Job summary
The post is based within an innovative team focussed on working with people with atypical healthcare utilisation. Applications will be welcomed from practitioner psychologists with an interest in working with people with persistent physical symptoms or complex presentations. Applications will also be considered from a band 7 to 8a preceptorship to a recently qualified psychologist. Psychologists in the team offer assessment and formulation for patients, working closely with Mental Health Practitioners to provide psychologically informed support through individual and group based supervision. Postholders may also carry a small caseload of two or three therapy patients.
Main duties of the job
This is a diverse role, offering a range of opportunities for psychologists interested in physical health or complex presentations. Working closely with Primary Care Network colleagues, postholders act as a specialist source of consultation and advice. Psychologists in the team have an opportunity to develop experience in supervision of practitioners one to one and in a group and deliver training to other disciplines. Many of the people using the service may find therapy difficult to engage in, and hence most of the work is psychologically informed through Liaison Mental Health Practitioners, however the post holder can carry a caseload of two to three ongoing therapy cases in addition to offering assessment and formulation of patients entering the service.
About us
Pennine Care as an organisation sits to the east of Greater Manchester, covering the boroughs of Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport and Tameside.
Psychological Medicine in Primary Care in Stockport has been established since 2017 to provide a service to people with atypical healthcare utilisation, whose needs may have been unmet for some time. The consequential distress experienced by the patient group can be difficult for physical healthcare colleagues to manage and hence the service works supportively with other teams. The service has an MDT approach, with consultant psychiatry, psychology and liaison practitioners (who may have a background of social work, nursing and OT ) working together to best meet the needs of patients.
Psychological Medicine Services across the trust have been developing over the last 20 years. They provide a supportive network encouraging learning and innovation. Staff working in the teams are encouraged and supported to develop their skills through specialist therapeutic training with an evidence base relevant to the client group. Current psychological therapists have chosen to extend learning in EMDR, ACT, Psychodynamic Interpersonal Therapy and CAT.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached job description and person specification for further details on the post requirements.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached job description and person specification for further details on the post requirements.
Person Specification
training and qualifications
Essential
- Post-Graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or equivalent for those trained prior to 1996)
- specific models of psychopathology/mental health, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
- Training relevant to working with Physical Health Conditions and or personality difficulties
Experience
Essential
- Experience working as a qualified specialist clinical psychologist.
- Post qualification experience of psychological assessment, intervention and management working with a wide range of clinical presentations. These should include complex, long-term co-morbid physical health conditions and/ OR complex mental health conditions
- Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threats of physical abuse
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified clinical psychologist and within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan
- Experience of teaching and training
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
- Experience of assessing and treating patients across the full range of care settings, including both those with complex mental health needs and those with complex physical health conditions, would be helpful but not essential
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of supervising other health care professionals. Experienced in group therapies
konwledge and skills
Essential
- Evidence of post doctoral learning and the development of knowledge of theory and practice in relation to the psychology of adjustment to illness, role of distress in interfering with treatment and recovery, adherence to and decision making about treatment and lifestyle changes to improve and maintain health.
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialist psychological therapies with complex patient groups (e.g. those with long term co-morbid physical and mental health problems, history of trauma and abuse)
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practice within the field of clinical psychology
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the patient group and mental health
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS
- An interest in developing skills in working with patients from a broad range of ethnic backgrounds
- An interest in developing skills in group work
- An interest in developing skills in pain management
Desirable
- Highly skilled in working with complex patients in groups and managing group dynamics in the face of highly emotive issues.
- Formal training in supervision of other Psychologist.
- Enthusiasm for treating those from diverse ethnic backgrounds and experience of working within a multicultural framework.
other
Essential
- Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours.
- Ability to identify and employ, as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
- Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings
- Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs
- Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust's Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
- DBS check
Person Specification
training and qualifications
Essential
- Post-Graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or equivalent for those trained prior to 1996)
- specific models of psychopathology/mental health, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
- Training relevant to working with Physical Health Conditions and or personality difficulties
Experience
Essential
- Experience working as a qualified specialist clinical psychologist.
- Post qualification experience of psychological assessment, intervention and management working with a wide range of clinical presentations. These should include complex, long-term co-morbid physical health conditions and/ OR complex mental health conditions
- Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threats of physical abuse
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified clinical psychologist and within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan
- Experience of teaching and training
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
- Experience of assessing and treating patients across the full range of care settings, including both those with complex mental health needs and those with complex physical health conditions, would be helpful but not essential
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of supervising other health care professionals. Experienced in group therapies
konwledge and skills
Essential
- Evidence of post doctoral learning and the development of knowledge of theory and practice in relation to the psychology of adjustment to illness, role of distress in interfering with treatment and recovery, adherence to and decision making about treatment and lifestyle changes to improve and maintain health.
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialist psychological therapies with complex patient groups (e.g. those with long term co-morbid physical and mental health problems, history of trauma and abuse)
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practice within the field of clinical psychology
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the patient group and mental health
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS
- An interest in developing skills in working with patients from a broad range of ethnic backgrounds
- An interest in developing skills in group work
- An interest in developing skills in pain management
Desirable
- Highly skilled in working with complex patients in groups and managing group dynamics in the face of highly emotive issues.
- Formal training in supervision of other Psychologist.
- Enthusiasm for treating those from diverse ethnic backgrounds and experience of working within a multicultural framework.
other
Essential
- Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours.
- Ability to identify and employ, as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
- Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings
- Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs
- Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust's Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
- DBS check
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).
