Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join our highly regarded and successful award-winning Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service (SPMHS) which operates over the whole of Sussex.
The Specialist Perinatal Mental Service (SPMHS) which sits within Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust now requires a Band 5 Senior Assistant Psychologist. This post is for a one year fixed-term maternity cover for 30 hours a week. The applicant must have experience of working in a specialist perinatal mental health service and up to date knowledge of current infant mental health and safeguarding protocols in a setting where infants are at risk.
This post provides opportunities to develop clinical and research skills within the perinatal service.
Days of the week are negotiable but will include Wednesdays.
The post holder will be basedin East Sussex and will be expected to travel across Sussex. The post holder will report to the Principal Clinical Psychologist within their team.
Covid-19 full vaccination may be a condition of employment for this role, unless an exemption applies. The successful applicant may have contact with vulnerable service users and we will therefore seek proof of being fully vaccinated during the recruitment process.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will support the delivery of NICE concordant perinatal psychological therapies to women, their babies and their families. The Senior Assistant Psychologist in the specialist community perinatal mental health service will work within the main community service treatment pathway and will contribute to the bereavement pathway (neonatal loss and stillbirth).
The post holder will support assessment and treatment interventions undertaken by the service as appropriate to level of competence and training, and contribute to group interventions run within the service.
Should the post holder wish to pursue an application for the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, support with application and interview preparation will be available.
The post holder may also support projects relating to service implementation and evaluation which will include the collection of qualitative and quantitative outcome data sets,managing spreadsheets and using IT skills, and conducting evaluations, audits and research.
The postholder will be given regular supervision and close support from highly skilled professionals within the service as well as opportunities for professional development.
About us
The Long-Term Plan for Mental Health sets out national and local ambitions to improve care for people in pregnancy through the first stages of the babies' life who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, mental health difficulties.
One in five women experience post or ante natal depression, anxiety or in some cases psychosis, during pregnancy or in the first year after childbirth.
Perinatal community mental health services provide specialist care for women (and their babies) with moderate to severe mental illness, such as bipolar disorder or severe depression. The long-term benefits of this kind of specialist care offer early help and support to parents and babies to help with a range of perinatal issues including parent infant bonding.
The Bereavement pathway (BP) is one of the key 'flexible deliverables' in the LTP, called therein as the 'Maternal Mental Health Service's (MMHS). Each service-based iteration is designed to meet local needs and wider maternal health pathways, while at the same time, forming a continuity of care the national design of the MMHS cohorts. Our BP is focussed on providing high calibre individualised care to women, their partners and their families who have experienced neonatal loss or still birth, defined as loss at 24 weeks.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Our four multidisciplinary teams include Psychiatrists, Administrators, Nurses, ClinicalPsychologists, Early Years workers, and some specialist Midwives and Health Visitors who are all trained in adult and infant mental health. The Service has extremely good working partnerships with a wide range of primary and secondary care professionals, including Midwives, Health Visitors, Social Care, CAMHSand Adult Mental Health Services across Sussex and is a key member of the South East Coast Strategic Network.
You will join a multi-disciplinary service, comprising four separate teams, providing specialist care for women with moderate to serious mental health crisis such as perinatal psychosis, bipolar disorder or severe uni-polar depression whilst they are pregnant or in the first 12 months after birth. This is also a rare opportunity contribute to the skilful delivery of psychology and psychological therapy (PP) interventions to the new bereavement pathway. These are likely to be individual, couple and family-based therapies for trauma and loss.
Within the main service we offer four core PP offers; birth trauma, maternal OCD, post MBU interventions and parent infant psychotherapy (PIP). Our PP group also offers DBT and CFT group interventions. You may also join an active perinatal research and audit group who have already had two publications accepted.
Please see job description for outlines of the main duties and responsibilities of this post, and the person specification which lists the requirements necessary to perform the job. Candidates will be assessed according to the extent to which they meet the specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Our four multidisciplinary teams include Psychiatrists, Administrators, Nurses, ClinicalPsychologists, Early Years workers, and some specialist Midwives and Health Visitors who are all trained in adult and infant mental health. The Service has extremely good working partnerships with a wide range of primary and secondary care professionals, including Midwives, Health Visitors, Social Care, CAMHSand Adult Mental Health Services across Sussex and is a key member of the South East Coast Strategic Network.
You will join a multi-disciplinary service, comprising four separate teams, providing specialist care for women with moderate to serious mental health crisis such as perinatal psychosis, bipolar disorder or severe uni-polar depression whilst they are pregnant or in the first 12 months after birth. This is also a rare opportunity contribute to the skilful delivery of psychology and psychological therapy (PP) interventions to the new bereavement pathway. These are likely to be individual, couple and family-based therapies for trauma and loss.
Within the main service we offer four core PP offers; birth trauma, maternal OCD, post MBU interventions and parent infant psychotherapy (PIP). Our PP group also offers DBT and CFT group interventions. You may also join an active perinatal research and audit group who have already had two publications accepted.
Please see job description for outlines of the main duties and responsibilities of this post, and the person specification which lists the requirements necessary to perform the job. Candidates will be assessed according to the extent to which they meet the specification.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Honours degree at 2:2 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS
Knowledge/Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a specialist perinatal mental health service
- Knowledge of current infant mental health and safeguarding protocols in a setting where infants are at risk
- Experience of working with people with complex needs
- Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and or work with people with complex needs
- Relevant clinical and research skills
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
- Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context
- An understanding of psychology applied to health care
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Honours degree at 2:2 or above in Psychology, or equivalent. Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the BPS
Knowledge/Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a specialist perinatal mental health service
- Knowledge of current infant mental health and safeguarding protocols in a setting where infants are at risk
- Experience of working with people with complex needs
- Experience of working with people with disabilities, in a health or Mental Health setting and or work with people with complex needs
- Relevant clinical and research skills
- Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Basic knowledge of databases, research skills and methodology
- Experience of group work and individual therapeutic contact
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a health context
- An understanding of psychology applied to health care
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).
