306 North London NHS Foundation Trust

Assistant Psychologist

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Psychologists to join our large Psychological Therapies Service at HMP Wormwood Scrubs. This posts has a strong clinical component to it, since the post holder will support the team in delivering evidence-based 1:1 and group interventions for men with complex difficulties, including trauma and personality disorders.

The successful applicant will support the team's Therapy Lead & Specialist Health Psychologist in a range of activities such as group work and management of individual caseloads, as well as delivery of training and contribution to service improvement initiatives and evaluations. The post holder will contribute to risk assessment and management, working alongside partner agencies and prison colleagues to improve outcomes for those most at risk. Additional opportunities in supporting men with neurodevelopmental needs are available, since the Therapies service leads on the assessment of and provision of intervention for men with ADHD, ASD and Intellectual Disability.

Further enquiries about the posts should be directed via email to Dr Avni Chauhan (Therapy Lead Psychologist at HMP Wormwood Scrubs) avni.chauhan@nhs.net or Dr Natasha Sarkissian (Therapy Lead for Prisons) natashasarkissian@nhs.net.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be required to support the delivery of care currently in the form of New Models of Care (NMOC), enabling the service to meet the London Wide service specification standards for Prison Healthcare

To post holder will be expected to support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within the service, across all sectors of care. This will include: providing psychological assessments; providingassessment and management of risk of harm to self/suicide; facilitating group and individual psychological interventions under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist; working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures. To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.

The successful applicants must have excellent communication skills, professional attitude, a strong academic record with excellent IT literacy skills, and proficiency in data collection and evaluation. We are looking for candidates who can engage positively and sensitively with people with mental health difficulties, and who have the ability to work collaboratively with other professions in order to provide high quality person-centred care.

About us

The partnership betweenBarnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust (BEH)andCamden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust (C&I)is going from strength to strength since it was originally established in 2021 forming theNorth London Mental Health Partnership.

In order to meet the needs of the new Partnership services you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Enfield and Harringay Trust and Camden and Islington Trust. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.

The post holder will be working in a remand prison estate with men presenting with complex needs including trauma, mood disorders and personality difficulties. Specialist skills and 'forensic awareness' are required of all staff. This includes vigilance at all times on issues of safety and security, the capacity to de-escalate risk of violence, and the ability and capacity to deliver clinical input within a custodial setting.

Details

Date posted

20 November 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

Depending on experience Per annum inclusive of Inner London HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

306-BEH-2173-A

Job locations

HMP Wormwood Scrubs

Du Cane Road

London

W12 0AE


Job description

Job responsibilities

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Clinical:

To work across the service functions including early days in custody, planned care, crisis care and release and transfer

To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients by applying psychological, and neuropsychological testing, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care as and when appropriate.

To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in a custodial setting.

To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.

To work with other staff from within the NHS and multi-agency working.

To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.

To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings

To assist with various research projects and service improvement projects as required.

Teaching, Training and Supervision

In common with all psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.

To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post-holder is employed.

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

To contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.

Management, recruitment and Service Development

To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.

To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.

IT Responsibilities:

To use computers to write reports and record data, including the use of statistical packages as part of psychological testing, research and assessment when needed.

To develop, maintain and provide regular reports from a database to monitor the service provided and support audit and service evaluation.

Research and Service Evaluation:

To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.

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

To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified clinical psychologists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.

General:

To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post-holders professional and team/operational manager(s).

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

To prepare test materials and visual aids as required.

To undertake specific administrative duties as required.

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

To prepare test materials and visual aids as required.

To undertake specific administrative duties as required.

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

Job description

Job responsibilities

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Clinical:

To work across the service functions including early days in custody, planned care, crisis care and release and transfer

To undertake protocol based psychological assessments of clients by applying psychological, and neuropsychological testing, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care as and when appropriate.

To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems, under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in a custodial setting.

To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.

To work with other staff from within the NHS and multi-agency working.

To assist in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.

To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings

To assist with various research projects and service improvement projects as required.

Teaching, Training and Supervision

In common with all psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.

To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post-holder is employed.

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

To contribute to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.

Management, recruitment and Service Development

To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.

To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.

IT Responsibilities:

To use computers to write reports and record data, including the use of statistical packages as part of psychological testing, research and assessment when needed.

To develop, maintain and provide regular reports from a database to monitor the service provided and support audit and service evaluation.

Research and Service Evaluation:

To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.

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

To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified clinical psychologists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.

General:

To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post-holders professional and team/operational manager(s).

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

To prepare test materials and visual aids as required.

To undertake specific administrative duties as required.

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

To prepare test materials and visual aids as required.

To undertake specific administrative duties as required.

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

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

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

Desirable

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

Knowledge&Experience

Essential

  • Relevant clinical and research skills
  • Experience of working as part of a team
  • Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
  • Experience of working with people with complex needs
  • Experience of working with risk in patients and carrying out risk assessments

Desirable

  • Experience of the use of psychometric tests
  • Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting
  • Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
  • Experience of in-patient settings
  • Experience of teaching other health professionals
  • Lived experience of mental health issues
  • Experience of working in a prison setting

Skills-Communication/Relationship skills:

Essential

  • To be able to communicate effectively under pressure and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times
  • To be able to provide and receive complex sensitive or contentious information in a potentially highly emotive atmosphere.
  • To demonstrate high standards of report/letter writing

Skills- Analytical & Judgement skills

Essential

  • To assimilate complex information and use reflective/analytic thinking, to apply psychological perspectives in work in a healthcare setting

Skills-Planning & Organisational skills

Essential

  • 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

Skills-IT Skills

Essential

  • Information technology skills. To have highly developed IT skills and good working knowledge of statistical packages
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

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

Desirable

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

Knowledge&Experience

Essential

  • Relevant clinical and research skills
  • Experience of working as part of a team
  • Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
  • Experience of working with people with complex needs
  • Experience of working with risk in patients and carrying out risk assessments

Desirable

  • Experience of the use of psychometric tests
  • Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting
  • Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
  • Experience of in-patient settings
  • Experience of teaching other health professionals
  • Lived experience of mental health issues
  • Experience of working in a prison setting

Skills-Communication/Relationship skills:

Essential

  • To be able to communicate effectively under pressure and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times
  • To be able to provide and receive complex sensitive or contentious information in a potentially highly emotive atmosphere.
  • To demonstrate high standards of report/letter writing

Skills- Analytical & Judgement skills

Essential

  • To assimilate complex information and use reflective/analytic thinking, to apply psychological perspectives in work in a healthcare setting

Skills-Planning & Organisational skills

Essential

  • 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

Skills-IT Skills

Essential

  • 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).

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.

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

306 North London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

HMP Wormwood Scrubs

Du Cane Road

London

W12 0AE


Employer's website

https://www.northlondonmentalhealth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

306 North London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

HMP Wormwood Scrubs

Du Cane Road

London

W12 0AE


Employer's website

https://www.northlondonmentalhealth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Therapy Lead

Dr Avni Chauhan

avni.chauhan@nhs.net

02085883389

Details

Date posted

20 November 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

Depending on experience Per annum inclusive of Inner London HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

306-BEH-2173-A

Job locations

HMP Wormwood Scrubs

Du Cane Road

London

W12 0AE


Supporting documents

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