Job summary
Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist and Clinical Lead - Hertfordshire Maternal Mental Health Service.
Band 8b.
0.4WTE, 15 hours
Applications are invited from senior and experienced Clinical and Counselling Psychologists for the role of Clinical Lead in the new Hertfordshire Maternal Mental Health Service (MMHS); an exciting opportunity to play a central role in the establishment, development and ongoing leadership of the MMHS. Supporting women and families across the county who have experienced a perinatal loss, birth trauma or who are experiencing tokophobia, this brand-new and crucial multi-disciplinary team will sit alongside the established and well-regarded Hertfordshire Community Perinatal Team (CPT), sharing close links clinically and operationally. The team is part of the current NHSE Long Term Plan vision to further develop and expand perinatal services nationally.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will initially work alongside a Project Manager, and be responsible for leading recruitment, the development of care pathways and governance structures as well as ongoing leadership, delivering high quality and evidence-based clinical interventions and supervision. The role will encompass managerial, clinical, developmental, professional and financial aspects, requiring the postholder to work in collaboration with local maternity and perinatal services, clinical and management teams to use resources in the most effective way and ensure an optimum level of care is established and maintained.
Regular specialist supervision will be provided as well as management support from the Service Manager.
It is anticipated that the Clinical Lead will be in post by Autumn 2022, with the expectation that the team will be operational and receiving referrals in January 2023.
Car driver and access to a car (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 which prevents you from driving).
About us
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) is an outstanding organisation with ambitions to match. We are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission, and our aim is to be the leading provider of mental health and specialist learning disability services in the country.
Our family of over 3500 members of staff provide health and social care for over 400,000 people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. We also deliver a range of nationally commissioned specialist services including Tier 4 services for children and young people, perinatal services, plus medium and low secure learning disabilities services.
The care we provide makes a fantastic difference to the lives of our service users, their families and carers - everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:
Our Trust values are:
Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.
These values are at the core of who we are, everything we do, and how we do it!
Would you like to be part of the HPFT family? Would you like work with us to ensure our service users live the fullest lives possible they can? Would you like to be supported in your career to be the best that you can be?
Then please read on...
Job description
Job responsibilities
For full details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role please refer to the job description and person specification documents attached.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For full details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role please refer to the job description and person specification documents attached.
Person Specification
KNOWLEDGE & TRAINING
Essential
- Good honors degree in psychology. Eligibility for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
- Post-graduate doctorate in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
- At least six years full-time post-registration experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment with clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
- Full registration with the Health Care Professions Council as a Practitioner Psychologist
- Training in the provision of clinical supervision.
- Training and experience in neuropsychological assessment.
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of clinical practice.
- Post-doctoral training/CPD in the delivery of perinatalspecific psychological interventions.
- Training and clinical experience in the delivery of parent -infant interventions, such as Video Interaction Guidance and Circle of Security
KNOWLEDGE & CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
Essential
- At least 6 years full -time post - registration experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment with clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature
- Experience of working with women who are pregnant or up to 1 year postnatal, who have, or are at risk of a range of complex mental health problems (such as post -natal depression and postpartum psychosis).
- Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of models of psychopathology, child developmental models, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology.
- Experience of working clinically with bereavement and loss and current awareness of the relevant evidence -base
- Well -developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific , difficult to treat groups (e.g. dual diagnoses, people with co - morbid conditions: physical health, social complexity, psychologically complex histories)
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients ' psychological care and treatment.
- Experience of teaching, training and supervision, including supervision of qualified members of staff from own and other professional groups.
- Experience working within multi -disciplinary and inter - disciplinary teams.
- Knowledge of NICE guidelines and NICE recommendations relating to perinatal mental health
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS, HCPC or ACP
- Experience and skills in providing consultation to other professional and non - professional groups.
- Good presentation and teaching skills and ability to use multi -media materials for formal presentations to large groups.
- Able to plan own workload; and coordinate with other relevant staff in the delivery of clinical service
- Able to work at a high level of professional autonomy and responsibility, in a collaborative multi -disciplinary environment and also as a lone worker in circumstances where there may be exposure to verbal and sometimes physical aggression.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for clinical practice in relation to clients during the perinatal period.
- Experience of working within a multi -cultural framework.
- Familiarity with computing technology, including keyboard skills, and use of word -processing, e -mail, and internet software
- Good presentation and teaching skills and ability to use multi -media materials for formal presentations to large groups.
Desirable
- Experience of recruitment selection
- Experience of having published in either peer reviewed academic or professional journals and/or books.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Essential
- Advanced ability to communicate clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS, both in oral and written forms
- Ability to work and communicate highly sensitive, contentious information effectively in a highly emotive or hostile atmosphere, and to overcome barriers to acceptance/psychological resistance to potentially threatening information
- Ability to work face to face with patients in isolated potentially hostile settings without other team members being nearby.
- Ability to demonstrate highlevel leadership and management skills.
ANALYTICAL SKILLS
Essential
- Able to prioritise work, to operate a waiting list, meet short deadlines and an unpredictable work pattern which requires regular revision of plans.
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
PHYSICAL SKILLS
Essential
- Car driver (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
- Ability to move equipment (including case files, self-help materials, audio-visual equipment) between office base and other work settings.
PHYSICAL EFFORT
Essential
- Ability to sit in constrained position for client therapy and for computer work.
MENTAL EFFORT
Essential
- Ability to manage periods of prolonged concentration in client sessions and during computing tasks.
- Ability to work towards goals agreed at individual Appraisal with the Service Manager
- Able to sustain the intense concentration necessary for client assessment and formulation, group and individual therapy sessions, interviews.
EMOTIONAL EFFORT
Essential
- Regular requirement to deal with distressing or emotionally charged situations.
- Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to 'hold' the stress of others.
Person Specification
KNOWLEDGE & TRAINING
Essential
- Good honors degree in psychology. Eligibility for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
- Post-graduate doctorate in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
- At least six years full-time post-registration experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment with clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
- Full registration with the Health Care Professions Council as a Practitioner Psychologist
- Training in the provision of clinical supervision.
- Training and experience in neuropsychological assessment.
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of clinical practice.
- Post-doctoral training/CPD in the delivery of perinatalspecific psychological interventions.
- Training and clinical experience in the delivery of parent -infant interventions, such as Video Interaction Guidance and Circle of Security
KNOWLEDGE & CLINICAL EXPERIENCE
Essential
- At least 6 years full -time post - registration experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment with clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature
- Experience of working with women who are pregnant or up to 1 year postnatal, who have, or are at risk of a range of complex mental health problems (such as post -natal depression and postpartum psychosis).
- Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of models of psychopathology, child developmental models, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology.
- Experience of working clinically with bereavement and loss and current awareness of the relevant evidence -base
- Well -developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific , difficult to treat groups (e.g. dual diagnoses, people with co - morbid conditions: physical health, social complexity, psychologically complex histories)
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients ' psychological care and treatment.
- Experience of teaching, training and supervision, including supervision of qualified members of staff from own and other professional groups.
- Experience working within multi -disciplinary and inter - disciplinary teams.
- Knowledge of NICE guidelines and NICE recommendations relating to perinatal mental health
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS, HCPC or ACP
- Experience and skills in providing consultation to other professional and non - professional groups.
- Good presentation and teaching skills and ability to use multi -media materials for formal presentations to large groups.
- Able to plan own workload; and coordinate with other relevant staff in the delivery of clinical service
- Able to work at a high level of professional autonomy and responsibility, in a collaborative multi -disciplinary environment and also as a lone worker in circumstances where there may be exposure to verbal and sometimes physical aggression.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for clinical practice in relation to clients during the perinatal period.
- Experience of working within a multi -cultural framework.
- Familiarity with computing technology, including keyboard skills, and use of word -processing, e -mail, and internet software
- Good presentation and teaching skills and ability to use multi -media materials for formal presentations to large groups.
Desirable
- Experience of recruitment selection
- Experience of having published in either peer reviewed academic or professional journals and/or books.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Essential
- Advanced ability to communicate clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS, both in oral and written forms
- Ability to work and communicate highly sensitive, contentious information effectively in a highly emotive or hostile atmosphere, and to overcome barriers to acceptance/psychological resistance to potentially threatening information
- Ability to work face to face with patients in isolated potentially hostile settings without other team members being nearby.
- Ability to demonstrate highlevel leadership and management skills.
ANALYTICAL SKILLS
Essential
- Able to prioritise work, to operate a waiting list, meet short deadlines and an unpredictable work pattern which requires regular revision of plans.
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
PHYSICAL SKILLS
Essential
- Car driver (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
- Ability to move equipment (including case files, self-help materials, audio-visual equipment) between office base and other work settings.
PHYSICAL EFFORT
Essential
- Ability to sit in constrained position for client therapy and for computer work.
MENTAL EFFORT
Essential
- Ability to manage periods of prolonged concentration in client sessions and during computing tasks.
- Ability to work towards goals agreed at individual Appraisal with the Service Manager
- Able to sustain the intense concentration necessary for client assessment and formulation, group and individual therapy sessions, interviews.
EMOTIONAL EFFORT
Essential
- Regular requirement to deal with distressing or emotionally charged situations.
- Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to 'hold' the stress of others.
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).
