Job summary
Liverpool & Sefton Community Learning Disability Service within the Secure and Specialist Learning Disability Division, is seeking to recruit an experienced senior Clinical Psychologist, with a proven track record of leading and delivering community learning disability services, to take on the Consultant Clinical Psychologist post.
The post holder will be responsible for the delivery of psychological service provision to two community teams, Intensive Support Function, an assessment and treatment unit and physical health respite service. In addition, the post holder will be expected to lead on and contribute to local developments in line with national programmes e.g., Transforming Care and divisional transformation.
The service provides community-based person-centred support across the spectrum of needs including positive behavioural support, trauma informed care, support for those who are at risk of or who have offended, specialist physical health co-ordination to enable access to mainstream services and identification and management of mental health needs.
The collective skill mix within the teams comprises of Nursing (Registered Learning Disability Nurses including health care facilitators), Clinical Psychology, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Psychiatry and support workers.
The post holder will be supported by the Associate Director for Learning Disabilities, the divisional psychology lead and service principle clinical psychologist.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide clinical psychological leadership for the provision and further development of psychological care within the Psychological Services of the Secure and Specialist Learning Disability Division (SSPLD), specifically the Liverpool & Sefton Community Learning Disability Service covering two Community Learning Disability Teams, an acute learning disability inpatient unit and a physical health respite service.
The post holder will ensure the systematic provision of a high-quality specialist clinical psychology service to all service users, families & carers, providing leadership in developing comprehensive needs led model of psychological care consistent with the aims of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, and senior leadership team of the Secure andSpecialist Learning Disability Division.
The post holder will contribute to the workforce development of staff employed in the allocated Secure and Specialist Learning Disability Service improving psychological understanding of behaviourand symptoms and developing positive behaviour support, trauma-informed care and human rights based approaches to the management of risk.
The post holder will contribute to the strategic development of services within the allocated Secure and Specialist Learning Division.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 11 million people.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical:
1. To provide highly developed specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the service, based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety ofsources including psychological (and neuropsychological) tests, self-report measures, rating scales direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.2. To work in collaboration with other professionals to effectively develop and implement plans for the treatment of service users who require our services.3. To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a clients psychological problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy. The development of treatment plans will be commensurate with the anticipated duration of the clients stay within the Trust or partner services.4. To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals employed individually or in group format, adjusting and refining psychological formulations, drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.5. To make highly skilled evaluations and decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the person, in particular the role of trauma in the distress and risk related behaviour that individuals may present with. To exercise full responsibility and autonomy for the psychological treatment and contribute to the development of a comprehensive formulation for service users whose problems are then managed as a psychologically based care plan, ensuring communication with wider team and others involvedwith the persons care on a regular basis.6. To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals in the wider secure mental health services and/or partner organisations.7. To ensure that all relevant staff have access to a psychologically based framework for the understanding and care of clients of the service, through the provision of advice and consultation and the dissemination of psychological knowledge and theory.8. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for relevant individual clients and to provide both general and specialist advice for psychologists and other professionals in the service on psychological aspects of risk assessment and management as required9. To lead on complex case discussion in collaboration with senior colleagues providing advice, consultation and oversight of risk.10. To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor and evaluate progress during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care.11. To provide expertise and advice to facilitate the effective and appropriate provision of psychological care by all relevant staff12. To provide consultation about the psychological care of the client group to staff and agencies outside the Division and Trust in an appropriate specialist area.
Teaching, Training and Supervision:1. To ensure appropriate systems for the clinical and professional supervision of qualified and unqualified psychological and other multi-disciplinary staff (as agreed with senior managers)across the allocated service.2. To provide clinical and professional supervision to qualified and assistant psychological services staff working in the allocated service3. To provide specialist clinical placements for trainee clinical psychologists and/or other trainee professionals from psychological services where appropriate. To ensure that they acquire the necessary clinical and/or research skills to doctoral level where appropriate, and achievecompetencies and experience to contribute effectively to good psychological practice. To contribute to the assessment and evaluation of those competencies4. To provide specialist advice, consultation and training and clinical supervision to other members of staff for their provision of psychologically based formulations/interventions to help improve clients functioning.5. To provide pre and post-qualification teaching of clinical psychologist and/or other trainee professionals from psychological services as appropriate.6. To continue to develop expertise in the area of professional pre and post-graduate training and clinical supervision.
Management, Recruitment, Policy and Service Development:
1. To attend relevant leadership/management meetings as determined by the Head of Psychological Services (SSPLD Division).2. To participate as a senior clinician in the development of a high quality, responsive and accessible service for clients, their carers and families within the service, including advising both service and professional management on those aspects of the service where psychological and/or organisational matters need addressing.3. To exercise delegated responsibility for managing the psychological resources available to the service both in terms of psychological staff and psychological materials employed in clinical assessment and treatment. Responsibilities will include some budgetary oversight and will be required to follow financial code of conduct.4. The post holder will be required to undertake policy development along with implementing policies and procedures on behalf of the trust.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical:
1. To provide highly developed specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the service, based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety ofsources including psychological (and neuropsychological) tests, self-report measures, rating scales direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.2. To work in collaboration with other professionals to effectively develop and implement plans for the treatment of service users who require our services.3. To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a clients psychological problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy. The development of treatment plans will be commensurate with the anticipated duration of the clients stay within the Trust or partner services.4. To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals employed individually or in group format, adjusting and refining psychological formulations, drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.5. To make highly skilled evaluations and decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the person, in particular the role of trauma in the distress and risk related behaviour that individuals may present with. To exercise full responsibility and autonomy for the psychological treatment and contribute to the development of a comprehensive formulation for service users whose problems are then managed as a psychologically based care plan, ensuring communication with wider team and others involvedwith the persons care on a regular basis.6. To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals in the wider secure mental health services and/or partner organisations.7. To ensure that all relevant staff have access to a psychologically based framework for the understanding and care of clients of the service, through the provision of advice and consultation and the dissemination of psychological knowledge and theory.8. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for relevant individual clients and to provide both general and specialist advice for psychologists and other professionals in the service on psychological aspects of risk assessment and management as required9. To lead on complex case discussion in collaboration with senior colleagues providing advice, consultation and oversight of risk.10. To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor and evaluate progress during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care.11. To provide expertise and advice to facilitate the effective and appropriate provision of psychological care by all relevant staff12. To provide consultation about the psychological care of the client group to staff and agencies outside the Division and Trust in an appropriate specialist area.
Teaching, Training and Supervision:1. To ensure appropriate systems for the clinical and professional supervision of qualified and unqualified psychological and other multi-disciplinary staff (as agreed with senior managers)across the allocated service.2. To provide clinical and professional supervision to qualified and assistant psychological services staff working in the allocated service3. To provide specialist clinical placements for trainee clinical psychologists and/or other trainee professionals from psychological services where appropriate. To ensure that they acquire the necessary clinical and/or research skills to doctoral level where appropriate, and achievecompetencies and experience to contribute effectively to good psychological practice. To contribute to the assessment and evaluation of those competencies4. To provide specialist advice, consultation and training and clinical supervision to other members of staff for their provision of psychologically based formulations/interventions to help improve clients functioning.5. To provide pre and post-qualification teaching of clinical psychologist and/or other trainee professionals from psychological services as appropriate.6. To continue to develop expertise in the area of professional pre and post-graduate training and clinical supervision.
Management, Recruitment, Policy and Service Development:
1. To attend relevant leadership/management meetings as determined by the Head of Psychological Services (SSPLD Division).2. To participate as a senior clinician in the development of a high quality, responsive and accessible service for clients, their carers and families within the service, including advising both service and professional management on those aspects of the service where psychological and/or organisational matters need addressing.3. To exercise delegated responsibility for managing the psychological resources available to the service both in terms of psychological staff and psychological materials employed in clinical assessment and treatment. Responsibilities will include some budgetary oversight and will be required to follow financial code of conduct.4. The post holder will be required to undertake policy development along with implementing policies and procedures on behalf of the trust.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in the field of applied psychology accredited by the BPS, or its approved equivalent.
- Registration with Health Professions Council as Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
- Leadership training
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
- Doctoral level knowledge and experience of specialist assessment and interventions for people with learning disabilities, including those with Autism
- Expertise in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment formulations intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology
- Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health.
- Evidence of continuing professional development as o Highly Developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for those at risk of / or who have offended o Experience of professional management of qualified and pre-qualified psychologists. o Experience of multiprofessional management of teams or services within the designated specialty. o Experience of representing the profession in local policy fora. 23/02/2022 recommended by the HCPC and BPS
- Formal training in supervision of psychologists and/or other psychological professionals.
- Assessed experience of working as a qualified psychologist for a significant period, including post qualification experience within the designated specialty where the post is located.
- Substantial demonstrable experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including forensic and prison settings including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of working people with Complex Mental health difficulties.
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care co -ordinator and also within the context of a multi - disciplinary care plan.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of providing consultation, supervision and training to multidisciplinary staff
Desirable
- Highly Developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for those at risk of / or who have offended
- Experience of professional management of qualified and pre-qualified psychologists.
- Experience of multi-professional management of teams or services within the designated specialty.
- designated specialty. o Experience of representing the profession in local policy fora.
Values
Essential
- Continuous Improvement, Accountability, Respectfulness, Enthusiasm, Support, High professional standards, Responsive to service users, Engaging leadership style o Strong customer service belief o Transparency and honesty o Discreet o Change orientated
Skills
Essential
- Well developed and efficient communication skills, oral and written, to communicate complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and a wide range of lay and professional persons within and outside the NHS.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups
- Skill and experience in using IT systems including word processing, email and local electronic patient information systems.
- Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours
- Ability to identify, and employ, as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
- Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
- Ability to articulate and interpret clearly the role of the profession of clinical psychology based upon a good understanding of the framework of government and national professional policy
Desirable
- Record of having published in either peer-reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in the field of applied psychology accredited by the BPS, or its approved equivalent.
- Registration with Health Professions Council as Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
- Leadership training
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
- Doctoral level knowledge and experience of specialist assessment and interventions for people with learning disabilities, including those with Autism
- Expertise in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment formulations intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology
- Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health.
- Evidence of continuing professional development as o Highly Developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for those at risk of / or who have offended o Experience of professional management of qualified and pre-qualified psychologists. o Experience of multiprofessional management of teams or services within the designated specialty. o Experience of representing the profession in local policy fora. 23/02/2022 recommended by the HCPC and BPS
- Formal training in supervision of psychologists and/or other psychological professionals.
- Assessed experience of working as a qualified psychologist for a significant period, including post qualification experience within the designated specialty where the post is located.
- Substantial demonstrable experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including forensic and prison settings including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of working people with Complex Mental health difficulties.
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care co -ordinator and also within the context of a multi - disciplinary care plan.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of providing consultation, supervision and training to multidisciplinary staff
Desirable
- Highly Developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for those at risk of / or who have offended
- Experience of professional management of qualified and pre-qualified psychologists.
- Experience of multi-professional management of teams or services within the designated specialty.
- designated specialty. o Experience of representing the profession in local policy fora.
Values
Essential
- Continuous Improvement, Accountability, Respectfulness, Enthusiasm, Support, High professional standards, Responsive to service users, Engaging leadership style o Strong customer service belief o Transparency and honesty o Discreet o Change orientated
Skills
Essential
- Well developed and efficient communication skills, oral and written, to communicate complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and a wide range of lay and professional persons within and outside the NHS.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups
- Skill and experience in using IT systems including word processing, email and local electronic patient information systems.
- Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours
- Ability to identify, and employ, as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
- Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
- Ability to articulate and interpret clearly the role of the profession of clinical psychology based upon a good understanding of the framework of government and national professional policy
Desirable
- Record of having published in either peer-reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books.
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).
