Systemic Psychotherapist / Family Therapist

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

Would you like to join a progressive, award winning, multi-disciplinary team spearheading innovative practices in the treatment of people with eating disorders?

We would like to invite applications for the exciting opportunity of Systemic Psychotherapist / Family Therapist based at the Eating Disorders Outpatients Department (EDOPD), Maudsley Hospital.

To provide a specialist systemic psychotherapy service to the eating disorders service including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes. This means providing systemic therapy to families/carers or other supporters whose loved ones are accessing different parts of our service/ treatment programme.

Main duties of the job

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment informed by systemic models and thinking.

To help the team draw on systemic ideas

To deliver skills sharing workshops for supporters following the New Maudsley Model of collaborative care.

To develop and deliver joint carer and patient workshops to facilitate transitions between inpatient and community services.

To receive and provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate.

To attend the monthly Carers' Pathway meeting to work together with colleagues, service users and carers to develop and evaluate the support we offer to those caring for a loved one with an eating disorder.

To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.

To contribute systematic thinking and therapy to patients accessing our innovative service pathways, such as the PEACE pathway for people with autism spectrum disorder or autism spectrum disorder traits, diabetes pathway, carers' pathway and personality pathway.

To work as an autonomous professional within UKCP/BACP/HCPC guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions with support of clinical supervisor.

About us

As part of the National Directorate the Eating Disorders day-Service and outpatient Service provides a catchment area service for residents covered by Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham, Croydon, Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley (population approximately 2 million). In addition, the service functions as a National referral centre. We have a 18 bed inpatient unit located in Tyson House at the Bethlem Royal Hospital outpatient and the day care service is based at Maudsley site. The inpatient unit is due to move to Maudsley site in 2023. The service receives a large number of referrals per year. Some patients access the service through a voluntary admission and others may receive treatment under the Mental Health Act. Service protocols are continuously reviewed and adapted according to new developments and understanding underpinned by research.

Date posted

12 September 2022

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,903 to £61,996 a year Per Annum Inc

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-PMOA-4482819-BT

Job locations

Maudsley Hospital

Denmark Hill

London

SE5 8AZ

Job description

Job responsibilities

KR 1 Clinical and Client Care

To support families to utilise a range of self-help tools developed in the service.
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 co-facilitate workshops and support groups for carers in person (where appropriate) and virtually.
To support patients and carers with a diverse range of comorbidities who are accessing our PEACE pathway for autism spectrum disorder symptoms, diabetes pathway for people with type 1 diabetes mellitus and eating disorders, carers pathway which provides support across our inpatient, outpatient and day services and the additional support we provide for people with additional care needs due to personality disorders.

KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning

To contribute to the effective working of the eating disorders service and to a psychotherapeutically informed framework for the service, contributing and collaboratively working with all MDT.
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 work closely and facilitate systemic care across the inpatient, day patient and outpatient care pathways of the eating disorders service.

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.

KR 5 Management and supervision

To supervise junior colleagues (e.g. nurses, assistant psychologists and therapy enablers) to draw on systemic models

KR 6 Teaching and Training

To provide 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 senior systemic psychotherapist.
To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with UKCP/BACP and the Association for Family Therapy or the HCPC, depending on your core professional and professional accreditation.
To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.
To comply with the UKCP/BACP or HCPC Standards or Code of Conduct, and ensure professional development in line with these.
To adhere to Trust policies and procedures.

KR10 General

To travel to other eating disorder services, community mental health teams, other professional sites involved in patient care as appropriate 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 situations such as challenging behaviour, high expressed emotions and to support others involved in such situations.
To be involved in Community Transformation and offering support to Community Teams
To be part of the Enhanced Treatment Team due to be piloted later this year.

Job description

Job responsibilities

KR 1 Clinical and Client Care

To support families to utilise a range of self-help tools developed in the service.
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 co-facilitate workshops and support groups for carers in person (where appropriate) and virtually.
To support patients and carers with a diverse range of comorbidities who are accessing our PEACE pathway for autism spectrum disorder symptoms, diabetes pathway for people with type 1 diabetes mellitus and eating disorders, carers pathway which provides support across our inpatient, outpatient and day services and the additional support we provide for people with additional care needs due to personality disorders.

KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning

To contribute to the effective working of the eating disorders service and to a psychotherapeutically informed framework for the service, contributing and collaboratively working with all MDT.
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 work closely and facilitate systemic care across the inpatient, day patient and outpatient care pathways of the eating disorders service.

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.

KR 5 Management and supervision

To supervise junior colleagues (e.g. nurses, assistant psychologists and therapy enablers) to draw on systemic models

KR 6 Teaching and Training

To provide 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 senior systemic psychotherapist.
To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with UKCP/BACP and the Association for Family Therapy or the HCPC, depending on your core professional and professional accreditation.
To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.
To comply with the UKCP/BACP or HCPC Standards or Code of Conduct, and ensure professional development in line with these.
To adhere to Trust policies and procedures.

KR10 General

To travel to other eating disorder services, community mental health teams, other professional sites involved in patient care as appropriate 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 situations such as challenging behaviour, high expressed emotions and to support others involved in such situations.
To be involved in Community Transformation and offering support to Community Teams
To be part of the Enhanced Treatment Team due to be piloted later this year.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Qualification and current registration as a Systemic Family Psychotherapist or equivalent qualification, accredited by UKCP/BACP or Clinical Psychologist with specialist family/carer work experience/expertise, registered with the HCPC
Post-graduate qualification in relevant mental health/social welfare profession and demonstrable practice in this field

Knowledge

Essential

Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for eating disorder treatment.
Advanced knowledge of a range of a range of systemic models in assessment and treatment, including knowledge of specific family and systemic theories and evidence
Post-graduate level knowledge of psychotherapeutic research methodology.
Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.

Desirable

Specialist knowledge of the risks associated with eating disorders (A/I)

Experience

Essential

Experience of psychotherapeutic assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in eating disorders
Experience of receiving professional supervision across a range of client needs.
Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience.

Desirable

Specialist experience of working with people with eating disorders and their families/carers
Specialist experience of supporting the MDT to draw on systemic ideas and models in the way they understand and support patients (A/I)

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Qualification and current registration as a Systemic Family Psychotherapist or equivalent qualification, accredited by UKCP/BACP or Clinical Psychologist with specialist family/carer work experience/expertise, registered with the HCPC
Post-graduate qualification in relevant mental health/social welfare profession and demonstrable practice in this field

Knowledge

Essential

Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for eating disorder treatment.
Advanced knowledge of a range of a range of systemic models in assessment and treatment, including knowledge of specific family and systemic theories and evidence
Post-graduate level knowledge of psychotherapeutic research methodology.
Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.

Desirable

Specialist knowledge of the risks associated with eating disorders (A/I)

Experience

Essential

Experience of psychotherapeutic assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in eating disorders
Experience of receiving professional supervision across a range of client needs.
Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience.

Desirable

Specialist experience of working with people with eating disorders and their families/carers
Specialist experience of supporting the MDT to draw on systemic ideas and models in the way they understand and support patients (A/I)

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).