Job summary
We are seeking two Assistant Psychologists to support an innovative project in the roll-out of trauma-informed approaches (TIA) in our adult acute inpatient wards. Many people coming into our inpatient environments have a history of trauma and the experience of being in hospital during a mental health crisis can itself be incredibly traumatic. We are committed to ensuring our wards take a trauma-informed approach to clinical care and to staff support. The successful candidate will work as part of a small MDT supporting this inpatient work across all 4 South London & The Maudsley boroughs. They will support with the development of clinical and training materials, delivering interventions and training to staff and service users and with the evaluation of the project's outcomes. The project will support our strategic priorities around anti-racism, building a culture of trust with the communities we serve and providing outstanding mental health care.
Main duties of the job
This role will support the delivery of strategy, stakeholder engagement and implementation of trauma-informed approaches (TIA) and the further development of a trauma-informed culture across adult acute inpatient wards at South London & The Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The post-holder will work flexibly across our inpatient wards in all four boroughs covered by the trusts. They will support the delivery of group-based interventions with staff and service users including skills groups, reflective practice, team formulations and training sessions. They will be involved in audit and evaluation of the project including gathering data, conducting interviews and writing up reports. They will be involved in the gathering of and translation of best practice across the region and nationally to support the strategy underpinning the project. They will support the development of training materials and manuals for use on the wards. They will work closely with colleague across the trust working on the Patient and Carer Race Equity Framework (PCREF) to ensure the strategy encompasses our commitment to anti-racism. We are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage.
About us
This post will sit within the Corporate Psychology & Psychotherapy team at South London & The Maudsley. This small, central team provides support, governance and leadership for Psychological Professionals and staff support across the trust. It is a diverse and experienced team with a warm and supportive culture. The Trauma-Informed Approaches for Adult Inpatient Team is a new initiative and will reach out across the trust and work with multiple ward-based teams within each of the 4 boroughs covered by South London & The Maudsley - Lambeth, Lewisham, Croydon and Southwark. The post will be able to access office-based space at the Maudsley Hospital but will need to travel to and spend time in all 4 borough's inpatient spaces based at the Maudsley, Bethlem Royal and Lewisham Hospitals:
Maudsley Hospital: Our Trust headquarters is located at Denmark Hill less than 5 minutes from the train station (zone 2) and is within walking distance from the beautiful green spaces of Ruskin park and the vibrant high-street that offers great shopping opportunities and with a wide range restaurants. The Corporate Psychology & Psychotherapy team have office space based in Trust Headquarters.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical and Client Care:
- To provide protocol based psychological group or individual interventions in inpatient settings under the close supervision of a practitioner psychologist
- To assist the trauma-informed approaches team in the development of individual or group clinical materials or training materials.
- To arrange, schedule and co-facilitate training to ward staff and service users.
- To arrange, schedule and co-facilitate staff support interventions, team formulation sessions and other trauma-informed staff interventions or training as developed by the team.
Contributing to team or service clinical functioning.
- To contribute to the effective working of the trauma-informed approaches inpatient project team
- 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 local communities.
- To contribute the development of a strategy for the delivery of trauma-informed care approaches by the adult acute ward MDT across the trust
- To support with project planning, management and administration of the trauma-informed care project team.
Policy and service development.
- To follow policies and procedures in own area of work.
- To participate in the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering trauma-informed inpatient services which meet the needs of local communities.
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.
- To be responsible for safe keeping of equipment or stock provided to the post holder and informing the supervising psychologist or manager when stock requires replenishing (may apply to psychometric tests, specialised stationery etc.
Teaching and Training.
- To participate in demonstrating work methods to newly recruited Assistant Psychologists and to support their development of necessary skills.
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations or published articles.
- To (arrange, schedule and) co-facilitate training to employees of the Trust or employees of partner agencies in order to support service improvement
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 data bases and enter data, and perform analyses and produce reports.
Research and development.
- To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects to inform the development of trauma-informed approaches across the trust inpatient wards including developing an understanding of examples of excellent practice from other organisations.
- 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 in trauma-informed inpatient care.
- Under guidance to conduct surveys with staff, service users and carers and other stake-holders to gather views on service provision and trauma-informed care.
- 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.
General
- To travel to Trust and other locations 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 and to support others involved in such situations.
- To work flexibly which may include offering some regular commitment to late clinics or Saturday working, within the overall Job Plan.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical and Client Care:
- To provide protocol based psychological group or individual interventions in inpatient settings under the close supervision of a practitioner psychologist
- To assist the trauma-informed approaches team in the development of individual or group clinical materials or training materials.
- To arrange, schedule and co-facilitate training to ward staff and service users.
- To arrange, schedule and co-facilitate staff support interventions, team formulation sessions and other trauma-informed staff interventions or training as developed by the team.
Contributing to team or service clinical functioning.
- To contribute to the effective working of the trauma-informed approaches inpatient project team
- 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 local communities.
- To contribute the development of a strategy for the delivery of trauma-informed care approaches by the adult acute ward MDT across the trust
- To support with project planning, management and administration of the trauma-informed care project team.
Policy and service development.
- To follow policies and procedures in own area of work.
- To participate in the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering trauma-informed inpatient services which meet the needs of local communities.
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.
- To be responsible for safe keeping of equipment or stock provided to the post holder and informing the supervising psychologist or manager when stock requires replenishing (may apply to psychometric tests, specialised stationery etc.
Teaching and Training.
- To participate in demonstrating work methods to newly recruited Assistant Psychologists and to support their development of necessary skills.
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations or published articles.
- To (arrange, schedule and) co-facilitate training to employees of the Trust or employees of partner agencies in order to support service improvement
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 data bases and enter data, and perform analyses and produce reports.
Research and development.
- To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects to inform the development of trauma-informed approaches across the trust inpatient wards including developing an understanding of examples of excellent practice from other organisations.
- 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 in trauma-informed inpatient care.
- Under guidance to conduct surveys with staff, service users and carers and other stake-holders to gather views on service provision and trauma-informed care.
- 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.
General
- To travel to Trust and other locations 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 and to support others involved in such situations.
- To work flexibly which may include offering some regular commitment to late clinics or Saturday working, within the overall Job Plan.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A First-class or Upper-second-class Bachelors degree with Honours in Psychology that is accredited by the British Psychological Society
Experience
Essential
- Sufficient post-graduate experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs in at least one client group to be able to work clinically with close direct supervision.
- Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
- Post-graduate experience of conducting research projects or audits
Desirable
- Specific experience of inpatient services and / or trauma-informed care
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Graduate level knowledge of psychological research methodology and statistical analysis
- Good theoretical knowledge of the problems experienced by and needs of at least one client group and of methods of assessment and treatment
- Well-developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, information to clients, families and colleagues
- Skills in providing supporting teaching and training provided by psychologists or others to other professional groups
- Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
Desirable
- Ability to speak locally relevant languages
Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, participating in effective team functioning and holding team roles
- Ability to communicate complex, sensitive or contentious information to people who may have impediments to understanding
- Ability 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
Qualifications
Essential
- A First-class or Upper-second-class Bachelors degree with Honours in Psychology that is accredited by the British Psychological Society
Experience
Essential
- Sufficient post-graduate experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs in at least one client group to be able to work clinically with close direct supervision.
- Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
- Post-graduate experience of conducting research projects or audits
Desirable
- Specific experience of inpatient services and / or trauma-informed care
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Graduate level knowledge of psychological research methodology and statistical analysis
- Good theoretical knowledge of the problems experienced by and needs of at least one client group and of methods of assessment and treatment
- Well-developed verbal and written communication skills including communicating complex, information to clients, families and colleagues
- Skills in providing supporting teaching and training provided by psychologists or others to other professional groups
- Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
Desirable
- Ability to speak locally relevant languages
Abilities
Essential
- Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, participating in effective team functioning and holding team roles
- Ability to communicate complex, sensitive or contentious information to people who may have impediments to understanding
- Ability 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).
