Job summary
We have a Principal Practitioner Psychologist vacancy at the Tamarind Centre, an 89-bed medium-secure unit working with men who are experiencing severe mental health problems which also have a component of violence associated. We work alongside a number of other professionals, providing safe, containing environments and interventions to help people understand themselves, their mental health difficulties and their offending behaviour.
The psychology team consists of a range of experienced Practitioner Psychologists, Art Therapist, Specialist Psychological Practitioner and Assistant Psychologists. We have close links with local training providers and take on Trainee Psychologists and this year also a Trainee Dramatherapist. We value ourselves on being able to be down to earth, authentic and open in our communication, bringing in the diverse experiences we hold within the team across gender, ethnicity, class, sexuality, amongst other characteristics.
As Principal Psychologist, you will hold oversight of the Recovery, Outcomes and Wellbeing workstream across Tamarind, linking in with Divisional priorities and Trust targets. This will involve liaising with the service user led newsletter, community radio shows and supporting the shaping of our services through using your role to share power with service users accessing meetings and making decisions. In addition to clinical work and service development, you will have managerial responsibility for members of the team.
Main duties of the job
We are currently undertaking research in range of contexts including cultural narratives in mental health, integrating anxiety interventions with sensory integration, men's physical and mental health group, and co-producing training on trauma informed care, by service users for service users. You will be encouraged to continue to add to the evidence base, and be supported to write your papers for publication if this is within your interest. Alternatively, we will work with you to find your 'shiny thing' to ensure you develop as you wish.
We are looking for registered Practitioner Psychologists who are interested in working in secure environments with highly sensitive content. Whilst secure experience will be highly desirable, we encourage a breadth of experience to help bring new thinking to our services as the culture evolves. If you are ready for the next stage of your career progression, and able to compassionately challenge systems and staff to be better, hold integrity and also connect with the people around them, we hope that you speak to us and apply.
About us
Welcome to Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. Our 4000 clinical and support staff help us to improve mental health wellbeing and meet the needs of the 70,000 people we serve each year. We provide a range of mental healthcare services across Birmingham and Solihull, as well as specialised services nationally. We also offer medical, nursing and psychology training and are proud of our international reputation for both research and innovation.
Our population is culturally diverse, characterised in places by high levels of deprivation which create an increasing demand for our services and a necessity for us to make sure everyone can access the help they need. We are a team of compassionate, inclusive and committed people working together to provide excellent care to support our community. If you are looking for a place to belong, where you can make a real difference to people's lives, join our team where our warm welcome is waiting for you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For further information about the main responsibilities please view the attached job description and person specification.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Satisfactory completion of a British Psychological Society accredited Doctoral Level postgraduate professional training course in clinical psychology (the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), the completion of which includes the study of models of psychopathology, psychometric and neuropsychological assessment, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
- Eligibility for entry onto the Register of Chartered Psychologists.
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice / therapy.
Experience
Essential
- Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical/forensic psychologist for a minimum of 4 years post qualification, with a minimum of at least 2 years at the Senior (highly specialist) level.
- Experience of highly specialist psychological assessment and individual and group based treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including primary and secondary/ specialist care and inpatient/residential, outpatient and community team settings.
Desirable
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of safeguarding and risk management across several agencies, including appropriately escalating concerns
Skills
Essential
- Highly developed theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of clinical psychology, consistent with doctoral level professional training and further post qualification study, training and supervised experience during a minimum of 4 years as a qualified psychologist
- Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups.
Desirable
- Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies.
- In depth knowledge of information governance legislation and information sharing practices across agencies
personal
Essential
- Ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
- Is a 'team player' and has demonstrated ability to work and deliver to team and organisational objectives
- Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism, and to reflect on and manage own emotions and those of others, when faced by challenging behaviour, including frequent verbal abuse and occasional threatened physical abuse.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Satisfactory completion of a British Psychological Society accredited Doctoral Level postgraduate professional training course in clinical psychology (the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), the completion of which includes the study of models of psychopathology, psychometric and neuropsychological assessment, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
- Eligibility for entry onto the Register of Chartered Psychologists.
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more highly specialist areas of psychological practice / therapy.
Experience
Essential
- Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical/forensic psychologist for a minimum of 4 years post qualification, with a minimum of at least 2 years at the Senior (highly specialist) level.
- Experience of highly specialist psychological assessment and individual and group based treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including primary and secondary/ specialist care and inpatient/residential, outpatient and community team settings.
Desirable
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of safeguarding and risk management across several agencies, including appropriately escalating concerns
Skills
Essential
- Highly developed theoretical and practical knowledge of the field of clinical psychology, consistent with doctoral level professional training and further post qualification study, training and supervised experience during a minimum of 4 years as a qualified psychologist
- Skills in providing consultation and advice from a psychological perspective to members of other professional and non-professional groups.
Desirable
- Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies.
- In depth knowledge of information governance legislation and information sharing practices across agencies
personal
Essential
- Ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
- Is a 'team player' and has demonstrated ability to work and deliver to team and organisational objectives
- Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism, and to reflect on and manage own emotions and those of others, when faced by challenging behaviour, including frequent verbal abuse and occasional threatened physical abuse.
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
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).
