Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join a new psychology-led service offering support to health and social care staff in Northamptonshire in response to the pressures of the pandemic and beyond. Stronger Together embraces the reflective-scientist-practitioner model, and we encourage innovation, research activity and ongoing professional development in our team.
We offer one-to-one consultations to colleagues, in which we explore an area of concern and help make sense of what is going on; we also offer support to teams and team leaders, consulting when there are difficulties and providing input to teams through structured activities and reflective practice. The service is system-wide, encompassing statutory services and a wide range of providers, and outreach and training across organisations and professional groups to encourage use of the service and develop practice accordingly is an important part of what we do.
We are looking for an innovative and resilient clinician with a proven interest in using their skills in a range of individual and group support interventions with healthcare staff. Strengths will be psychological formulation which draws on a range of models, and the ability to communicate and share psychological thinking with colleagues. Also important will be the ability in the postholder to work at a systemic level, develop practice and take forward an aspect of the service (for example, a project providing outreach to a social care organisation).
Main duties of the job
Newly qualified psychologists are invited to apply at Band 7 for a preceptorship post (see the Job Description for further information), and those with post-qualification experience are invited to apply at Band 8a.
You will offer one-to-one consultations to colleagues, support to teams and team leaders, and take part in one of our outreach projects alongside another member of the team. You will received regular supervision and attend monthly reflective practice within the team.
You will need to contribute to the vision for this new service, and work closely with partners in a range of health and care organisations. This will require you to exercise collaborative leadership skills within the team, and promote the service externally and develop links with a range of agencies across the county. Highly developed interpersonal skills and the ability to influence and negotiate successfully are essential.
This permanent post benefits from a recruitment incentive of £5,000 pro rata for successful external candidates over 2.5 years. Initial payment of £2,000 will be made in the 1st month with a subsequent payment of £2,000 made on the 13th month of employment. The remaining £1,000 will be paid out in the 18th month of employment. Terms and conditions apply.
A relocation package is available for up to £8, 000, if the successful postholder relocates to Northamptonshire and meets other eligibility criteria. This is subject to approval.
About us
Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust was rated as "Outstanding" by CQC in 2018 and is a great place to work. We are proud of the Psychology provision within the Trust, and feedback has consistently been that we have a well-developed Psychology network in the Trust which offers a strong sense of professional identity, support and strategic influence. Psychology and psychological approaches are highly valued in the Trust, and Psychologists have the opportunity to shape clinical and organisational strategy as well as provide clinical services. We believe that supporting and involving our staff means that they enjoy their work more, and that our clinical services are better as a result.
The successful applicant(s) would receive professional support and be professionally and clinically accountable to and managed by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist Service Lead for Stronger Together.
There are also good opportunities in the Trust for people wishing to work part-time or across a couple of different specialties. There are a significant number of psychologists employed within the Trust working across services and there are excellent opportunities for professional development through regular monthly psychology meetings and active peer supervision networks. The Trust enjoys good links with both Oxford and Leicester Doctoral training courses.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the About You Section of the document.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information on the advertised role, please refer to the job description located under the Supporting Documents heading. The full person specification can be accessed under the About You Section of the document.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical/counselling psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, as accredited by the BPS.
- Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings.
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
- Demonstrate further specialist training/experience through having received appropriate clinical supervision of working as a specialist clinical psychologist.
- Evidence of Continuing Professional Development as recommended by the BPS.
- Skills in providing training and 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.
- Experience and proven interest in using knowledge and skills as an applied psychologist in work with staff from a range of professional backgrounds, offering supervision or reflective practice/team formulation and/or support to either individuals or groups.
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Experience of working with issues of difference and diversity.
- Basic IT and keyboard skills
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
- High level of experience and focused training in work in staff health and wellbeing.
- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists.
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- Ability 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.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- To provide and advise on specialist psychological assessments of clients based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client's care.
- To formulate and implement or advise on plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a client's psychological problems including developmental background, long term personality adaptations, interpersonal patterns of relating, service and diagnostic issues. These plans will be based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the client's problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy, across the full range of care settings.
- To be responsible for implementing or advising on a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.
- To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
- To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients including in services using psychologically based care plans.
- To provide specialist psychological advice guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients' formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.
- To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, highly complex/sensitive information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor and evaluate progress during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care.
- To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with the client group across a range of agencies and settings, where appropriate.
- To supervise clinical placements for trainee clinical psychologists, ensuring that trainees acquire the necessary skills, competencies and experience to contribute effectively to good psychological care and to be responsible for the assessment and evaluation of such competencies.
- To undergo appropriate training in use of Trust/Team electronic data collection systems.
- To routinely update and maintain electronic data collection systems as appropriate.
Desirable
- oTo contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings and agencies employing and serving the client group.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical/counselling psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, as accredited by the BPS.
- Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings.
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
- Demonstrate further specialist training/experience through having received appropriate clinical supervision of working as a specialist clinical psychologist.
- Evidence of Continuing Professional Development as recommended by the BPS.
- Skills in providing training and 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.
- Experience and proven interest in using knowledge and skills as an applied psychologist in work with staff from a range of professional backgrounds, offering supervision or reflective practice/team formulation and/or support to either individuals or groups.
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Experience of working with issues of difference and diversity.
- Basic IT and keyboard skills
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
- High level of experience and focused training in work in staff health and wellbeing.
- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists.
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- Ability 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.
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- To provide and advise on specialist psychological assessments of clients based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client's care.
- To formulate and implement or advise on plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a client's psychological problems including developmental background, long term personality adaptations, interpersonal patterns of relating, service and diagnostic issues. These plans will be based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the client's problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy, across the full range of care settings.
- To be responsible for implementing or advising on a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.
- To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
- To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients including in services using psychologically based care plans.
- To provide specialist psychological advice guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients' formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.
- To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, highly complex/sensitive information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor and evaluate progress during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care.
- To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with the client group across a range of agencies and settings, where appropriate.
- To supervise clinical placements for trainee clinical psychologists, ensuring that trainees acquire the necessary skills, competencies and experience to contribute effectively to good psychological care and to be responsible for the assessment and evaluation of such competencies.
- To undergo appropriate training in use of Trust/Team electronic data collection systems.
- To routinely update and maintain electronic data collection systems as appropriate.
Desirable
- oTo contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings and agencies employing and serving the 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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
