Job summary
We are seeking a passionate, qualified and experienced Clinical or Counselling Psychologists specialising in Older People's Mental Health and Dementia to join our inpatient psychological therapies team in Medway.
These posts would suit someone who has a genuine interest in and experience of working therapeutically with this varied and rewarding client group. An understanding of the needs of those with complex mental health difficulties as well as of those living with dementia and the ability to work with those who have cognitive difficulties is essential. Experience of neuropsychological assessment for dementia would be an advantage.
The post-holder will be based in West Kent & Medway with 3 clinical days (one day per ward) and up to two days allocated for operational, strategic, leadership and management duties. Ability to travel in a timely manner is essential (subject to DDA) and access to your own transport is desirable.
Main duties of the job
The post-holders will work closely with the multi-disciplinary inpatient teams and the senior management teams across three wards (per post-holder) and will be responsible for delivering highly specialised assessment, formulation, intervention and consultation and overseeing the clinical work of other psychological practitioners in those localities. With your counter-part, you will provide clinical and strategic leadership across the older adult wards and be responsible for the management of inpatient psychological therapies across Kent and Medway. You will have opportunities to be closely involved in developing a trauma-informed approach to care and promoting the development of healthy team functioning through collaborative team-working & staff training. The successful post-holders would also be supported and encouraged to participate in staff wellbeing provision including post-incident debriefing and team reflective practice sessions.
About us
Come and work with us in the Garden of England where we combine exceptional professional development opportunities with a tremendous quality of life.
We are Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT), providing mental health, learning disability and specialist services, serving 1.8 million people across the county.
The Trust (rated Good overall by the CQC and Outstanding for care) has 3,283 staff working in 66 buildings across 33 locations, covering an area of 1,450 square miles.
You will be joining friendly, passionate colleagues, rich in their diversity, who are committed to providing excellent care to our service users and their loved ones.
The nature of our work attracts kindness and compassion as standard and everyone from our cleaners and porters to the chief executive and chairman are recognised as playing a vital role in providing an exemplary service.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To be responsible for the systematic provision of Specialist Inpatient Psychological Services to older people with complex, severe and enduring mental health problems within Kent.
To undertake high quality direct and indirect specialist psychology interventions, taking substantial professional responsibility and exercising autonomous judgement in matters of professional practice.
To ensure that psychological knowledge is applied to all stages of the dementia assessment and treatment pathway, including experienced application of neuropsychological assessment in dementia diagnosis, through to a more systemic formulation approach for behaviours that challenge, including in inpatient, domestic and care home settings.
To ensure clinical effectiveness of own practice and of service functioning by undertaking research and development activities relevant to the service area.
To be responsible for regularly providing training placements for trainee clinical psychologists (and/or Clinical Associate Psychologists) in this specialism and providing professional support, guidance and leadership to other psychological staff in this specialism, possibly including leadership of psychological staff in a nearby locality.
See job description attached for more details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To be responsible for the systematic provision of Specialist Inpatient Psychological Services to older people with complex, severe and enduring mental health problems within Kent.
To undertake high quality direct and indirect specialist psychology interventions, taking substantial professional responsibility and exercising autonomous judgement in matters of professional practice.
To ensure that psychological knowledge is applied to all stages of the dementia assessment and treatment pathway, including experienced application of neuropsychological assessment in dementia diagnosis, through to a more systemic formulation approach for behaviours that challenge, including in inpatient, domestic and care home settings.
To ensure clinical effectiveness of own practice and of service functioning by undertaking research and development activities relevant to the service area.
To be responsible for regularly providing training placements for trainee clinical psychologists (and/or Clinical Associate Psychologists) in this specialism and providing professional support, guidance and leadership to other psychological staff in this specialism, possibly including leadership of psychological staff in a nearby locality.
See job description attached for more details.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post graduate doctorate in clinical/counselling psychology or equivalent
Desirable
- Further post-doctoral training/qualification relevant to the post, e.g., neuropsychology, dementia and behaviours that challenge and/or NICE accredited psychological therapies.
Experience
Essential
- Substantial post qualification mental health experience including with older people, those with severe and enduring MH difficulties and those with cognitive impairment and other disabilities.
- Experience of clinical supervision in this area of practice.
- Experience of working in inpatient settings
Desirable
- Specific experience of assessing and delivering interventions with behaviours that challenge in dementia
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post graduate doctorate in clinical/counselling psychology or equivalent
Desirable
- Further post-doctoral training/qualification relevant to the post, e.g., neuropsychology, dementia and behaviours that challenge and/or NICE accredited psychological therapies.
Experience
Essential
- Substantial post qualification mental health experience including with older people, those with severe and enduring MH difficulties and those with cognitive impairment and other disabilities.
- Experience of clinical supervision in this area of practice.
- Experience of working in inpatient settings
Desirable
- Specific experience of assessing and delivering interventions with behaviours that challenge in dementia
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).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
