by people who hear voices and those who experience trauma.
- An ability to work creatively, co-operatively, reliably, and consistently within a team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- Excellent time management, organisational and communication skills (written and verbal). An ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines and prioritise accordingly.
Please note:
- New starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale.
- Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study. Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.
- Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
- We positively encourage applications from all areas of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age or sexual orientation and we encourage applications from users of mental health services. This is part of our commitment to equality and reflecting the diversity of our population.
- Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Please see the job description and person specification attached to this advert for more information on the job role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
What we need from you!
- An HCPC registered clinical psychologist with a passion for innovation, and developing the evidence base for psychological therapies.
- A knowledge of and expertise into the issues of providing psychological therapy to service users experiencing distressing voices.
- An insight into and empathy for the difficulties faced by people who hear voices and those who experience trauma.
- An ability to work creatively, co-operatively, reliably, and consistently within a team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- Excellent time management, organisational and communication skills (written and verbal). An ability to work under pressure and meet strict deadlines and prioritise accordingly.
Please note:
- New starters have a 6 month probationary period. This, together with the induction process aims to create a positive supportive working environment allowing new employees to learn key elements of their role over a reasonable timescale.
- Appointment to this post is subject to the trust receiving satisfactory references covering 3 years of employment or study. Please ask your referees to respond promptly to reference requests.
- Employees are expected to undertake mandatory and statutory training related to their role.
- We positively encourage applications from all areas of the community, regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age or sexual orientation and we encourage applications from users of mental health services. This is part of our commitment to equality and reflecting the diversity of our population.
- Oxford Health is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Please see the job description and person specification attached to this advert for more information on the job role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Postgraduate Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent).
- Registered with HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist or equivalent (e.g. BABCP accredited therapist) and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC (or equivalent).
Desirable
- Previous experience as a trial therapist.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of conducting individual therapy sessions with patients who are experiencing difficulties coping with symptoms of psychosis OR trauma-related symptoms.
- 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 specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
- Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of diversity within local communities.
Desirable
- Experience of providing supervision.
- Two years post-qualification experience as a psychological therapist.
- At least two years' experience of delivering psychological interventions to people with psychosis within adult mental health services where multi-disciplinary working was embraced as part of service delivery.
- Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist for psychosis under supervision.
- Experience of working in research.
- Experience in clinical research trial therapy delivery and implementing clinical research trial procedures and protocols
- Experience of carrying out post-doctoral research, audit, or service evaluation projects.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of the theory, evidence base and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for people with psychosis and trauma-related difficulties.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the impact and activities of the Hearing Voices Movement.
Skills
Essential
- Shows evidence of knowledge and expertise into the issues of providing psychological therapy to service users experiencing distressing voices.
- To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
- Ability to supervise psychology graduate research assistants.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Postgraduate Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or equivalent).
- Registered with HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist or equivalent (e.g. BABCP accredited therapist) and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC (or equivalent).
Desirable
- Previous experience as a trial therapist.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of conducting individual therapy sessions with patients who are experiencing difficulties coping with symptoms of psychosis OR trauma-related symptoms.
- 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 specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
- Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of diversity within local communities.
Desirable
- Experience of providing supervision.
- Two years post-qualification experience as a psychological therapist.
- At least two years' experience of delivering psychological interventions to people with psychosis within adult mental health services where multi-disciplinary working was embraced as part of service delivery.
- Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist for psychosis under supervision.
- Experience of working in research.
- Experience in clinical research trial therapy delivery and implementing clinical research trial procedures and protocols
- Experience of carrying out post-doctoral research, audit, or service evaluation projects.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of the theory, evidence base and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for people with psychosis and trauma-related difficulties.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the impact and activities of the Hearing Voices Movement.
Skills
Essential
- Shows evidence of knowledge and expertise into the issues of providing psychological therapy to service users experiencing distressing voices.
- To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
- Ability to supervise psychology graduate research assistants.
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).
