Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for an assistant psychologist to join an established and innovative cancer psychological service in East Yorkshire. The successful post-holder will have opportunity to work as part of an MDT with a range of professionals including clinical and counselling psychologists and CBT therapists and will become an integral part of this team. There will be opportunity for one to one work with patients, co-facilitation of groups and involvement in service development projects.
In addition the post holder will spend 4 hours a week as part of the Active Together team alongside a senior counsellor from the service. This is newly established service to provide prehabilitation and rehabilitation to patients on a curative cancer pathway. The post holder will have opportunity to shape the development of this service and work alongside AHP professionals and exercise practitioners.
We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who is able to manage working on a number of projects and is keen to develop a range of experience.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work in the cancer psychological service, undertaking clinically supervised work with patients on a one-to-one basis and within group settings. The post holder will also undertake research and development activities under the supervision of a clinical psychologist and work jointly with other professionals within the multidisciplinary teams.
In addition, the postholder will work 4 hours per week in the Active Together project alongside a senior counsellor from the service. The role will involve delivery of the psychological aspects of the programme. Active Together in a multimodal prehabilitation and rehabilitation service that has been developed by world leading academics and practitioners at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) at Sheffield Hallam University and funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research.
The Active Together Programme is designed to prepare people with cancer for, and recover from, treatment quickly and to assist them to maintain healthy lifestyles after their cancer diagnosis.
The Active Together service in Hull is a collaboration between Yorkshire Cancer research and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH), working alongside researchers from Sheffield Hallam University to develop and evaluate the service. The Active Together service is delivered by a multidisciplinary team including Physiotherapists, Fitness instructors and dieticians alongside Psychology, delivering high quality patient focused-care.
About us
The Humber Health Partnership is one of the largest acute and community Partnership arrangements in the NHS, seeing well over one million patients every year and managing a budget of over £1.3 billion.
Made up of two Trusts - Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLAG) and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH) - our Partnership has significant ambitions and is committed to delivering world-class hospital and community services for the 1.65 million people we serve.
Together we employ nearly 20,000 staff. Our five main hospital sites are Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Scunthorpe General Hospital and Goole and District Hospital, for NLAG and Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital for HUTH.
As Teaching Hospitals working with the Hull York Medical School, we both lead and contribute to research in many areas - biomedical research, primary care, palliative medicine, cardiovascular and respiratory medicine, vascular surgery, cancer surgery and oncology.
We believe that by developing a diverse, inclusive, innovative, skilled and caring workforce, we can deliver excellent care to our patients and a great future for our employees, our Partnership and our community.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main duties and responsibilities of post holder
Patient Care / Clinical Services
The post holder will have a caseload of patients presenting with cancer distress. They will be responsible for delivering level 2 interventions with supervision from a clinical psychologist. They will work as part of an MDT and attend weekly referral meetings as well as having opportunity to participate in CPD events, business meetings, service development and clinical supervision meetings.
The post holder will have opportunities to be involved in group work and project and service development work. We currently have virtual reality project within oncology and a project within the Teenage and Young People (TYA) cancer unit.
The postholder will have a unique opportunity to be part of the Active Together programme recently set up in HUTH. As part of this project the postholder will work alongside a senior counsellor to support the establishment of the psychological service provision. They will have opportunity to provide teaching and training to other professionals and to facilitate group work.
The post holder may give specialist advice, and provide training and teaching for different audiences, under the direction of a clinical psychologist and will be responsible for maintaining agreed standards, including record keeping.
Knowledge, Training and Experience
The post holder will apply the knowledge acquired through their psychology degree and through clinically supervised experience working directly with patients who present with physical and mental health conditions.
Leadership / Management Responsibilities and Development
The post holder will be responsible for delivering training to other staff under the guidance of their supervisor. For example, the post holder might provide training to ward staff on the psychological management of patients.
Communications
The post holder will provide and receive complex and sensitive information in relation to both patients, family and staff, through face to face meetings; written reports; and attendance and multidisciplinary meetings. They will also communicate condition related information to other staff e.g carrying out psychoeducation sessions with staff teams, to increase understanding of the condition and to develop strategies to improve participation in rehabilitation.
The post holder will be required to demonstrate the skills needed to respond to highly distressed patients and family members, and to professionally manage verbal aggression.
Analytical Skills
The post holder will be required to assess and treat patients on a 1:1 basis and within groups. Using evidence-based research, you will be required to work directly with a range of patients.
Planning and Organisational Skills
The post holder will plan, prioritise and organise their own workload and activities (both clinical and research), under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.
Physical Skills
The post holder will be required to have standard keyboard skills and be able to use psychometric test equipment. You will also be required to travel across sites as necessary.
Service Development and Improvement
The post holder will follow Trust and departmental policies and comment on proposals when required. They will keep up to date with service and professional policies, procedures and standards.
Financial and Physical resources
The post holder will book out assessment and therapy materials, such as psychometric test materials and electronic resources. They will treat them with care and return them to their storage location in a timely manner.
Information resources
The post holder will maintain and store their own patient records according to trust and professional guidelines. They will store psychometric materials securely; produce documents electronically and write clear and concise reports, especially assessment reports, for different audiences (e.g. patients, carers, staff, professionals), providing them in a timely manner.
Research, Audit and Innovation
The post holder will participate in departmental research as guided by their supervisor. Under the guidance of a clinical psychologist, he/she will prepare, carry out and write up relevant research or audit programmes, either independently or jointly with other psychologists or professionals.
Freedom to Act
The post holder will work within the code of ethics and the relevant professional practice guidelines of the British Psychological Society, as well as the policies; professional framework and SOPs of the Trust, under the guidance of their supervisor, who will provide weekly formal supervision. The post holder will also keep abreast of developments in clinical psychology, particularly in the field of psycho-oncology.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main duties and responsibilities of post holder
Patient Care / Clinical Services
The post holder will have a caseload of patients presenting with cancer distress. They will be responsible for delivering level 2 interventions with supervision from a clinical psychologist. They will work as part of an MDT and attend weekly referral meetings as well as having opportunity to participate in CPD events, business meetings, service development and clinical supervision meetings.
The post holder will have opportunities to be involved in group work and project and service development work. We currently have virtual reality project within oncology and a project within the Teenage and Young People (TYA) cancer unit.
The postholder will have a unique opportunity to be part of the Active Together programme recently set up in HUTH. As part of this project the postholder will work alongside a senior counsellor to support the establishment of the psychological service provision. They will have opportunity to provide teaching and training to other professionals and to facilitate group work.
The post holder may give specialist advice, and provide training and teaching for different audiences, under the direction of a clinical psychologist and will be responsible for maintaining agreed standards, including record keeping.
Knowledge, Training and Experience
The post holder will apply the knowledge acquired through their psychology degree and through clinically supervised experience working directly with patients who present with physical and mental health conditions.
Leadership / Management Responsibilities and Development
The post holder will be responsible for delivering training to other staff under the guidance of their supervisor. For example, the post holder might provide training to ward staff on the psychological management of patients.
Communications
The post holder will provide and receive complex and sensitive information in relation to both patients, family and staff, through face to face meetings; written reports; and attendance and multidisciplinary meetings. They will also communicate condition related information to other staff e.g carrying out psychoeducation sessions with staff teams, to increase understanding of the condition and to develop strategies to improve participation in rehabilitation.
The post holder will be required to demonstrate the skills needed to respond to highly distressed patients and family members, and to professionally manage verbal aggression.
Analytical Skills
The post holder will be required to assess and treat patients on a 1:1 basis and within groups. Using evidence-based research, you will be required to work directly with a range of patients.
Planning and Organisational Skills
The post holder will plan, prioritise and organise their own workload and activities (both clinical and research), under the supervision of a clinical psychologist.
Physical Skills
The post holder will be required to have standard keyboard skills and be able to use psychometric test equipment. You will also be required to travel across sites as necessary.
Service Development and Improvement
The post holder will follow Trust and departmental policies and comment on proposals when required. They will keep up to date with service and professional policies, procedures and standards.
Financial and Physical resources
The post holder will book out assessment and therapy materials, such as psychometric test materials and electronic resources. They will treat them with care and return them to their storage location in a timely manner.
Information resources
The post holder will maintain and store their own patient records according to trust and professional guidelines. They will store psychometric materials securely; produce documents electronically and write clear and concise reports, especially assessment reports, for different audiences (e.g. patients, carers, staff, professionals), providing them in a timely manner.
Research, Audit and Innovation
The post holder will participate in departmental research as guided by their supervisor. Under the guidance of a clinical psychologist, he/she will prepare, carry out and write up relevant research or audit programmes, either independently or jointly with other psychologists or professionals.
Freedom to Act
The post holder will work within the code of ethics and the relevant professional practice guidelines of the British Psychological Society, as well as the policies; professional framework and SOPs of the Trust, under the guidance of their supervisor, who will provide weekly formal supervision. The post holder will also keep abreast of developments in clinical psychology, particularly in the field of psycho-oncology.
Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential
- BSc 2:1 or above in Psychology
Desirable
- Graduate membership or either BPS or ACP
Knoweldge, training and experience
Essential
- Experience of working within a clinical setting under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist
- Experience of working in a health psychology or acute setting
Desirable
- Experience of working with cancer patients
- Experience of using CBT, ACT or CFT for individual based therapy
- Knowledge of risk assessment processes
- Knowledge in area of exercise, nutrition etc.
Communication and interpersonal skills
Essential
- Excellent skills in the following areas: ? Communication ? Teaching/presenting ? Managing challenging behavior ? Clinical assessment
- Able to resolve difficult interpersonal situations
Desirable
- Specialised training / knowledge in management of challenging behavior
- Experience of planning and cofacilitating therapeutic groups.
- Research experience
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and implications for clinical practice.
Special attributes
Essential
- Able to manage own work timetable
- Able to participate positively in supervision processes
- Able to manage stress generated by work/work environment.
- Well motivated with respect to developing clinical and academic skills, with evidence of continued professional development.
- Ability to develop and use complex multimedia materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings, with evidence of competency in the use of Microsoft office; Powerpoint and Excel.
Desirable
- Relevant additional training, E.g. managing stress at work; clinical supervision.
- Experience of working within a stressful environment with challenging patients.
- Holds IT qualification, such as ECDL.
- Experience of using electronic patient databases i.e Lorenzo
Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential
- BSc 2:1 or above in Psychology
Desirable
- Graduate membership or either BPS or ACP
Knoweldge, training and experience
Essential
- Experience of working within a clinical setting under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist
- Experience of working in a health psychology or acute setting
Desirable
- Experience of working with cancer patients
- Experience of using CBT, ACT or CFT for individual based therapy
- Knowledge of risk assessment processes
- Knowledge in area of exercise, nutrition etc.
Communication and interpersonal skills
Essential
- Excellent skills in the following areas: ? Communication ? Teaching/presenting ? Managing challenging behavior ? Clinical assessment
- Able to resolve difficult interpersonal situations
Desirable
- Specialised training / knowledge in management of challenging behavior
- Experience of planning and cofacilitating therapeutic groups.
- Research experience
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and implications for clinical practice.
Special attributes
Essential
- Able to manage own work timetable
- Able to participate positively in supervision processes
- Able to manage stress generated by work/work environment.
- Well motivated with respect to developing clinical and academic skills, with evidence of continued professional development.
- Ability to develop and use complex multimedia materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings, with evidence of competency in the use of Microsoft office; Powerpoint and Excel.
Desirable
- Relevant additional training, E.g. managing stress at work; clinical supervision.
- Experience of working within a stressful environment with challenging patients.
- Holds IT qualification, such as ECDL.
- Experience of using electronic patient databases i.e Lorenzo
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Address
Queens Centre, Castle Hill Hospital, and Cherry Tree Court,
Castle Road, and 36 Ferensway
Cottingham and Hull
HU16 5JQ
Employer's website
https://www.hey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
