Clinical Psychologist

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a 7/8a Clinical/Forensic Psychologist, to work in Secure and Specialist Learning Disability Division Specialist Community Forensic Services (SCFT).

The SCFT adopts an intensive proactive clinical approach. It utilises a model of assertive transition to expedite the safe, smooth discharge of forensic mental health patients from secure hospital into the community, by providing earlier support in a person's discharge pathway and more robust care and support post-discharge.

The postholder will be expected to contribute to the SCFT's overarching aims of reducing; length of stay, potential for reoffending; readmission to hospital, substance use, mental health crises and long-term reliance on statutory services. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to provide both group and individual interventions utilising a range of models, and there will be opportunities to support further training.

You will be responsible for a clinical caseload, and will receive regular clinical/management supervision. You will have management responsibilities to maintain a safe and well led team, and be involved in service development to improve quality service provision.

This is an exciting time to join the Trust and influence the development of new services for people with mental health issues. The Trust's services operate within the least restrictive principle and implement Trauma Informed Care.

Main duties of the job

To apply and maintain those skills acquired through further specialist training and experience to monitor and ensure the systematic provision of highly specialised psychological services to patients within male and female stepdown services and the community.

To supervise and support the highly specialised psychological assessment and therapeutic input provided by other psychologists and other clinical members of the team who provide psychologically based care and treatment.

To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within Psychological Services and delegated management responsibilities where appropriate.

To utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research. To propose and implement policy changes within the area served by the service.

To supervise doctoral level trainee psychologists and assistant psychologists as required.

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.

Date posted

17 March 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£41,659 to £54,619 a year pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working

Reference number

350-SEC5073803

Job locations

Hollins Park Hospital

Hollins Lane

Winwick

WA2 8WA

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical1. To provide specialist psychological assessments of patients referred to the service based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with patients, family members and others involved in the patients care.2. To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a patients psychological problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the patients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy.3. To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses where appropriate.4. To evaluate and make 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 individual, family or group.

5. To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of patients whose problems are managed by psychologically based standard care plans.6. To provide specialist psychological advice guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to patients formulation, diagnosis and treatment plans.7. To ensure that all members of the clinical team have access to a psychologically based framework for understanding and care of patients of the service, through the provision of advice and consultation and the dissemination of psychological research and theory.8. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual patients and to provide both general and specialist advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management.9. To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of patients under their care and to monitor progress during the course of both uni and multidisciplinary care.10. To provide expertise, advice and support to facilitate the effective and appropriate provision of psychological care by all members of the team.

Teaching, Training and Supervision1. To provide post-qualification training (CPD) and clinical professional supervision to recently qualified clinical and/or forensic or counselling psychologists attached to the team.2. To provide advice, consultation and training and clinical supervision to other members of the team for the provision of psychologically based interventions to help improve patients functioning.3. To provide pre- and post-qualification teaching of clinical or forensic psychologists and/or other psychological services staff as appropriate.4. To maintain and develop skills in the area of professional pre- and post-graduate training and clinical supervision.5. To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with the patient group across a range of agencies and settings, where appropriate.6. To receive regular professional supervision from a senior psychologist in the team and where appropriate other senior colleagues.7. To continue to gain wider post-qualification experience of clinical or forensic psychology in line with BPS requirements.8. To develop skills in the area of professional post-graduate teaching, training and supervision, and to provide supervision to the psychological work of other multidisciplinary team staff, as appropriate.9. To provide professional and clinical supervision to assistant psychologists and, as appropriate, supervise Doctoral level.10. To contribute to the pre and post-qualification teaching of all relevant staff, as appropriate.11. To provide advice, consultation, supervision and training to staff working with the patient group across a range of agencies and settings, where appropriate

Management, Recruitment and Service Development1. To participate as appropriate in staff recruitment, both in the short-listing process and as a member of interview panels for assistant, trainees and qualified clinical psychologists.2. To participate as a senior clinician in the development of a high quality responsive and accessible service, including proposing and implementing changes within the psychological service.3. To exercise delegated responsibility for managing psychology staff based within the psychology service.

Research and Service Evaluation1. To take the psychology lead, as a senior clinician, in the evaluation, monitoring and development of the teams operational policies through the deployment of professional skills in research, service evaluation and audit and ensuring incorporation of psychological frameworks for understanding and provision of high quality care.2. To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.3. To undertake appropriate research as agreed with the line manager and Principal Clinical Psychologist and provide research advice to team colleagues undertaking research.4. To initiate project management, including complex audit and service evaluation with colleagues within and across the service to help develop and improve services to patients and their families.5. To undertake a defined role in Service Governance structures if/when agreed.

General1. To ensure the development, maintenance and dissemination of the highest professional standards of practice through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes and to provide evidence of CPD undertaken, e.g. in the form of CPD log book.2. To ensure the development and articulation of best practice in psychology within the service area and contribute across the service by exercising the skills of a reflective scientist practitioner, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of clinical or forensic psychology and related disciplines.3. To maintain and promulgate the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self- governance in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.4. To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific patient group and mental health.

5. To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade which may be required by the Principal Clinical Psychologist.6. To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade which may be required by the Head of Service.7. To maintain professional registration with the HCPC and to adhere to HCPC standards of proficiency. To adhere to the standards of conduct, performance and ethics as set out by the HCPC.Health and Safety Responsibilities1. Employees must take responsible care for the Health and Safety of self and others who may be affected by his or her omissions at work.2. The employee must cooperate with the employer in so far as is necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with.3. No person shall intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of Health and Safety or Welfare.4. As part of the role the post holder is expected to be trained in Managing Violence and Aggression and Breakaway procedures.

Confidentiality1. All information relating to patients and staff gained through your employment with Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust is confidential. Disclosure to any unauthorized person is a serious disciplinary offence.Equality and Diversity1. To ensure that work is conducted in accordance with the Trusts Equality and Diversity Strategy and to contribute to its development.The post-holder will be expected to make full use of IT packages available within the work area, for example, Microsoft Office, E-mail, Internet and statistical packages.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

For Clinical Psychologists: Doctoral level training in clinical psychology or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS. For Forensic Psychologists: Will have completed Stage I (MSc in Forensic Psychology (or DFP qualifying exam), and Stage II post qualifying training and therefore have full membership and Chartered status of the Division of Forensic Psychology or will have completed the Forensic Psychology Doctorate and therefore have full membership of the Division of Forensic Psychology and Chartered status. (2) HCPC Registration as a Practitioner Psychologist based on the above. (2)

Desirable

o Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice (2)

Knowledge

Essential

o Knowledge and skills development to meet KSF factor 2 level 8 requirements. (2) o Experience of working as a qualified clinical or forensic Chartered psychologist for a minimum of 2 years with patients with complex mental health needs in a forensic setting. (2) o Working as part of a multi- disciplinary team, undertaking specialist assessment, formulation, care planning and interventions. (2) o Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups, across a range of mental health needs and presenting problems. (2) o Experience of working with presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threats of physical abuse. (2) o Ability to work independently on own initiative and as an effective member of complex multi-disciplinary teams. (2) o Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan. (2) o Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision. (2) o Experience of leadership, management and supervision of trainees and/or qualified staff from other disciplines. (2)

Desirable

o Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts. (2) o Knowledge of organisational dynamics and institutional factors relevant to the delivery and effectiveness of secure inpatient mental health and PD services. Research/publications on relevant issues. (2)

Values

Essential

o Continuous Improvement (1) o Accountability (1) o Respectfulness (1) o Enthusiasm (1) o Responsive to service users (1) o Engaging leadership style (1) o Strong customer service belief (1) o Transparency and honesty (1) o Discreet (1)

Skills

Essential

Well-developed skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment incorporating a range of methodologies, e.g. clinical interview, psychometrics, structured clinical tools. Well developed intervention and management skills frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. (2) Ability to assimilate complex information from a range of sources to complete psychological formulation and clinical risk assessment in order to develop effective treatment plans for clients with mental illness and/or PD related needs. (2) Experience of delivering psychological intervention in a range of formats to complex client groups. (2) Ability to effectively engage clients who may present with significant clinical obstacles to engagement. (2) Ability to maintain clear and appropriate personal and professional boundaries and to recognise own limitations. (2) Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS. Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non professional groups. (2) Knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practised within the field of applied psychology (2) Knowledge of legislation in relation to the patient group and mental health. (2) Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS (2) Formal training in supervision of other psychologists. (2)

Desirable

o Completion of training in specialist clinical and risk assessment tools in the area of mental illness and PD e.g. HCR-20, START, SCID, IPDE, PCL-R. (2) o Well developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (eg personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc). (2) o Previous training and experience of recognised specialised therapies e.g. CBT, DBT, Schema therapy (2) o Management and leadership skills. (2)

Other

Essential

o Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours. (2) o 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. (2) o Ability to self-reflect, use clinical supervision appropriately and consider complex organisational team dynamics. (2) o Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings. (2)

Desirable

o Experience of working within a multicultural framework. (2)

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

For Clinical Psychologists: Doctoral level training in clinical psychology or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as accredited by the BPS. For Forensic Psychologists: Will have completed Stage I (MSc in Forensic Psychology (or DFP qualifying exam), and Stage II post qualifying training and therefore have full membership and Chartered status of the Division of Forensic Psychology or will have completed the Forensic Psychology Doctorate and therefore have full membership of the Division of Forensic Psychology and Chartered status. (2) HCPC Registration as a Practitioner Psychologist based on the above. (2)

Desirable

o Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice (2)

Knowledge

Essential

o Knowledge and skills development to meet KSF factor 2 level 8 requirements. (2) o Experience of working as a qualified clinical or forensic Chartered psychologist for a minimum of 2 years with patients with complex mental health needs in a forensic setting. (2) o Working as part of a multi- disciplinary team, undertaking specialist assessment, formulation, care planning and interventions. (2) o Experience of working with a wide variety of patient groups, across a range of mental health needs and presenting problems. (2) o Experience of working with presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threats of physical abuse. (2) o Ability to work independently on own initiative and as an effective member of complex multi-disciplinary teams. (2) o Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan. (2) o Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision. (2) o Experience of leadership, management and supervision of trainees and/or qualified staff from other disciplines. (2)

Desirable

o Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts. (2) o Knowledge of organisational dynamics and institutional factors relevant to the delivery and effectiveness of secure inpatient mental health and PD services. Research/publications on relevant issues. (2)

Values

Essential

o Continuous Improvement (1) o Accountability (1) o Respectfulness (1) o Enthusiasm (1) o Responsive to service users (1) o Engaging leadership style (1) o Strong customer service belief (1) o Transparency and honesty (1) o Discreet (1)

Skills

Essential

Well-developed skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment incorporating a range of methodologies, e.g. clinical interview, psychometrics, structured clinical tools. Well developed intervention and management skills frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. (2) Ability to assimilate complex information from a range of sources to complete psychological formulation and clinical risk assessment in order to develop effective treatment plans for clients with mental illness and/or PD related needs. (2) Experience of delivering psychological intervention in a range of formats to complex client groups. (2) Ability to effectively engage clients who may present with significant clinical obstacles to engagement. (2) Ability to maintain clear and appropriate personal and professional boundaries and to recognise own limitations. (2) Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS. Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non professional groups. (2) Knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practised within the field of applied psychology (2) Knowledge of legislation in relation to the patient group and mental health. (2) Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS (2) Formal training in supervision of other psychologists. (2)

Desirable

o Completion of training in specialist clinical and risk assessment tools in the area of mental illness and PD e.g. HCR-20, START, SCID, IPDE, PCL-R. (2) o Well developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (eg personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc). (2) o Previous training and experience of recognised specialised therapies e.g. CBT, DBT, Schema therapy (2) o Management and leadership skills. (2)

Other

Essential

o Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours. (2) o 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. (2) o Ability to self-reflect, use clinical supervision appropriately and consider complex organisational team dynamics. (2) o Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings. (2)

Desirable

o Experience of working within a multicultural framework. (2)

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).