Senior Assistant Psychologist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

1. To undertake assessments and interventions (including self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect observations and semi-structured interviews of clients, family members and others involved in the clients care).

2. To assist in the development of psychologically based frameworks of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service.

3. To formulate and deliver care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems within settings where there may be a hostile atmosphere, challenging behaviour or high levels of expressed emotion.

4. To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.

5. To compile risk histories to inform care plans, risk and crisis plans.

6. To work with other team members to improve care practices and the quality of life of clients.

7. To attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings.

8. To support the delivery of evidence based psychological interventions for clients.

9. To carry out other clinical and administrative tasks as appropriate to the post holders grade.

10. To be up to date with both de-escalation, physical breakaway and PMVA techniques appropriate to the service environment.

11. To provide care equitably to all service users, in an anti-discriminatory approach also promoting equality, diversity and inclusion for service users and their families.

Research

1. To design and implement agreed elements of audit and research projects.

2. To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.

3. To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research in order to promote evidence based clinical practice. This will contribute to the clinical work of Applied Psychologists and other team members.

Communication

1. To liaise with key stakeholders including probation practitioners, substance misuse services and court staff.

2. To write reports that are shared with court staff including probation and the judiciary that highlight the link between the persons mental health and their offending.

3. To maintain clinical records to a high standard.

4. To develop good relationships with service users, team members and individuals from other services.

Administration

1. To establish and maintain records and statistics concerning the service.

2. To be acquainted with, implement and maintain all relevant Trust and Psychology and Psychological Therapies policies and procedures.

3. To report immediately any incidents affecting staff, users or visitors on health service property in accordance with Trust policies.

Professional Issues

1. To abide by the BPS code of Conduct and Ethics and the Division of Clinical Psychology Professional Practice Guidelines.

2. To maintain confidentiality in line with Trust policy

3. To participate in clinical and professional audit.

4. To participate in and contribute to Quality Assurance initiatives.

5. To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.

General

1. To promote and model the Trusts values in working with colleagues and others contributing to a compassionate culture that celebrates difference and diversity and supports all staff to flourish

2. To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through the active participation in internal and external Continuing Professional Development training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holders manager.

3. To maintain the highest standards of record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.

4. To undertake administrative duties as required.

5. To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade, which may be required, from time to time, by the Psychology Manager.

6. To participate fully in the Trusts performance review and personal development planning process on an annual basis.

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

Essential

• Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS (E)

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant area of professional psychology, health and social care practice, and / or research design and analysis

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with people with complex needs
• Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and or work with people with complex needs
• Experience of working as part of a team
• Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact

Desirable

• Experience of the use of psychometric tests
• Experience of working within the criminal justice, forensic mental health services or IAPT
• Experience of teaching other health professionals
• Experience of using a trauma informed approach
• Experience of working therapeutically with women

Skills, Abilities & Knowledge

Essential

• Relevant clinical and research skills
• Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
• To be able to communicate effectively under pressure and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times
• High standard of report writing
• Ability to be flexible and cope with multiple demands.
• Capable of using initiative and organise work to agreed goals
• Ability to work independently and know when to ask for and use supervision, identifying when there is need for advice and using supervision at agreed intervals
• Information technology skills. To have highly developed IT skills and good working knowledge of statistical packages

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Address

London Pathways Partnership Offices

7 Holyrood Street

London

SE1 2EL

Employer's website

http://oxleas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)