Job summary
We are delighted to be recruiting a Clinical Associate Psychologist (CAP) to work in the Psychological Skills Service (PSS). CAPs are a key member of the PSS Team and provide trauma informed and evidence-based psychological assessments and formulation and deliver both individual and group interventions under the supervision of a registered practitioner psychologist. CAPs work semi-autonomously within their scope of practice, supporting individuals with complex and enduring mental health needs.
The Psychological Skills Service was developed as part of the Exemplar project in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS trust (CPFT). CPFT were chosen by NHS England as one of the national exemplar pilot sites for the redesign and transformation of primary and community mental health care.
The goal of this transformation project was to develop and deliver a new service paradigm that seeks to provide a more seamless pathway of mental health care and eliminate current gaps between services. The PSS is a trauma informed service, acknowledging that most clients referred to the service, have experienced some form of trauma in their lives.
Main duties of the job
As a Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP), you will be a core member of staff offering specialised psychological assessment and formulation for clients presenting with complex mental health. You will also provide evidence based psychological interventions (individual and group) appropriate to your skills and training, to target the many representations of complex trauma.
You will work alongside a Team Manager, Psychologist, Psychological Therapist, CAPs, Assistant Psychologist, Support Workers, and an Occupational Therapist. You will also work closely with the countywide consultant and principle psychologists and maintain close links with the other two PSS teams covering the county.
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.
Please be advised we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.
Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.
For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at www.cpft.nhs.uk.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
On a day-to-day basis, the role will involve the following tasks:
- Building relationships with the client with a view to build a therapeutic relationship.
- Deliver therapeutic interventions individual and group.
- Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a range of tasks. Including, but not limited to;
o Triage meetings
o Interface meeting
o Clinical meetings
o Peer Supervision Individual and group
- Effectively communicate the content of their clinical work to supervisors and make use of direct feedback and direction to ensure safety and maximise the effectiveness of their work.
- To consult with relevant external agencies such as primary care, social services, independent and voluntary sector, to facilitate and enable intervention at multiple levels.
- To ensure that risk is assessed and managed following Trust policies and procedures.
- To make independent day to day clinical decisions; judgement and based on detailed psychological assessments, within the scope of practice for Clinical Associate Psychologists. Highly complex decisions and issues of clinical risk should be discussed with HCPC registered Clinical supervisor.
- Provide written reports and assessments for clients and other agencies, including discharge letters of interventions carried out.
- Work alongside the Clinical leadership team to analyse complex data sets to audit and evaluate the service and ensure safe and effective treatments are provided across the Cambridge Mental Health network. Your data analysis will be a key part of how we decide if the project is effective and deciding whether we need to make changes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
On a day-to-day basis, the role will involve the following tasks:
- Building relationships with the client with a view to build a therapeutic relationship.
- Deliver therapeutic interventions individual and group.
- Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a range of tasks. Including, but not limited to;
o Triage meetings
o Interface meeting
o Clinical meetings
o Peer Supervision Individual and group
- Effectively communicate the content of their clinical work to supervisors and make use of direct feedback and direction to ensure safety and maximise the effectiveness of their work.
- To consult with relevant external agencies such as primary care, social services, independent and voluntary sector, to facilitate and enable intervention at multiple levels.
- To ensure that risk is assessed and managed following Trust policies and procedures.
- To make independent day to day clinical decisions; judgement and based on detailed psychological assessments, within the scope of practice for Clinical Associate Psychologists. Highly complex decisions and issues of clinical risk should be discussed with HCPC registered Clinical supervisor.
- Provide written reports and assessments for clients and other agencies, including discharge letters of interventions carried out.
- Work alongside the Clinical leadership team to analyse complex data sets to audit and evaluate the service and ensure safe and effective treatments are provided across the Cambridge Mental Health network. Your data analysis will be a key part of how we decide if the project is effective and deciding whether we need to make changes.
Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential
- Completed BPS [British Psychological Society] accredited CAP apprenticeship training programme including EPA to IFA standards
Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients in adult community settings
- Experience of working with complex presentations
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- Experience of applying and analyse a range of research approaches including both qualitative and quantitative methods in clinical practice
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Ability to communicate effectively, share information and check understanding using clear language and appropriate, written materials, making reasonable adjustments where appropriate in order to optimise people's understanding.
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, psychological formulation, intervention and management
- Skills in self-management, including time-management, planning, prioritising, problem solving and reasoning.
Desirable
- Understand how to analyse and appraise key theoretical concepts of psychological models of treatment both at individual and group level recognised in evidence-based national guidelines
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- An interest in models of service delivery, and an ability to articulate the value added by psychology services within the context of multi-disciplinary services
- Able to assess limits of professional boundaries and capacity and understand when to seek appropriate supervision/advice on practice and whom to refer to so as to ensure best care
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
Other
Essential
- Skilled in continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge and skills
Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential
- Completed BPS [British Psychological Society] accredited CAP apprenticeship training programme including EPA to IFA standards
Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients in adult community settings
- Experience of working with complex presentations
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- Experience of applying and analyse a range of research approaches including both qualitative and quantitative methods in clinical practice
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Ability to communicate effectively, share information and check understanding using clear language and appropriate, written materials, making reasonable adjustments where appropriate in order to optimise people's understanding.
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, psychological formulation, intervention and management
- Skills in self-management, including time-management, planning, prioritising, problem solving and reasoning.
Desirable
- Understand how to analyse and appraise key theoretical concepts of psychological models of treatment both at individual and group level recognised in evidence-based national guidelines
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- An interest in models of service delivery, and an ability to articulate the value added by psychology services within the context of multi-disciplinary services
- Able to assess limits of professional boundaries and capacity and understand when to seek appropriate supervision/advice on practice and whom to refer to so as to ensure best care
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
Other
Essential
- Skilled in continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge and skills
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).
