Clinical Associate Psychologist

Job responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

Works as part of a multi-disciplinary community team or in specialised clinical settings.

Consults with relevant external agencies such as primary care, social services, independent and voluntary sector, to facilitate and enable intervention at multiple levels.

Within Clinical Work:

Communicate clearly and empathetically to clients, families and carers.

Communicates formulations and information professionally, sensitively and diplomatically frequently in a highly emotive atmosphere to clients, relatives, carers and other healthcare professionals.

To communicate confidential and highly complex personal information concerning psychological needs, obtained through assessments and interventions, to referring agents and to the client themselves.

The post holder will be required to work in a highly emotive atmosphere, frequently encountering highly distressing problems and circumstances and must maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times.

The post holder will be required to work in situations where there are barriers to understanding, acceptance and possible exposure to aggression.

Establish a rapport with individuals who have mental health disorders or other difficulties, some of whom may be aggressive or distressed.

Discuss and negotiate clinical work with colleagues within a multidisciplinary team.

Discuss clinical work with other agencies and professionals.

Provide written reports and assessments for clients, their families and other agencies.

Effectively communicate the content of their clinical work to supervisors and make use of direct feedback and direction to ensure safety and maximise the effectiveness of their work.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

Formulates the nature, causes and maintaining factors of psychological difficulties and presentations informed by a broad range of potentially conflicting clinical, theoretical and conceptual models, the empirical, experimental and clinical literature base and the results of assessment.

• To make independent day to day clinical decisions and judgements based on detailed psychological assessments, within the scope of practice for Clinical Associate Psychologists set out in the apprenticeship standards and under the general guidance of their clinical supervisor who is available for consultation as required. Highly complex decisions and issues of clinical risk should be referred for discussion with the HCPC registered clinical supervisor.

Planning for day to day clinical assessments and interventions takes place under the supervisors overall guidance through supervision provided on a weekly basis by a designated registered Practitioner Psychologist

To determine appropriate psychological intervention, taking into account a range of potentially conflicting clinical information and dynamics.

Planning and Organisational Skills

In conjunction with their clinical supervisor and line manager, to plan and prioritise own workload, research, and individual and group sessions.

Plans and implements psychological interventions empathetically, sensitively and independently, with a range of client groups/groups of clients, and evaluates the impact of such intervention.

Plans and delivers structured group interventions for clients.

To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.

To attend and participate in administrative and service planning meetings as determined by the line manager and clinical supervisor.

Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment and Therapy

To undertake structured interviews, psychological assessments and observations of individuals and groups.

Carries out psychological assessments sensitively and independently with a broad range of client groups including individual psychometric testing.

To assist in development of psychological formulations of complex clinical problems and the development and delivery of care plans, which include psychological treatment and/or management of clients problems.

To carry out psychological and psychometric tests, to develop interview and observation skills and to assess client/patient needs.

To assist in the design, implement and modify as appropriate, bespoke psychological interventions with clients and groups.

To provide emotional support for clients.

To work as a member of a multidisciplinary team.

To follow a person-focused and evidence based approach.

To work in partnership with service users.

To work in a variety of settings including the clients own home.

Knowledge

Essential

• Post-Graduate level knowledge of applied psychological theory and research within the relevant area of practice (Adult Mental Health)
• Awareness of the range of presentations within the relevant area of practice and of the common multi-disciplinary services offered
• Awareness and understanding of professional level/requirements of role

Qualifications

Essential

• A professional qualification as a Clinical Associate Psychologist demonstrated through a masters degree in Applied Psychology accredited by the BPS.
• Successful completion of the end point assessment for a CAP Apprenticeship
• Current membership of the British Psychological Society and individual accreditation as a CAP once national accreditation schemes are available.

Desirable

• Further training in a specific model of Psychological Intervention

Physical skills

Essential

• IT skills to a level required to work regularly with Microsoft Office packages and local specialist packages as required using standard keyboard skills.
• Potential car use for clinical travel; required to travel to placements across large geographical area and visit a range of settings, including home visits

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working as a trainee, apprentice or qualified Clinical Associate Psychologist within the specific clinical area of practice (e.g. Community Adult Mental Health services)
• Experience of working effectively under supervision from a registered Practitioner Psychologist.

Desirable

• Experience of contributing to the delivery of specific psychological therapies

Planning & Organisational skills

Essential

• Excellent organisational skills and an understanding of working with multiple priorities.
• Flexible approach to working, balancing academic and clinical demands.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

Essential

• Awareness of own competency limitations.

Communication and Working Relationship Skills

Essential

• Excellent communications skills, both verbally and written, including the ability to engage with clients experiencing a wide range of mental health problems.
• Ability to communicate diplomatically, confidently, empathetically.
• Ability to work effectively under supervision but independently on a day to day basis

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).