Family Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Activities

To provide specialist systemic psychotherapy assessments and treatment including care planning to carers, families, couples and individuals referred with relationship and communication problems, including those with complex needs.

To ensure clinical notes are maintained to the agreed standard at all times and that clients are appropriately assessed, admitted, care planned and discharged.

To ensure clients have risk assessments and that risks are actively managed and communicated to relevant parties.

To manage a diary and take responsibility for their own caseload and bookings.

To act as a professional resource to the team.

To take part in weekly MDT and monthly local clinical governance meetings

To discern when it is appropriate to refer to and/or consult with other agencies such as social services, community mental health teams and other specialist agencies.

During the process of treatment, to continuously evaluate treatment/therapy options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual person, couple or family.

To provide specialist advice, guidance and consultation to the East of England Gambling Clinic and other professionals/agencies. This will include working with professional networks involved with complex cases, such as those involved with child protection and self-harm.

To support and maintain pathways around safeguarding and domestic abuse within the clinic.

To communicate and discuss information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care in a skilled and sensitive manner and to monitor and evaluate progress through responding effectively to feedback from members of the client system.

To liaise with and/or provide written reports to other professionals and agencies, such as GPs, Social Services, local treatment services, Schools and to work jointly with such agencies when required.

To apply knowledge and skills of cross-cultural therapeutic work in order to work effectively and sensitively with clients from a wide range of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds.

To work effectively and sensitively with issues of gender, sexuality, disability, class and age.

To apply a sound knowledge of child protection issues when working with clients and their families and identify when to refer to other agencies.

To facilitate Family and Friends group

Educational Activities

To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with clients with issues such as parenting difficulties where addiction and / or mental health issues might also be current

Service Development Activities

To take responsibility for maintaining up-to-date knowledge and skills in systemic practice.

To provide systemic perspectives as part of clinical team discussions and to train members of the MDT as required.

Professional Activities

Where relevant, to be responsible for maintaining live registration with own professional body, and ensuring personal professional development portfolio is in place to improve own practice

Research, Audit and Evaluation Activities

To participate in the annual Addictions audit cycle and ad hoc audits as requested

To ensure that recommendations arising from audits are implemented to ensure high quality service provision

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Post-graduate qualification in family/systemic psychotherapy
• Registration as a systemic psychotherapist with UKCP or equivalent body
• Evidence of continuing personal development

Desirable

• Post-registration training in the assessment and treatment of addiction clients.

Experience

Essential

• Substantial experience providing family therapy in an NHS setting
• Experience of working with families experiencing gambling issues
• Experience of working with complex clients and high conflict situations
• Familiar with clinical risk assessment and management of vulnerable client groups
• Experience of child protection, safeguarding and domestic abuse cases

Desirable

• Experience running groups

Skills and knowledge

Essential

• Ability to co-ordinate and deliver services within a multi-disciplinary setting
• Ability to undertake assessments and prioritise needs, including clients with complex mental and/or physical health problems
• Ability to use data systems and take responsibility for maintaining clinical notes and assessments
• Ability to apply analytical skills to multi-layered complex cases.

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Remote working - base in Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes

MK6 4JH

Employer's website

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