Band 7 Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or Psychological Therapist

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

The closing date is 27 January 2025

Job summary

We have an opportunity for an enthusiastic Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or Psychological Therapist, with a particular interest in working with young people with psychosis in our friendly and dynamic Early Intervention for Psychosis (EIP) Team in Bristol. This is a good opportunity for the post holder to develop or consolidate skills working with people with psychosis, as a 1 year maternity cover secondment or fixed term contract.

CPI offers a range of activities to support psychologically informed care within the secondary mental health service. CPI is comprised of multidisciplinary professions, including Clinical Psychologists, Arts Psychotherapists, Medical Psychotherapists and Specialist Nurses.

There is a thriving Psychosis network in Bristol Mental Health and a specific Early Intervention network within AWP Mental Health Service and within the South West region at large; these forums provide fantastic opportunities for networking, learning about and, contributing to developments in psychological services in EIP.

This post will be embedded within the multi-disciplinary Early Intervention for Psychosis (EIP) Team, and also linked in with the Complex Psychological Interventions team. The EIP team works with 14-35 year olds experiencing a first episode of psychosis and are a dynamic, enthusiastic team dedicated to improving the experiences of young people experiencing first episode psychosis.

Main duties of the job

Psychological approaches (assessment, formulation, therapies) are integral to and, highly valued, within the Bristol EIP Team and the successful candidate will have a keen interest in providing a good quality, evidence based psychological service to our clients. In addition to providing psychological assessment, formulation and, therapy, there will be opportunities for the post holder to facilitate supervision and consultation to multi-disciplinary team members, Trainee Clinical/Counselling Psychologists and other agencies within Bristol Mental Health (e.g., CAMHS, Off The Record). There may also be opportunity to facilitate Team Formulation sessions, group interventions and engage in family interventions with a focus on the provision of NICE approved psychological interventions in our push to meet current Access & Waiting Time Standards for EI services.

We would welcome applications from candidates with post-qualification experience and also newly qualified psychologists and therapists with a strong interest in working with psychosis. BABCP accreditation /accreditable would be desirable.

Regular Clinical supervision will be provided by the senior Clinical Psychologist within the team and there will be regular CPD opportunities within the EIP and CPI team.

About us

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust):a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Date posted

13 January 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£46,148 to £52,809 a year pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

342-BR006-0125

Job locations

Campbell House

Montague Place

Bristol

BS6 5UB

Job description

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL

To provide a psychology service to the designated team including assessment and therapy both for individuals and groups as appropriate.

To provide a specialist consultancy service to multidisciplinary teams and other agencies providing care for the client group.

To participate in generic team duties as agreed by the operational manager and Psychology Lead as appropriate, to the needs of the service.

To participate in clinical and caseload supervision arrangements provided by the Psychology Service.

To maintain accurate records and to monitor clinical workload using agreed systems. To ensure timely recording of all data required by the Trust.

PROFESSIONAL

To adhere to the HCPC policies and procedures.

To fully observe the BPS (1996) Code of Conduct and the DCP Guidelines for the Professional Practice of Clinical Psychology (1995).

To be aware of, adhere to, and where appropriate, contribute to the formulation and review of Trust, Area and Clinical Psychology Service policies and procedures.

To participate in local psychology meetings and Trust wide meetings as appropriate. To maintain and develop high standards of psychology practice by engaging in continuing professional development and co-operative working/networking with counselling and clinical psychologist colleagues.

To participate in an annual performance appraisal.

SERVICE GOVERNANCE

To participate in service governance processes in the profession, ensuring a safe and effective service.

To support and participate in multidisciplinary clinical audit.

To liaise with other disciplines and agencies to ensure that best practice is shared. To promote the use of effective interventions in the service.

TRAINING AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT

To provide training, supervision and consultation in psychological approaches to other staff in the multidisciplinary team. This to include joint assessment with care coordinators, formulation of psychological problems and planning of interventions to be implemented by care coordinators or other team members with service users.

To provide training and supervision to assistant psychologists, CAPs, work experience placements and trainees (alongside main identified supervisor).

To collaborate with colleagues to develop and offer training courses, workshops and supervision groups to develop skills in psychological interventions.

To contribute to the teaching of students and trainees in psychology, medicine, nursing and other health care disciplines.

To agree a plan of personal development with the Psychology Lead and the post holders line manager.

Provide inclusive, compassionate and effective leadership for your team by setting clear vision and direction.

Develop a culture and environment in which members of staff are encouraged and supported to deliver high- quality services and are supported to innovate and improve services where appropriate.

Encourage your team to feel able to raise concerns openly and safely.

Promote equality of opportunity in service delivery and employment, ensuring that no person receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, religion, creed, colour nationality ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation or disability.

Support prompt recruitment by identifying vacancies to the AWP Recruitment Team as soon as they arise, and participate in the selection and effective induction and on-boarding of new joiners to the team.

Ensure that all team members have a very positive introduction to the team and a well-supported first year.

Take responsibility for encouraging people to stay with AWP, ensuring that you are aware whenever a member of your team is considering leaving, seeking to understand their reasons and encouraging them to stay.

Ensure that key messages are cascaded in your team and that your team are encouraged to put forward suggestions.

Show appreciation to your team when they do good work and support them when they are struggling.

Consider the individual needs of team members for a healthy work-life balance and think about how their needs can be supported by providing flexible ways of working.

Support all team members to keep their mandatory and statutory training up-to-date and identify the learning and development needs of all team members of the team ensuring that everyone has an up-to-date personal development plan (PDP).

Ensure that every team member as at least an hour of supervision (one-to-one meeting) each month, this may include both managerial and clinical supervision.

Ensure all team members receive a constructive assessment of their performance each year and set SMART objectives for the coming year.

Seek support from the HR Team to tackle any worries regarding matters of discipline, including both conduct and capability concerns, supporting a just and restorative culture.

Take prompt action regarding serious concerns and ensure clear plans are in place for problems which are less serious in nature but prove difficult to resolve.

Act as a positive role model at all times, encouraging people to feel equal members of the team whilst working within clear frameworks and policies.

Promote effective use of bank and agency nursing staff, providing a safe and effective service, complying with regulatory standards.

Ensure that you and your team understand all of the agreed key performance indicators for your service, particularly relating to outcomes and essential standards to be met.

SERVICE AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT

To collaborate with other specialist staff in designated area to extend the range of specialist psychological and group interventions available across the area.