Job summary
We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic assistant psychologist to work in the National Autism Unit (NAU), a 15 bedded inpatient unit for autistic men with additional mental health difficulties and/or behaviours of concern.
Clinical work on the unit is varied, and includes individual assessment and therapeutic intervention, behavioural input, intervention with family members and group work.
Service development is promoted and you will be supported to undertake a range of activities alongside colleagues including audit, research and other development activities. A wide range of CPD opportunities are available including a weekly Education and Research meeting.
Main duties of the job
- To assist Practitioner Psychologists in the delivery of specialist applied psychology service
- To carry out individual assessments and interventions as required by the service, under the close clinical and professional supervision of a senior Practitioner Psychologist.
- To coordinate and deliver psychology groups as required.
- To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
- To work at appropriate levels of independence, following clinical guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, while closely supervised and seeking help from clinical/professional supervisor or manager as required.
About us
You will join a supportive multi-disciplinary team which includes nursing staff, occupational therapists, social worker, consultant psychiatrists, a speech and language therapist and administrators. The Psychology and Psychotherapy staff team includes a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, arts psychotherapist and consultant clinical psychologist. We also host trainee clinical psychologists.
The NAU is part of wider neurodevelopmental services, including national specialist outpatient clinics providing diagnostic assessments, medication and psychological interventions for adults with autism and/or ADHD; local autism and ADHD diagnostic and post-diagnostic support services; and the Transforming Care in Autism service, supporting the implementation of the Transforming Care policy locally. There are strong links with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at Kings college London.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
- To support psychological assessments for clients, family members and others involved in the clients care in the NAU under the close supervision of a Practitioner Psychologist including psychometric and neuropsychological assessments and treatment suitability assessments, in conjunction with multi-disciplinary colleagues.
- To participate as a team member in the delivery of individual psychological interventions for clients in the NAU including individual therapeutic work
- To arrange, schedule and provide protocol based group psychological interventions for clients on the NAU including the coordination and delivery of psychological intervention and psycho-education groups.
- To assist the psychologists in the development of individual or group clinical materials or training materials.
- To arrange, schedule and co-facilitate training to carers or employees of partner agencies in order to support the clinical work with clients.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
- To contribute to the effective working of the NAU by contributing to collection and audit of routine clinical outcome measures.
- To act in a manner that supports a psychologically informed framework for the service.
- To participate in the team or services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse communities.
KR 3 Policy and service development
- To attend meetings in which service developments regarding the improvement of the therapeutic environment and client care are planned and discussed.
- To participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the post-holders professional manager.
- To follow policies and procedures in own area of work
- To participate in the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.
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 supplies as needed.
KR 5 Teaching and Training
- To undertake training relevant to the post in agreement with the psychologist and the team leader.
- To contribute to the training and support of other staff in developing psychological care of clients in the service.
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations or published articles.
KR 6 Record-keeping and Information Governance
- To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
- Under the supervision of the Practitioner Psychologist, to maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
- To maintain databases and enter data, and perform analyses and produce reports.
KR 7 Research and development
- To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects to inform the service psychologists and others in the development of Trust psychology and other services, training provision and research activities.
- To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
- To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist in the development in the Trust of evidence based practice.
- Under guidance to conduct surveys with service users and carers to gather views on service provision
KR 8 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development
- To receive regular clinical and professional supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines
- To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post-holder is employed.
- To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
- To undertake personal training relevant to the post in agreement with the supervising psychologist and the manager.
KR 9 General
- To travel 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, including challenging behaviour and clients experiencing significant distress, and to support others involved in such situations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
- To support psychological assessments for clients, family members and others involved in the clients care in the NAU under the close supervision of a Practitioner Psychologist including psychometric and neuropsychological assessments and treatment suitability assessments, in conjunction with multi-disciplinary colleagues.
- To participate as a team member in the delivery of individual psychological interventions for clients in the NAU including individual therapeutic work
- To arrange, schedule and provide protocol based group psychological interventions for clients on the NAU including the coordination and delivery of psychological intervention and psycho-education groups.
- To assist the psychologists in the development of individual or group clinical materials or training materials.
- To arrange, schedule and co-facilitate training to carers or employees of partner agencies in order to support the clinical work with clients.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
- To contribute to the effective working of the NAU by contributing to collection and audit of routine clinical outcome measures.
- To act in a manner that supports a psychologically informed framework for the service.
- To participate in the team or services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse communities.
KR 3 Policy and service development
- To attend meetings in which service developments regarding the improvement of the therapeutic environment and client care are planned and discussed.
- To participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the post-holders professional manager.
- To follow policies and procedures in own area of work
- To participate in the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.
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 supplies as needed.
KR 5 Teaching and Training
- To undertake training relevant to the post in agreement with the psychologist and the team leader.
- To contribute to the training and support of other staff in developing psychological care of clients in the service.
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations or published articles.
KR 6 Record-keeping and Information Governance
- To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
- Under the supervision of the Practitioner Psychologist, to maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
- To maintain databases and enter data, and perform analyses and produce reports.
KR 7 Research and development
- To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects to inform the service psychologists and others in the development of Trust psychology and other services, training provision and research activities.
- To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
- To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist in the development in the Trust of evidence based practice.
- Under guidance to conduct surveys with service users and carers to gather views on service provision
KR 8 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development
- To receive regular clinical and professional supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines
- To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS over and above that provided within the principal service area where the post-holder is employed.
- To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
- To undertake personal training relevant to the post in agreement with the supervising psychologist and the manager.
KR 9 General
- To travel 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, including challenging behaviour and clients experiencing significant distress, and to support others involved in such situations.
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- A First-class or Second-class Bachelors degree with Honours in Psychology that is accredited by the British Psychological Society and confers the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society.
Experience
Essential
- oSufficient post-graduate experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs in mental health to be able to work clinically with close direct supervision.
- oPost-graduate experience of conducting research projects or audits.
Knowledge/skills
Essential
- oGood theoretical knowledge of the problems experienced by and needs of people with neurodevelopmental conditions and of methods of assessment and treatment.
- oWell-developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, information to clients, families and colleagues
Abilities
Essential
- oAbility to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, participating in effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- oAbility to manage occasional emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- A First-class or Second-class Bachelors degree with Honours in Psychology that is accredited by the British Psychological Society and confers the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society.
Experience
Essential
- oSufficient post-graduate experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs in mental health to be able to work clinically with close direct supervision.
- oPost-graduate experience of conducting research projects or audits.
Knowledge/skills
Essential
- oGood theoretical knowledge of the problems experienced by and needs of people with neurodevelopmental conditions and of methods of assessment and treatment.
- oWell-developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, information to clients, families and colleagues
Abilities
Essential
- oAbility to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, participating in effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- oAbility to manage occasional emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
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).
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).
