Job summary
Band 7 Clinical/Counselling Psychologist
Job Overview:
We are pleased to be recruiting to three band 7 Clinical/Counselling Psychologist posts (2.6 wte in total); some of which will have more of a focus on trauma/PTSD presentations. The successful candidates will work alongside other members of a large, supportive and cohesive multi-orientation, psychological therapies team and closely with other professional colleagues in secondary care adult services. We are very happy for trainee clinical/counselling psychologists who expect to qualify this year to apply with a view to starting in post on qualification.
Development opportunities: The Trust provides access to a wide range of CPD opportunities and all staff are encouraged to undertake development opportunities and activities relevant to their post. As a multi-modality team there are opportunities for learning and development alongside other modalities as well as access to NHS England funded training courses which have included EMDR, SCM, MBT, NET and schema focused therapy. Internallywe have a range of rich CPD opportunities including a journal/academic meeting, a complex case discussion, and reflective practice group. New staff have also used CPD time to take cases under specialist supervision from other services (e.g. Family work, Psychosis).
Main duties of the job
The successful applicant will work alongside other Clinical/Counselling Psychologists delivering specialist interventions primarily using CBT, Trauma Focused CBT, EMDR, NET and schema therapy. A significant proportion of the team's referrals are for complex PTSD (including refugees and asylum seekers) as well as complex trauma presentations. In addition to assessing and treatment, all team members offer consultation and undertake work to support the work of colleagues in the CMHTs, which each staff member supporting a specific team.
Flexible working:
As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. The role involves clinical working between the hours of 9 to 5pm, and the essential team day is on Wednesdays. The majority of clinical work is delivered face-to-face. There is some capacity for virtual working but this may change over time.
About us
About Us
The team provides assessment, consultation and psychological therapy for adults with complex mental health difficulties across the Borough of Croydon. It comprises a dedicated and well-established team of Clinical and Counselling Psychologists and Psychotherapists in Cognitive Analytic Therapy and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy providing therapy as well as working closely with CMHTS, linking in to provide consultation, reflective practice, teaching, supervision and co-working.
Feedback from Band 7's leaving for promotions, and trainees on first and specialist placements is that they consistently value the high quality of clinical supervision, trauma knowledge and specialist skill within the service, as well as the clinical case work range. Staff also particularly cite the rare opportunity to work within a service of just psychologists and psychotherapists that is a warm, fun and supportive team.
Our locations
The team is based in central Croydon (Jeanette Wallace House; modern, air conditioned office with plenty of space and individual desks for each staff member). It is close to Croydon high-street and in walking distance of East Croydon station with quick links to London. There are good bus, rail and tram links. Sessions are provided at this base and at other Croydon sites including the Bethlem Hospital.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
- To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for adults referred to CIPTS with a range of mental health issues. To select and deliver evidence based psychological treatments, monitoring outcome and modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical options but primarily from a CBT approach.
- To select, administer and interpret psychometric and neuropsychological tests, involving skilled manipulation of test materials and high level analysis of findings from the assessments.
- To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
- To advise other members of the service on psychological care of service users, attending and participating in team meetings, providing consultancy in matters relating to CBT as appropriate.
- To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with service users, carers and colleagues taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication.
- To act as care co-ordinator, when required, taking responsibility for therapy care planning, risk assessments and other relevant documentation required of the role.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
- To contribute to the effective working of the team and to a psychologically informed framework for the service area.
- 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 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.
- To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Training Courses Supervision Training.
KR 6 Teaching and Training
- To provide occasional specialist training in psychological approaches to care to other professions as appropriate.
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.
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 psychologist according to HCPC and Trust guidelines.
- To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the HCPC Standards for Continuing Professional Development.
- 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 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 other service bases within Croydon as necessary 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, which may arise either due to the serious consequences of service users conditions or due to other traumatic events in their lives and to support others involved in such situations.
- To work flexibly which may include working from home, if possible and when required, or offering some commitment to late clinics or Saturday working, within the overall Job Plan.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
- To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for adults referred to CIPTS with a range of mental health issues. To select and deliver evidence based psychological treatments, monitoring outcome and modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical options but primarily from a CBT approach.
- To select, administer and interpret psychometric and neuropsychological tests, involving skilled manipulation of test materials and high level analysis of findings from the assessments.
- To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
- To advise other members of the service on psychological care of service users, attending and participating in team meetings, providing consultancy in matters relating to CBT as appropriate.
- To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with service users, carers and colleagues taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication.
- To act as care co-ordinator, when required, taking responsibility for therapy care planning, risk assessments and other relevant documentation required of the role.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
- To contribute to the effective working of the team and to a psychologically informed framework for the service area.
- 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 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.
- To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Training Courses Supervision Training.
KR 6 Teaching and Training
- To provide occasional specialist training in psychological approaches to care to other professions as appropriate.
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.
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 psychologist according to HCPC and Trust guidelines.
- To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the HCPC Standards for Continuing Professional Development.
- 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 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 other service bases within Croydon as necessary 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, which may arise either due to the serious consequences of service users conditions or due to other traumatic events in their lives and to support others involved in such situations.
- To work flexibly which may include working from home, if possible and when required, or offering some commitment to late clinics or Saturday working, within the overall Job Plan.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs.
- Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature, particularly with mood and anxiety disorders and using CBT approaches
- 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.
- Experience of developing and carrying out research projects.
- Experience of consulting with other staff.
Desirable
- Experience of the application of psychological therapy in different cultural contexts and/or working with interpreters
- Experience of supervising the clinical work of others
- Experience of working closely with other Mental Health Teams
Knowledge
Essential
- Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of work with adults with mood, anxiety and personality disorders.
- Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
- Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis.
- Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
- To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
- To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
Desirable
- Knowledge of at least another model of psychological therapy (other than CBT) and of the theoretical and evidence base for it.
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level training in Clinical or Counselling psychology
- Registered with the HPC as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Any additional CPD training in psychological models of therapy and/or adult mental health treatments
Skills
Essential
- To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
- To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews
- To plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists
- To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials
- Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
- Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups in the local services (
Desirable
- Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs.
- Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature, particularly with mood and anxiety disorders and using CBT approaches
- 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.
- Experience of developing and carrying out research projects.
- Experience of consulting with other staff.
Desirable
- Experience of the application of psychological therapy in different cultural contexts and/or working with interpreters
- Experience of supervising the clinical work of others
- Experience of working closely with other Mental Health Teams
Knowledge
Essential
- Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of work with adults with mood, anxiety and personality disorders.
- Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
- Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis.
- Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
- To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
- To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
Desirable
- Knowledge of at least another model of psychological therapy (other than CBT) and of the theoretical and evidence base for it.
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level training in Clinical or Counselling psychology
- Registered with the HPC as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Any additional CPD training in psychological models of therapy and/or adult mental health treatments
Skills
Essential
- To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
- To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews
- To plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists
- To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials
- Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
- Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups in the local services (
Desirable
- Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups.
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).
