Job summary
South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, with NHS England, are offering opportunities for candidates wishing to train in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) for people presenting to secondary care mental health services with complex affective and interpersonal difficulties. Posts offer two years of DBT training with University College London (UCL). After two years' training, provided the candidate successfully passes the course and then gains accreditation as a DBT therapist with the relevant accrediting authority, they will progress into a qualified Band 7 post.
Candidates should have relevant core professional training e.g. Practitioner Psychologist, Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, Psychotherapist or Mental Health Nurse. People with training as clinical associate psychologists, or psychological/mental health wellbeing practitioners, and/or substantial experience in DBT informed working may be eligible to apply provided they can meet the requirements of the relevant Knowledge, Skills & Attitudes portfolios. These candidates would need to demonstrate at interview that they would meet the KSA after year one of training with UCL. The post falls under the NHS-E two year rule: successful candidates will be ineligible for NHS-E funding for other listed trainings for this period.
Main duties of the job
This role is a 2-year fixed term appointment leading to a permanent post at the end of this period if the postgraduate diploma programme is completed successfully and full accreditation awarded. The post-holder will work within the service providing formal psychological interventions whilst undertaking a programme of training for this role. This intensive training post will equip the post-holder to provide a DBT service to clients with the range of complex problems for which the interventions have been demonstrated to be clinically effective. The post- holder will work in the service for four days of the week using the newly developed skills whilst attending the training programme for the other day.
The post-holder must have experience of working with service users experiencing mental health problems and the skills and abilities needed to form effective and safe therapeutic relationships. They should have excellent written and verbal communication skills. The post-holder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities. The post-holder must be able to attend 70-80 days training at University College London over a 2-year course. This will include a day per week and 5-day intensive teaching blocks. They must be able to complete all the academic components of the course and have the ability to integrate training into practice under supervision.
About us
The Trust: The South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Foundation Trust is part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) and committed to innovation, effective interventions and improved service user outcomes. It provides mental health services to the people of Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Croydon, and some more specialist services to people from across the UK.
We believe strongly in staff development and have excellent opportunities to develop this through CPD opportunities across SLaM and through strong links with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience.
The position is full-time and will involve both remote and face to face working
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service.
- Assess clients for suitability for DBT. Where the problems appear to be too complex or severe to be appropriate for a trainee, therapist to refer to manager/supervisor for advice on how to manage the case.
- Make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the services referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent as necessary.
- Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for clients.
- Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying DBT formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.
- Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.
- Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.
- Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service.
- Keep coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols.
- Work closely with other members of the team ensuring appropriate step-up and step-down arrangements are in place to maintain a stepped care approach.
- Assess and integrate issues surrounding work and employment into the overall therapy process.
- Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post.
- Apply learning form the training programme in practice.
- Receive supervision from educational providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards.
- Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the employer and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (e.g. BPS, UKCP, BABCP), and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g. NHS plan, National Service Framework, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence).
- Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.
- Be aware of and keep up to date with advances in relevant spheres (DBT, presenting conditions).
- Ensure clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development.
- Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with manager.
- Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.
- Keep up to date all records in relation to C.P.D. and ensure personal development plan maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
- Attend relevant conferences / workshops in line with identified professional objectives.
- Contribute to the development of best practice within the service.
- To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures in relation to Mental Health and Primary Care Services.
- All employees have a duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health of safety of colleagues, patients and the general public.
- All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (2018) and Security and Confidentiality Policies.
- It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties.
For more detail please see the full attached Job Description & Person Specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service.
- Assess clients for suitability for DBT. Where the problems appear to be too complex or severe to be appropriate for a trainee, therapist to refer to manager/supervisor for advice on how to manage the case.
- Make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the services referral protocols, and refer unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referral agent as necessary.
- Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for clients.
- Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying DBT formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.
- Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.
- Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.
- Complete all requirements relating to data collection within the service.
- Keep coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols.
- Work closely with other members of the team ensuring appropriate step-up and step-down arrangements are in place to maintain a stepped care approach.
- Assess and integrate issues surrounding work and employment into the overall therapy process.
- Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post.
- Apply learning form the training programme in practice.
- Receive supervision from educational providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards.
- Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the employer and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (e.g. BPS, UKCP, BABCP), and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the department of health (e.g. NHS plan, National Service Framework, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence).
- Ensure that client confidentiality is protected at all times.
- Be aware of and keep up to date with advances in relevant spheres (DBT, presenting conditions).
- Ensure clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development.
- Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with manager.
- Participate in individual performance review and respond to agreed objectives.
- Keep up to date all records in relation to C.P.D. and ensure personal development plan maintains up to date specialist knowledge of latest theoretical and service delivery models/developments.
- Attend relevant conferences / workshops in line with identified professional objectives.
- Contribute to the development of best practice within the service.
- To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures in relation to Mental Health and Primary Care Services.
- All employees have a duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health of safety of colleagues, patients and the general public.
- All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (2018) and Security and Confidentiality Policies.
- It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties.
For more detail please see the full attached Job Description & Person Specification.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level in mental health or learning disability nursing, social work, counselling (accredited level), occupational therapy, arts therapy, medicine (psychiatry / general practice), psychological therapy (UKCP registered), Psychology (clinical, counselling, forensic or health). Please see the BABCP website for more detail of accepted qualifications. OR Evidence of meeting the Knowledge Skills and Attitude (KSA) requirements of BABCP. Please see the BABCP website for more detail of KSA requirements.
Desirable
- Experience of training in Structured Clinical Management or similar.
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working in a service for severe mental health problems
- Experience of working with service users presenting with EUPD/BPD and/or significant emotional dysregulation
- Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
- Has received training (either formal or through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice
Desirable
- Experience of working with diverse communities within a multicultural setting
- Experience of working within the Croydon Locality.
- Experience of working with complex personality disorder cases.
- Experience of working with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) within an adult Community Mental Health Team setting.
- Lived experience of mental health difficulties.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Understanding of the DBT model, CEN and secondary care context, medication use
- Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets, work under pressure, manage own caseload and time
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, computer literacy,. Demonstrates high standards in written communication, able to write clear reports, letters etc.
- Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality
- Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
Desirable
- Delivery of SCM under specialist supervision and support for others in their practice of SCM.
Training
Essential
- Able to attend 70-80 days training over a 2-year course. Including a day per week, and 5-day intensive teaching blocks. This may involve significant travel and overnight stays to attend university. Able to complete academic components of the course. Able to integrate training into practice.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level in mental health or learning disability nursing, social work, counselling (accredited level), occupational therapy, arts therapy, medicine (psychiatry / general practice), psychological therapy (UKCP registered), Psychology (clinical, counselling, forensic or health). Please see the BABCP website for more detail of accepted qualifications. OR Evidence of meeting the Knowledge Skills and Attitude (KSA) requirements of BABCP. Please see the BABCP website for more detail of KSA requirements.
Desirable
- Experience of training in Structured Clinical Management or similar.
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working in a service for severe mental health problems
- Experience of working with service users presenting with EUPD/BPD and/or significant emotional dysregulation
- Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes
- Has received training (either formal or through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice
Desirable
- Experience of working with diverse communities within a multicultural setting
- Experience of working within the Croydon Locality.
- Experience of working with complex personality disorder cases.
- Experience of working with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) within an adult Community Mental Health Team setting.
- Lived experience of mental health difficulties.
Knowledge & Skills
Essential
- Understanding of the DBT model, CEN and secondary care context, medication use
- Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets, work under pressure, manage own caseload and time
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, computer literacy,. Demonstrates high standards in written communication, able to write clear reports, letters etc.
- Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality
- Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
Desirable
- Delivery of SCM under specialist supervision and support for others in their practice of SCM.
Training
Essential
- Able to attend 70-80 days training over a 2-year course. Including a day per week, and 5-day intensive teaching blocks. This may involve significant travel and overnight stays to attend university. Able to complete academic components of the course. Able to integrate training into practice.
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
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).
