Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Lewisham Personality Disorder Service. The service aims to improve patients' well-being and personality functioning. The main treatments consist of weekly individual and group therapy over 18-months: MBT and Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP). The post-holder would join the MBT arm of the service. We would provide training and supervision. S/he would assess patients and deliver individual and group MBT.
The postholder will consult to and support CMHTs delivering Structured Clinical Management in Tier 2.Training of the postholder in SCM can be provided.
S/he would co-facilitate a SUN group up to once a week. 'Service User Network' groups are coping skills and crisis planning groups. SUN groups have a containing structure, drawing on the ideas and experiences of the group members to support each other. We will train the postholder in SUN and SCM.
The post holder would need clincial/counselling psychology or psychotherapy as well as experience of working with this patient group psychotherapeutically and broad mental health experience. We value diversity and welcome applicants from a BME background.
Main duties of the job
- Deliver MBT individually and in groups.
- Act as link with a neighbourhood's community mental health teams, attending meetings, discussing referrals and offering advice on patients who may have a personality disorder
- Facilitate Structured Clinical Management (SCM) in a neighbourhood CMHT.
- Co-facilitate a SUN group.
About us
The service was launched in 2021. There are 13 clinicians: psychotherapists, clinical and counselling psychologists, psychiatrist, OT and employment worker, two part-time administrators. We are a supportive team, with an ethos of collaboration .
Lewisham is a multi-ethnic London borough with good transport links. The service will be moving to the Wallace Centre between Deptford High Street and Greenwich town centre.
Benefits
We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and believe in a healthy work-life balance. We want you to feel part of a close-knit team, to feel valued. Our benefits package includes:
- Generous pay, pensions and leave, dependent on the role and length of service.
- Work life balance, flexible working and flexible options, such as: part-time working and job sharing.
- Career development, opportunities to progress and we support your development through mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes
- Car lease, our staff benefit from competitive deals to lease cars
- Accommodation, our staff benefit from keyworker housing which is available on selected sites
- Counselling
- Wellbeing events
- Cycle to work scheme
- Season ticket loan
- Childcare vouchers
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
- To provide specialist psychotherapeutic assessments and interventions for clients in the Lewisham Personality Disorders Service at Band 7, i.e. achievable by newly-qualified psychotherapists or psychologists after a few months on-the-job training.
- To provide culturally appropriate psychotherapeutic interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
- To act as keyworker, taking responsibility for reviewing care plans, and arranging meetings.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
- To contribute to the effective working of the Lewisham Personality Disorders Service and to a psychotherapeutically informed framework for the service.
- To contribute to the team or services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.
- To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services.
- To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans.
KR 3 Policy and service development
- To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes.
- To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.
- To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects.
KR 4 Care or management of resources
- To take care of, and use carefully, the Trusts equipment and physical resources.
- To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.
KR 5 Management and supervision
- To supervise trainee psychotherapists or applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Supervision Training.
- To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of an assistant psychologist if required, under supervision from a more senior psychologist.
KR 6 Teaching and Training
- To provide occasional specialist training in psychotherapeutic approaches to care to other professions as appropriate.
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and reports.
KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance
- To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
- To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
KR 8 Research and development
- To undertake regular complex service evaluation, audits or research relevant to service needs.
KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development
- To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychotherapist or psychologist according to the relevant professional body and Trust guidelines.
- To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPC/UKCP/BACP for psychotherapists and the HCPC/BPS for psychologists, and for both the Trust Personal Development Plan requirements.
- To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.
- To adhere to Trust policies and procedures.
Psychotherapists:
- To comply with the BPC/UKCP/BACP (depending which registered with) Standards or Code of Conduct, and ensure professional development in line with these.
Psychologists:
- To comply with the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Standards of Proficiency, and ensure professional development in line with these.
- To adhere to the BPSs Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.
KR10 General
- To travel to home visits, community team bases, team meetings, inpatient units and across the Trust when required.
- To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow trust policies relating to its management.
- To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing such as challenging behaviour and to support others involved in such situations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
- To provide specialist psychotherapeutic assessments and interventions for clients in the Lewisham Personality Disorders Service at Band 7, i.e. achievable by newly-qualified psychotherapists or psychologists after a few months on-the-job training.
- To provide culturally appropriate psychotherapeutic interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
- To act as keyworker, taking responsibility for reviewing care plans, and arranging meetings.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
- To contribute to the effective working of the Lewisham Personality Disorders Service and to a psychotherapeutically informed framework for the service.
- To contribute to the team or services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.
- To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services.
- To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans.
KR 3 Policy and service development
- To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes.
- To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.
- To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects.
KR 4 Care or management of resources
- To take care of, and use carefully, the Trusts equipment and physical resources.
- To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.
KR 5 Management and supervision
- To supervise trainee psychotherapists or applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Supervision Training.
- To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of an assistant psychologist if required, under supervision from a more senior psychologist.
KR 6 Teaching and Training
- To provide occasional specialist training in psychotherapeutic approaches to care to other professions as appropriate.
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and reports.
KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance
- To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
- To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
KR 8 Research and development
- To undertake regular complex service evaluation, audits or research relevant to service needs.
KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development
- To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychotherapist or psychologist according to the relevant professional body and Trust guidelines.
- To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPC/UKCP/BACP for psychotherapists and the HCPC/BPS for psychologists, and for both the Trust Personal Development Plan requirements.
- To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.
- To adhere to Trust policies and procedures.
Psychotherapists:
- To comply with the BPC/UKCP/BACP (depending which registered with) Standards or Code of Conduct, and ensure professional development in line with these.
Psychologists:
- To comply with the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Standards of Proficiency, and ensure professional development in line with these.
- To adhere to the BPSs Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.
KR10 General
- To travel to home visits, community team bases, team meetings, inpatient units and across the Trust when required.
- To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow trust policies relating to its management.
- To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing such as challenging behaviour and to support others involved in such situations.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- PSYCHOLOGISTS: Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) and registered with HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist. Clinical psychologist: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent; Counselling psychologist: MSc and PG Diploma in Counselling Psychology; Or PSYCHOTHERAPISTS: Entry-level qualification in Psychotherapy and registered with the BPC/UKCP/BACP as Psychotherapist. (A/I)
Desirable
- Training and/or qualification in MBT
- Practitioner qualification in a specific approach for working with personality disorders
- Professional registration as a Registered Mental Health Nurse, Mental Health Social Worker, or Occupational Therapist, registered with NMC, HCPC or Social Work England or equivalent mental health experience.
- Supervisor qualification relating to staff working with patients with personality disorder (AI).
Experience
Essential
- Experience of psychotherapeutic assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
- Experience of working therapeutically with patients with a personality disorder at primary, secondary or tertiary level.
- Experience that supports working with issues of diversity gained through work, research, volunteering or lived experience. (A/I)
Desirable
- Experience of delivering MBT
- Experience of delivering a therapeutic approach for patients with a personality disorder (A/I) such as MBT, TFP, SUN project, Structure Clinical Management or Therapeutic Community.
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- To carry out specialist psychotherapeutic assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources. (A/I/R)
- To communicate complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers including emotional difficulties, and hostility to or rejection of information and to communicate clearly in writing
- Knowledge of child and adult safeguarding procedures
Desirable
- Post-graduate level knowledge of psychotherapeutic research methodology
Abilities
Essential
- Ability to manage stressful situations such as working with people who engage in self-harm or are verbally challenging with high expressed emotion.
- Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to team functioning. (A/I/R)
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- PSYCHOLOGISTS: Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) and registered with HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist. Clinical psychologist: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent; Counselling psychologist: MSc and PG Diploma in Counselling Psychology; Or PSYCHOTHERAPISTS: Entry-level qualification in Psychotherapy and registered with the BPC/UKCP/BACP as Psychotherapist. (A/I)
Desirable
- Training and/or qualification in MBT
- Practitioner qualification in a specific approach for working with personality disorders
- Professional registration as a Registered Mental Health Nurse, Mental Health Social Worker, or Occupational Therapist, registered with NMC, HCPC or Social Work England or equivalent mental health experience.
- Supervisor qualification relating to staff working with patients with personality disorder (AI).
Experience
Essential
- Experience of psychotherapeutic assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
- Experience of working therapeutically with patients with a personality disorder at primary, secondary or tertiary level.
- Experience that supports working with issues of diversity gained through work, research, volunteering or lived experience. (A/I)
Desirable
- Experience of delivering MBT
- Experience of delivering a therapeutic approach for patients with a personality disorder (A/I) such as MBT, TFP, SUN project, Structure Clinical Management or Therapeutic Community.
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- To carry out specialist psychotherapeutic assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources. (A/I/R)
- To communicate complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers including emotional difficulties, and hostility to or rejection of information and to communicate clearly in writing
- Knowledge of child and adult safeguarding procedures
Desirable
- Post-graduate level knowledge of psychotherapeutic research methodology
Abilities
Essential
- Ability to manage stressful situations such as working with people who engage in self-harm or are verbally challenging with high expressed emotion.
- Ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to team functioning. (A/I/R)
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).
