Job summary
To provide a qualified specialist clinical psychology service to children and young people referred to the Multi-disciplinary Westminster CAMHS team, based in the Neurodevelopmental Subteam. Providing specialist psychological assessment and therapy to service users and their families/carers and advice and consultation on their psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and the professional network involved in their support. To lead in the co-ordination of comprehensive specialist assessments for social communication difficulties across the multidisciplinary team, including completing the ADOS and 3Di training if not already done. The post holder will be closely supervised by the Lead Psychologist of the service and will start at a lower banding in order to develop in this post with high level of supervision. The successful candidate will work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures They will utilise research skills for audit to support policy and service development; and undertake research within the area served by the service and of relevance to young people, their families and carers.
This is a band 7 to band 8a development opportunity, and funding has been secured for appointed candidates to progress to a band 8a Senior Clinical Psychologist position once agreed clinical and leadership competencies have been met.
Main duties of the job
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
You will provide highly specialist psychological assessment and therapy to service users and their families/carers, and offer advice and consultation on their psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and the professional network involved in their support. You will lead in the co-ordination of comprehensive specialist assessments for social communication difficulties across the multidisciplinary team, including completing the ADOS and 3Di training if not already done. You will be closely supervised by the Lead Psychologist of the service. As the successful candidate, you will work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures. You will utilize research skills for audit to support policy and service development, and undertake research within the area served by the service and of relevance to young people, their families, and carers.
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About us
CNWL Westminster CAMHS (Central North West London; Westminster, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) provides mental and emotional health specialist services for children and young people up to 18 years old their families and carers.
We are a team of specialist clinicians, therapists and nurses supporting children, young people and their families and carers. We offer support including in-person, individual, on-line and group therapy, talking therapy, art therapy, family therapy, treatments, and urgent care.
We provide help to those who are experiencing difficult thoughts, feelings and experiences, emotional, behavioural and relationship difficulties in family life, school or the wider world.These include bullying, eating difficulties, family issues, anger, sadness, worry, finding it hard to concentrate or sit still, trouble with friends, unusual thoughts and more.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is a list of the main responsibilities. To see a complete list please see the attached JD/ Person Spec document in this post.
Job description
Job responsibilities
This is a list of the main responsibilities. To see a complete list please see the attached JD/ Person Spec document in this post.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate level training in clinical psychology including: Models of psychopathology, Clinical psychometrics o Neuropsychology, Two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
- CBT training
- HCPC Registration as a clinical psychologist
Desirable
- Additional training/qualifications in relevant CAMHS assessment and treatment approaches, including training and experience with ADOS and 3Di
- Safeguarding children training
- Experience of working with NDT population in CAMHS context
- Supervision of other psychologists
Experience
Essential
- Experience of a training placement in CAMHS
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of delivering mental health awareness and bespoke CAMHS training to non CAMHS professionals
- Experience of delivering training to colleagues
Desirable
- Proficiency in implementing a wide range of psychological interventions for young people and their families.
- Capability to offer highly specialized cognitive behavioral treatments, including third-wave approaches, for young people with severe, complex, and enduring psychological difficulties.
- Demonstrating autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment, and discharge of young people.
- Experience of managing and supervising others in a clinical and performance management context including appraisals
- Supervising core and specialist clinical placements for trainee clinical psychologists, ensuring they acquire necessary skills, competencies, and experience.
- Experience of developing bespoke training packages for non CAMHS professionals
- Experience in providing specialist psychology consultation input in network meetings.
Core Competencies
Essential
- Able to confidently and competently undertake generic and emergency CAMHS assessment
- Understands developmental issues for children and able to adapt interventions accordingly
- Understands the need for and able to competently assess risk
- Understands individual and service safeguarding responsibilities, policy and procedure
- Understands the elements of effective engagement and can apply these to working practice
- Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication
- Able to foster strong therapeutic alliances
- Understanding of and commitment to the principles and practices of CYP IAT
- Understanding of and commitment to service user involvement, patient led care and choice
- Understands the need for and has experience of undertaking family and parenting work as part of CAMHS support
- Understands the importance of assessment that explores and considers individual cultural identity and associated support needs.
- Experience of providing consultation and liaison support to colleagues, referral agencies and services responsible for the care, support and wellbeing of service users and their families/carers
- Able to promote self management and recovery by working with service users and their families to understand their condition and identify and reinforce strengths, resources and coping skills
- Able to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, actively engaging in and supporting duty and emergency rota's, peer support, training and skills development
- Able to build strong partnerships with external agencies and develop effective joint planning and support arrangements
- Able to effectively liaise and communicate with external agencies to complete assessments, coordinate care plans and implement support
- Able to confidently and safely plan for and manage change and transition
- Actively uses supervision and opportunities for development of skills
- Experience of supervising trainee and junior Psychologists to deliver both individual and group therapy
Desirable
- Professional Development: Increased expectation of actively using supervision and opportunities for the development of skills. Additionally, more comprehensive supervision of clinical psychologist trainee and assistant psychologists is expected.
- Mental Health Assessment: Higher level of confidence and competence in undertaking generic and urgent CAMHS assessments, potentially dealing with more complex cases.
- Interdisciplinary Work and Partnerships: Increased emphasis on working effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team and building strong partnerships with external agencies.
Specialist Competencies
Essential
- Experience of undertaking specialist psychological assessment at a level appropriate to the job
- Experience of undertaking specialist psychological assessment of children and young people with disabilities, mental health problems and challenging behaviour
- To be able to provide cognitive assessments such as WISC-V as well as support with integrating the results into a wider formulation
- Ability to apply CBT techniques and principles effectively, demonstrating a sound understanding of the theoretical underpinnings and evidence base of CBT.
- Competence in formulating and implementing CBT treatment plans based on an appropriate conceptual framework and employing methods based on evidence of efficacy.
- Competence in designing and facilitating group therapy sessions for clients with severe, complex, and enduring psychological difficulties.
Desirable
- Psychometric Assessment: Demonstrates advanced proficiency in selecting, administering, and interpreting a wide range of psychometric assessments appropriate for children and young people, ensuring assessments are culturally sensitive and adapted for diverse populations. Trained/ knowledge of ADOS & 3Di training.
- Demonstrates advanced proficiency in conducting individual CBT sessions for clients presenting with severe, complex, and enduring psychological difficulties. This includes the ability to apply a wide range of CBT techniques and principles with a high level of expertise
- Complex Case Management: Has expertise in managing complex cases, often involving multiple co-morbidities and intricate psychosocial factors.
- Demonstrates advanced competence in designing and facilitating group therapy sessions. This includes the ability to manage complex group dynamics and address challenging interactions.
Administration and Record Keeping
Essential
- Able to use word and excel to write reports and analyse and present basic data
- Competent in the use of clinical recording systems such as SystmOne
- Understands the process for keeping safe, secure and relevant clinical records
- Able to use email to support effective communication in line with CNWL policy
- Able to use Microsoft PowerPoint and other communication methods to support the delivery of high quality, engaging training and presentations
Desirable
- Superuser in the use of clinical recording systems such as SystmOne.
- Understands the process for keeping safe, secure and relevant clinical records
- Able to arrange IT set up for new starters and clinical psychologist trainees
Attitude, Aptitude and Personal Characteristics
Essential
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
- Treats service users with respect and dignity at all times
- Enthusiastic, flexible and confident approach to working
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Willingness and ability to learn new skills and adapt to change
- Honesty, enthusiasm and a sense of loyalty
- Conducts self in a professional, courteous manner at all times and able to maintain professionalism in an often emotionally challenging environment
Desirable
- The candidate is expected to demonstrate even greater proficiency in building therapeutic relationships, especially with complex and challenging cases, as well as expectation of even greater proficiency, particularly in areas related to leadership, decision-making, and the ability to handle complex and emotionally challenging situations.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate level training in clinical psychology including: Models of psychopathology, Clinical psychometrics o Neuropsychology, Two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
- CBT training
- HCPC Registration as a clinical psychologist
Desirable
- Additional training/qualifications in relevant CAMHS assessment and treatment approaches, including training and experience with ADOS and 3Di
- Safeguarding children training
- Experience of working with NDT population in CAMHS context
- Supervision of other psychologists
Experience
Essential
- Experience of a training placement in CAMHS
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of delivering mental health awareness and bespoke CAMHS training to non CAMHS professionals
- Experience of delivering training to colleagues
Desirable
- Proficiency in implementing a wide range of psychological interventions for young people and their families.
- Capability to offer highly specialized cognitive behavioral treatments, including third-wave approaches, for young people with severe, complex, and enduring psychological difficulties.
- Demonstrating autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment, and discharge of young people.
- Experience of managing and supervising others in a clinical and performance management context including appraisals
- Supervising core and specialist clinical placements for trainee clinical psychologists, ensuring they acquire necessary skills, competencies, and experience.
- Experience of developing bespoke training packages for non CAMHS professionals
- Experience in providing specialist psychology consultation input in network meetings.
Core Competencies
Essential
- Able to confidently and competently undertake generic and emergency CAMHS assessment
- Understands developmental issues for children and able to adapt interventions accordingly
- Understands the need for and able to competently assess risk
- Understands individual and service safeguarding responsibilities, policy and procedure
- Understands the elements of effective engagement and can apply these to working practice
- Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication
- Able to foster strong therapeutic alliances
- Understanding of and commitment to the principles and practices of CYP IAT
- Understanding of and commitment to service user involvement, patient led care and choice
- Understands the need for and has experience of undertaking family and parenting work as part of CAMHS support
- Understands the importance of assessment that explores and considers individual cultural identity and associated support needs.
- Experience of providing consultation and liaison support to colleagues, referral agencies and services responsible for the care, support and wellbeing of service users and their families/carers
- Able to promote self management and recovery by working with service users and their families to understand their condition and identify and reinforce strengths, resources and coping skills
- Able to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team, actively engaging in and supporting duty and emergency rota's, peer support, training and skills development
- Able to build strong partnerships with external agencies and develop effective joint planning and support arrangements
- Able to effectively liaise and communicate with external agencies to complete assessments, coordinate care plans and implement support
- Able to confidently and safely plan for and manage change and transition
- Actively uses supervision and opportunities for development of skills
- Experience of supervising trainee and junior Psychologists to deliver both individual and group therapy
Desirable
- Professional Development: Increased expectation of actively using supervision and opportunities for the development of skills. Additionally, more comprehensive supervision of clinical psychologist trainee and assistant psychologists is expected.
- Mental Health Assessment: Higher level of confidence and competence in undertaking generic and urgent CAMHS assessments, potentially dealing with more complex cases.
- Interdisciplinary Work and Partnerships: Increased emphasis on working effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team and building strong partnerships with external agencies.
Specialist Competencies
Essential
- Experience of undertaking specialist psychological assessment at a level appropriate to the job
- Experience of undertaking specialist psychological assessment of children and young people with disabilities, mental health problems and challenging behaviour
- To be able to provide cognitive assessments such as WISC-V as well as support with integrating the results into a wider formulation
- Ability to apply CBT techniques and principles effectively, demonstrating a sound understanding of the theoretical underpinnings and evidence base of CBT.
- Competence in formulating and implementing CBT treatment plans based on an appropriate conceptual framework and employing methods based on evidence of efficacy.
- Competence in designing and facilitating group therapy sessions for clients with severe, complex, and enduring psychological difficulties.
Desirable
- Psychometric Assessment: Demonstrates advanced proficiency in selecting, administering, and interpreting a wide range of psychometric assessments appropriate for children and young people, ensuring assessments are culturally sensitive and adapted for diverse populations. Trained/ knowledge of ADOS & 3Di training.
- Demonstrates advanced proficiency in conducting individual CBT sessions for clients presenting with severe, complex, and enduring psychological difficulties. This includes the ability to apply a wide range of CBT techniques and principles with a high level of expertise
- Complex Case Management: Has expertise in managing complex cases, often involving multiple co-morbidities and intricate psychosocial factors.
- Demonstrates advanced competence in designing and facilitating group therapy sessions. This includes the ability to manage complex group dynamics and address challenging interactions.
Administration and Record Keeping
Essential
- Able to use word and excel to write reports and analyse and present basic data
- Competent in the use of clinical recording systems such as SystmOne
- Understands the process for keeping safe, secure and relevant clinical records
- Able to use email to support effective communication in line with CNWL policy
- Able to use Microsoft PowerPoint and other communication methods to support the delivery of high quality, engaging training and presentations
Desirable
- Superuser in the use of clinical recording systems such as SystmOne.
- Understands the process for keeping safe, secure and relevant clinical records
- Able to arrange IT set up for new starters and clinical psychologist trainees
Attitude, Aptitude and Personal Characteristics
Essential
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
- Treats service users with respect and dignity at all times
- Enthusiastic, flexible and confident approach to working
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Willingness and ability to learn new skills and adapt to change
- Honesty, enthusiasm and a sense of loyalty
- Conducts self in a professional, courteous manner at all times and able to maintain professionalism in an often emotionally challenging environment
Desirable
- The candidate is expected to demonstrate even greater proficiency in building therapeutic relationships, especially with complex and challenging cases, as well as expectation of even greater proficiency, particularly in areas related to leadership, decision-making, and the ability to handle complex and emotionally challenging situations.
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).
