Job summary
We are looking for a creative, forward thinking and motivated Principal Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical/Forensic) to join our friendly and professional multi-disciplinary team based at the Cavell Centre, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Recently our commissioners have provided investment into the Psychology pathway for our inpatient services to enable the development and delivery of more psychologically informed services and increase access to psychological assessment, intervention and therapy, in line with national guidance.
You will be part of a team of Psychologists led by a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. This psychology team works as part of our multidisciplinary adult mental health in-patient pathway. This is an exciting opportunity to become part of a dedicated growing team who make a difference to patients, carers and the teams you will work with. You will also play a key role in service development and evaluation.
You will be working alongside Clinical Psychologists on two wards (Treatment and Rehabilitation) and you will be supported by an Assistant Psychologist and a trainee Clinical Psychologist. There will be specific responsibilities and duties within each setting. You will have an exciting opportunity to contribute to developing the patient pathway across the adult inpatient service.
Main duties of the job
You will be able to showcase your therapy, assessment and formulation skills. Our service uses CBT, DBT, CFT, ACT and EMDR therapies. We are also in a position to support you to develop your therapy skills by offering training and supervision.
You will receive professional leadership support and line management from within a friendly and innovative multidisciplinary team.
CPFT is aligned with the University of Cambridge Department of Psychiatry which is internationally recognised as a leading Centre for research. The Trust also hosts the trainees for the UEA Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology and is active in teaching, examination and supervision of trainees. There is a wide range of professional development opportunities within the trust.
For further information and informal discussion please contact:
Dr Pedro Areias Grilo, Consultant Clinical Psychologist Pedro.AreiasGrilo@cpft.nhs.uk
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 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 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.
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 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 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.
Person Specification
Physical Requirements
Essential
- Physical effort - ability to exert moderate physical effort during a session. Ability to sit for extended periods
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
- Undertaken relevant post-doctoral training in working with clients with complex psychological needs
- Undertaken further training in specialised area: EMDR, CBT, CBTp, CBTpd, CAT, DBT, neuropsychology, SFT, systemic therapy
- Evidence of further training in leadership and management
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 (including people with psychosis and people with complex PTSD), 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
Desirable
- Experience of delivering supervision to non-psychology MDT staff
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
- Experience of working with people with severe and enduring mental illness within a secondary care setting
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
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.
- 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.
Person Specification
Physical Requirements
Essential
- Physical effort - ability to exert moderate physical effort during a session. Ability to sit for extended periods
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
- Undertaken relevant post-doctoral training in working with clients with complex psychological needs
- Undertaken further training in specialised area: EMDR, CBT, CBTp, CBTpd, CAT, DBT, neuropsychology, SFT, systemic therapy
- Evidence of further training in leadership and management
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 (including people with psychosis and people with complex PTSD), 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
Desirable
- Experience of delivering supervision to non-psychology MDT staff
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
- Experience of working with people with severe and enduring mental illness within a secondary care setting
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
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.
- 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.
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).
