Job summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic and innovative Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to work in our Community mental health services in North West Sussex (NWS). This exciting and varied full-time Band 7 post is located in the Mid Sussex Assessment and Treatment Team, with bases in Haywards Heath and East Grinstead. It is commutable from Brighton and London.
This post sits in a team alongside several other psychological therapists including psychologists and CBT therapists. The psychological therapists are embedded within a cohesive, experienced and friendly MDT which really welcomes psychological interventions and collaborative working. There is a very positive relationship between psychology and other disciplines within the team.
We are looking for someone with competencies in working with people with complex mental health difficulties and skills in evidenced based interventions. The post holder will also support psychological practice within the team by contributing a psychological perspective to team working and treatment planning and supervising psychologically informed work.
Applicants due to complete their training in September 2023 are welcome to apply. Interviews will be held in person in Haywards Heath on Weds 22nd February 2023. Please do get in touch for an informal conversation to find out more about the role.
To protect the health and safety of our staff and patients, we encourage our workforce to get fully vaccinated against COVID
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide assessments for psychological therapy and evidence-based interventions for a range of complex mental health problems (e.g. complex PTSD, psychosis, moderate-severe OCD/anxiety/depression and EUPD).They will be expected to provide psychological assessments, interventions and staff support such as reflective practice, training and de briefing. The ability to work alongside the MDT in case formulation, management of complex risk and team development will be essential. We are looking for a recovery focused Practitioner psychologist with a strong commitment to team working and service user involvement.
The post holder may provide supervision of psychologically informed practitioners such as Mental Health Wellbeing Practitioners and Assistant Psychologists.
We would welcome applicants with experience, training or interest in working with clients with complex mental health problems. Linked to this, there has been a recent expansion in funded training opportunities in the Trust for interventions such as CBT for psychosis, schema-informed CBT for complex emotional difficulties and Compassionate Resilience groups for PTSD.
The post holder will facilitate and lead on certain groups and group experience would be helpful. Some previous groups have included mindfulness based cognitive therapy, compassion-focused therapy, CBT for OCD, overcoming depression and groups for EUPD such as STEPPS and DBT skills.
About us
Staff wellbeing is of central importance in the trust and remains at the forefront of our ongoing agenda both within psychological therapies and within the MDT leadership team. There is an emphasis on encouraging and supporting our staff to develop, whilst working in psychologically safe environments.
We are committed to the promotion of excellent professional standards by embedding professional practice within the Trust clinical governance structures and we facilitate continuing professional development by a range of support structures. Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust promotes high quality clinical research, and our links with the research and development department are valued and strong. Recent examples of this include links with the Sussex Voices Clinic and the development of both a Compassionate Resilience clinic and SUPER (paranoia) clinic, operating in North West Sussex.
Living and Working in West Sussex:
- Travel easily between coast and countryside, with a blend of picturesque villages and seaside towns
- According to the Met Office, West Sussex is the sunniest county in the UK, making exploring the vast countryside all the more enjoyable
We'd love you to join our Trust, rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by the CQC.
Job description
Job responsibilities
o work as a member of the mid Sussex ATS team, providing high quality evidence-based psychological therapy to clients, their families or carers. In addition, to support psychological practice within the team through consultation, supervision, formulation and training and by participating in systematic clinical governance. To work with complex presentations suitable for psychological therapy in the team, utilising a high level of knowledge and experience and adapting approaches as appropriate, with regard to evidence based practice
To be responsible for holding and managing a clinical caseload and to exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the planning and prioritising of own workload and the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients, within the bounds of the service operational policy.
To use analytical and judgment skills and be responsible for taking clinical management decisions in complex clinical issues.
To supervise psychologically informed practitioners as appropriate.
Please see job description for more details
Job description
Job responsibilities
o work as a member of the mid Sussex ATS team, providing high quality evidence-based psychological therapy to clients, their families or carers. In addition, to support psychological practice within the team through consultation, supervision, formulation and training and by participating in systematic clinical governance. To work with complex presentations suitable for psychological therapy in the team, utilising a high level of knowledge and experience and adapting approaches as appropriate, with regard to evidence based practice
To be responsible for holding and managing a clinical caseload and to exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the planning and prioritising of own workload and the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients, within the bounds of the service operational policy.
To use analytical and judgment skills and be responsible for taking clinical management decisions in complex clinical issues.
To supervise psychologically informed practitioners as appropriate.
Please see job description for more details
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or outside the UK], including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as approved by the HCPC
- Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HCPC)
Knowledge/Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological working (assessment, formulation and treatment) 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 outpatient, community, primary care, inpatient and residential care settings, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of applied psychology
- High level of knowledge and skills in neuropsychology and evidence of further practice and/or training since qualification
- Experience of the application of applied psychology in different cultural contexts and experience of working within a multicultural framework
- Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or outside the UK], including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology as approved by the HCPC
- Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HCPC)
Knowledge/Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological working (assessment, formulation and treatment) 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 outpatient, community, primary care, inpatient and residential care settings, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of applied psychology
- High level of knowledge and skills in neuropsychology and evidence of further practice and/or training since qualification
- Experience of the application of applied psychology in different cultural contexts and experience of working within a multicultural framework
- Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC
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).
