Job summary
We are seeking applications from Clinical/Counselling Practitioner Psychologists or Psychotherapists for a full-time, fixed-term role (part-time would be considered). This is an exciting opportunity to make a valuable contribution to improving the wellbeing of service users with neurodevelopmental conditions.
The primary responsibility of the post-holder will be to provide psychological assessment and interventions for autism and ADHD. The post-holder will also provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate to assistant psychologists and trainee clinical psychologists.
Close liaison with, and consultation to local community mental health professionals are important parts of the work.
There are opportunities to be involved in research, audit and service development depending on post-holder interest and expertise. There are wide-ranging opportunities for continued professional development across SLAM and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IOPPN). The post-holder will receive regular clinical supervision from a senior member of NAAAPS and will be supported to develop clinical, supervisory, leadership, consulting and service development skills to progress their professional development.
Main duties of the job
Providing specialist psychological interventions to the National Adult ADHD and Autism Psychology Service (NAAAPS), a specialist psychology service for adults with neurodevelopmental conditions, including assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.
Enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by contributing to the creation of a psychologically safe environment.
Providing clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate.
Undertaking service evaluation, audit and research.
Working as an autonomous professional within registration body 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.
Participating in the provision of staff support within their area, including but not limited to Critical incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Resolve. To participate as a recipient in staff support work when appropriate.
About us
NAAAPS is a specialist psychology and psychotherapy clinic providing assessments and short to medium term interventions for ADHD and/or autism in adults. Interventions may focus on the neurodevelopmental condition itself (e.g. post-diagnostic support and psychoeducation), or on the psychological/behavioural challenges associated with the neurodevelopmental condition (e.g. behaviours that challenge, anxiety, depression) and are delivered to the individual, the family and/or the wider system as required. NAAAPS is one of several adult neurodevelopmental pathways services which also include the National Adult ADHD and Autism diagnostic clinics, the 'Three Borough' (Croydon, Lambeth and Lewisham) Adult ADHD and Autism Service and the National Autistic Unit (inpatient); the pathways work together closely.
Face to Face patient appointments are currently running from the Maudsley Hospital, located at Denmark Hill less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2). Staff continue to also work remotely, providing virtual appointments where appropriate.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KR1 Clinical and Client Care
- To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients with neurodevelopmental conditions, both directly i.e. to the client and/or their carers/family and indirectly i.e. to other professionals in their network.
- To provide culturally appropriate psychological or psychotherapeutic interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
- To provide reports, including relevant formulation, opinion, and interventions in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, service users and their families.
- To select and deliver evidence-based specialist therapeutic interventions, drawing from a range of ideas and models, monitoring outcomes and modifying and adapting interventions as necessary, based on the highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, couple, family or group.
- To promote the psychological support for carers (or families as appropriate) of referred clients.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
- To contribute to the effective working of NAAAPS and to a psychologically/therapeutically informed framework for the adult neurodevelopmental pathway services.
- To contribute to the 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 to develop and review care plans.
- To liaise with the team, other neurodevelopmental pathway services and other professionals.
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.
- To ensure the cleanliness and safe functioning and use of equipment that will be used by clients or other persons.
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 psychological practitioner.
- To supervise trainees within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant supervision training.
KR 6 Teaching and Training
- To provide occasional specialist training in psychological/psychotherapeutic 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 practitioner psychologist/psychotherapist according to discipline, professional body and Trust guidelines.
- To maintain own Continuing Professional Development in line with professional body and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the professional 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 professional body Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics/Standards of Proficiency.
- To adhere to Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.
KR10 General
- To travel to psychology meetings, home visits, community placements etc. 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 and abuse) and to support others involved in such situations through Trust-wide approaches including Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Resolve.
Job description
Job responsibilities
KR1 Clinical and Client Care
- To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients with neurodevelopmental conditions, both directly i.e. to the client and/or their carers/family and indirectly i.e. to other professionals in their network.
- To provide culturally appropriate psychological or psychotherapeutic interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
- To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
- To provide reports, including relevant formulation, opinion, and interventions in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, service users and their families.
- To select and deliver evidence-based specialist therapeutic interventions, drawing from a range of ideas and models, monitoring outcomes and modifying and adapting interventions as necessary, based on the highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, couple, family or group.
- To promote the psychological support for carers (or families as appropriate) of referred clients.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
- To contribute to the effective working of NAAAPS and to a psychologically/therapeutically informed framework for the adult neurodevelopmental pathway services.
- To contribute to the 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 to develop and review care plans.
- To liaise with the team, other neurodevelopmental pathway services and other professionals.
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.
- To ensure the cleanliness and safe functioning and use of equipment that will be used by clients or other persons.
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 psychological practitioner.
- To supervise trainees within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant supervision training.
KR 6 Teaching and Training
- To provide occasional specialist training in psychological/psychotherapeutic 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 practitioner psychologist/psychotherapist according to discipline, professional body and Trust guidelines.
- To maintain own Continuing Professional Development in line with professional body and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the professional 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 professional body Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics/Standards of Proficiency.
- To adhere to Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.
KR10 General
- To travel to psychology meetings, home visits, community placements etc. 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 and abuse) and to support others involved in such situations through Trust-wide approaches including Critical Incident Staff Support and Reflect-Support-Resolve.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration
- Registered with the professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP/ADMP-UK
Experience
Essential
- Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs.
- Experience of assessment and treatment of adults with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature such as psychosis, personality disorders and other serious mental health difficulties.
- 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 audit and research projects.
- Experience of working with issues of risk and safety both physical and relational.
Desirable
- The Trust encourages and welcomes applications from people with lived experience of mental health challenges. We see this as valuable and recognise the positive impact this experience can have on the work we do.
- Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of adults with neurodevelopmental conditions
- Experience of using adapted CBT with adults with neurodevelopmental disorders
Knowledge
Essential
- Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the psychological treatment of adults with neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Knowledge of theories of psychological therapy and their therapeutic application. Associated awareness of assessment and clinical psychometrics.
- Knowledge of a range of therapeutic ideas/approaches/models in assessment and treatment of people with neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Knowledge of racial and other diversity issues and factors affecting access to mental health care.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
Skills
Essential
- 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.
- 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 assessments and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews.
Desirable
- To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials
Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
- Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings.
- Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration
- Registered with the professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP/ADMP-UK
Experience
Essential
- Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs.
- Experience of assessment and treatment of adults with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature such as psychosis, personality disorders and other serious mental health difficulties.
- 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 audit and research projects.
- Experience of working with issues of risk and safety both physical and relational.
Desirable
- The Trust encourages and welcomes applications from people with lived experience of mental health challenges. We see this as valuable and recognise the positive impact this experience can have on the work we do.
- Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of adults with neurodevelopmental conditions
- Experience of using adapted CBT with adults with neurodevelopmental disorders
Knowledge
Essential
- Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the psychological treatment of adults with neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Knowledge of theories of psychological therapy and their therapeutic application. Associated awareness of assessment and clinical psychometrics.
- Knowledge of a range of therapeutic ideas/approaches/models in assessment and treatment of people with neurodevelopmental conditions.
- Knowledge of racial and other diversity issues and factors affecting access to mental health care.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
Skills
Essential
- 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.
- 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 assessments and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews.
Desirable
- To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials
Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
- Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings.
- Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these.
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).
