Job summary
** £3000 - New Hire Bonus **
The permanent posts are eligible for a £3000 New Hire Bonus. An initial payment of £1000 will be paid in the first 1 month and a final payment of £2000 will be paid 1 year after your start date. Please see attached New Hire Bonus Terms & Conditions.
Do you have a passion for working with people who have experienced a psychosis?
This well-established service is located in the vibrant University city of Cambridge.
There is significant scope for the strategic development of models of service delivery, supporting the development and delivery of evidence-based psychological interventions to this client group. You will have a clinical caseload as well as clear management and supervisory components to your role.
You will also oversee a psychologically informed wider workforce in the MDT. This will also involve proactive engagement with third sector stakeholders to expand on strong pre-existing relationships. There is scope for the attendance of leadership programmes to develop the skills to help you to grow.
There are ample training opportunities, and the team has benefitted from recent training in CBTp, EMDR, the modular 'Feeling safe programme' for persecutory delusions and 'family interventions' in psychosis. The team has been involved in the delivery of group interventions including the 'comprehend, cope and connect' group and the development and delivery of an 'OCD checking group for people taking antipsychotic medication'.
Main duties of the job
To provide a qualified clinical psychology service, to psychosis clients served by the locality team, to provide specialist psychological assessment including neuropsychology assessment, to provide NICE compliant specialist psychological therapy, to provide advice and consultation on clients' psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and to other non-professional carers; to lead on the training and on-going supervision of psychologists and non-psychologist staff in psychological interventions; to ensure appropriate governance arrangements for all psychological services within the team; to contribute to the initial expert assessment of clients newly referred to the team; to work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures. To utilise
research skills for audit, policy and service development and research within the area served by the team/service.
The post-holder will work with service users experiencing serious mental health problems and there is opportunity to develop and provide specialist clinical interventions with specific client groups to meet service needs. The post-holder will provide clinical supervision and leadership to other psychologists delivering specialist interventions; and where indicated provide direct and indirect clinical interventions for individuals and families experiencing psychosis.
About us
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health & social care organisation dedicated to providing high quality care with compassion to improve the health & wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting & empowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services not only via inpatient and primary care setting but also with the community. These services include Children, Adult & Older Peoples mental & physical health, Forensic & Specialist mental health, Learning Disabilities, Primary Care & Liaison psychiatry, Substance misuse, Social care, Research & Development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high calibre candidates that share our vision & values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people & members of our ethnic minorities & LGBTQ+ communities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- To provide psychological assessments of clients referred to the locality team 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 clients care.
- To develop psychological formulations of presenting problems or situations that integrate information from assessments within a coherent framework that draws upon psychological theory and evidence and which incorporates interpersonal, societal, cultural and biological factors.
- To use psychological formulations to develop and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a clients mental health problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy, and to use these plans to inform and lead the work of non-psychology members of the team.
- To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses. This includes responsibility for the delivery of psychological interventions by all team members.
- To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family, carers or group.
- To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients, and manage and maintain a caseload in line with service guidelines and under the overall co-ordination of a Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
- To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.
- To 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 serving the client group.
- To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management in line with Trust and inter-agency policies and procedures.
- To communicate, in a skilled and sensitive manner, to clients, family carers and others as appropriate, information that may be contentious or highly distressing concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care.
- To monitor and evaluate progress during the course of both uni-and multi-disciplinary care, and to provide appropriate reports on this.
- To produce reports on clients, in a timely manner, that convey the key findings of psychological assessment and formulation and treatment outcome in a way that does justice to the complexity of the problems described, but that are understandable to the recipients of the reports, including clients and referrers.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- To provide psychological assessments of clients referred to the locality team 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 clients care.
- To develop psychological formulations of presenting problems or situations that integrate information from assessments within a coherent framework that draws upon psychological theory and evidence and which incorporates interpersonal, societal, cultural and biological factors.
- To use psychological formulations to develop and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a clients mental health problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy, and to use these plans to inform and lead the work of non-psychology members of the team.
- To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses. This includes responsibility for the delivery of psychological interventions by all team members.
- To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family, carers or group.
- To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients, and manage and maintain a caseload in line with service guidelines and under the overall co-ordination of a Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
- To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.
- To 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 serving the client group.
- To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management in line with Trust and inter-agency policies and procedures.
- To communicate, in a skilled and sensitive manner, to clients, family carers and others as appropriate, information that may be contentious or highly distressing concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care.
- To monitor and evaluate progress during the course of both uni-and multi-disciplinary care, and to provide appropriate reports on this.
- To produce reports on clients, in a timely manner, that convey the key findings of psychological assessment and formulation and treatment outcome in a way that does justice to the complexity of the problems described, but that are understandable to the recipients of the reports, including clients and referrers.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate level training in clinical / counselling psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical, psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS and HCPC
- Undertaken training in the supervision of trainee clinical psychologists
- Registered with Health and Care Professions Council as a practitioner psychologist
Desirable
- Chartered Psychologist
- Undertaken relevant post-doctoral training in working with clients with complex psychological needs
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience of working as a qualified clinical/counselling psychologist at post-qualification and specialist level
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients across the full range of adult mental health care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in-patient setting
- 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 teaching, training and/or supervision
Desirable
- Experience of delivering supervision to non-psychology MDT staff
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, psychological formulation, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. This requires the use of highly developed analytical and judgement skills.
- Skills in individual and group work and in programme planning.
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance, including regular supervision, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
- Willingness to be flexible, adaptable and innovative.
- High standard of report writing for communication with professionals from NHS, Local Authority and other agencies, parents/ carers and clients.
Desirable
- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists.
- High-level knowledge and skills in specialist neuropsychological assessment of adults.
- High-level knowledge and skills in working with carers.
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, psychological aspects of physical health difficulties, and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
- Knowledge concerning the management of qualified psychologists, including recruitment and retention, appraisals, and other HR policies and processes.
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of psychological medicine.
- Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the patient group and mental health.
Desirable
- Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups
- High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies. e.g. neuropsychology, CBT, CBTp, CAT, DBT, solution focused therapy, analytical therapy, systemic / family work, Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and compassion focussed approaches etc.
Physical Requirements
Essential
- Physical effort - ability to exert moderate physical effort during a session. Ability to sit for extended periods
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate level training in clinical / counselling psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical, psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS and HCPC
- Undertaken training in the supervision of trainee clinical psychologists
- Registered with Health and Care Professions Council as a practitioner psychologist
Desirable
- Chartered Psychologist
- Undertaken relevant post-doctoral training in working with clients with complex psychological needs
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience of working as a qualified clinical/counselling psychologist at post-qualification and specialist level
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients across the full range of adult mental health care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in-patient setting
- 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 teaching, training and/or supervision
Desirable
- Experience of delivering supervision to non-psychology MDT staff
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, psychological formulation, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. This requires the use of highly developed analytical and judgement skills.
- Skills in individual and group work and in programme planning.
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance, including regular supervision, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
- Willingness to be flexible, adaptable and innovative.
- High standard of report writing for communication with professionals from NHS, Local Authority and other agencies, parents/ carers and clients.
Desirable
- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists.
- High-level knowledge and skills in specialist neuropsychological assessment of adults.
- High-level knowledge and skills in working with carers.
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, psychological aspects of physical health difficulties, and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
- Knowledge concerning the management of qualified psychologists, including recruitment and retention, appraisals, and other HR policies and processes.
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of psychological medicine.
- Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the patient group and mental health.
Desirable
- Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups
- High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies. e.g. neuropsychology, CBT, CBTp, CAT, DBT, solution focused therapy, analytical therapy, systemic / family work, Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and compassion focussed approaches etc.
Physical Requirements
Essential
- Physical effort - ability to exert moderate physical effort during a session. Ability to sit for extended periods
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
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).
