Job summary
Islington Core Team - Clinical Associate Psychologist Band 6
1 WTE (37.5 hours per week)
Community Mental Health Services are undergoing widespread, innovative transformation and investment over the next 3 years. Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust are at the forefront of this transformation, developing a more holistic, recovery oriented, biopsychosocial approach to supporting people with mental health difficulties, in partnership with primary care, other community NHS providers and the voluntary sector. The aim is to build support systems that reach the whole mental health population with a focus on prevention and sustained recovery delivered by multi-agency collaboration. Each population unit is based on the footprint of a Primary Care Network (PCN), bringing together NHS, voluntary sector, peer support and community organisations. These relationships will be central to the new community mental health model.
Clinical Associate Psychologists are an innovative new role in mental health services, that are core to this community transformation and offering high quality clinical care to the Islington borough.
We have an opportunity for a qualified Clinical Associate Psychologist (Band 6) to join our service on a full-time basis. They will join a team of Clinical Associate Psychologists, Clinical and Counselling Psychologists, each linked to their multi-disciplinary team and PCN.
Interested applicants are encouraged to make contact for an informal conversation.
Main duties of the job
The Islington Core Mental Health teams are undergoing a process of transformation to develop and offer psychological interventions, in addition to assessment and consultation in primary care. The teams have been working in primary care in Islington for over 5 years, and have well established relationships with primary care and the voluntary sector. The service aims to work collaboratively with primary care and other voluntary sector colleagues to help people with complex difficulties in an integrated and holistic way.
The CAP role is central to the team's psychological provision, with opportunities for 1:1 therapy using a Structured Clinical Management model, offering group interventions, and joint assessment and consultation. There will be opportunities for leadership, research, service development and consultation to the system, which will involve liaising with professionals involved in the in care of the individual. The teams work closely as MDTs, with weekly clinical meetings where complex cases can be thought about and MDT formulations can be developed. There is also opportunity to work jointly with other members of the MDT in cases of particular complexity.
About us
By coming to work at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust you will be joining a Trust with a national reputation for research, where services recognise that research underpins its commitment to providing high quality and innovative clinical care. Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust is excited to be part of the development of new Clinical Associate Psychologists (CAP) roles in the UK.
These new clinical roles deliver on the NHS Long Term Plan by enhancing the provision and access to psychological therapies using innovative ways of working with a focus on community engagement. This initiative will pay particular attention to the social and cultural needs of those we serve and be involved in the development of Trauma Informed Care.
At Camden and Islington NHS foundation trust our staff and service users have worked closely to create a set of values that make sure people who use our services get the best possible chance of a rapid recovery.
We have 3 key priorities which are:
- Early and Effective Intervention,
- Helping People to Live Well
- Research and Innovation
The cultural pillars that help us achieve our key priorities are:
- We value each other
- We are empowered
- We keep things simple
- We are connected
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Clinical Associate Psychologist is a key role within both the psychology team and the wider Islington Core Mental Health team. As it is such a new role, there are exciting opportunities to shape and develop the service provided. Key duties include:
- Assessment and formulation for service users referred to Islington Core Mental Health team, under supervision from the wider Psychology team.
- Brief interventions for complex presentations above the threshold for IAPT but below threshold for secondary care.
- Individual interventions delivering Structured Clinical Management-informed interventions including problem-solving and skills focused work.
- Group interventions: psychoeducation and skills workshops.
- Working as part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency team.
- Working with diversity and a range of clinical presentations.
- Opportunities for service development, research projects and audit of interventions.
- Interdisciplinary and inter-agency working (e.g. with recovery college)
These are well supported roles, with the successful candidate reeiving high quality supervision, alongside learning and development opportunities.
Please see the attached Job Description for detailed information on the role and main duties / responsibilities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Clinical Associate Psychologist is a key role within both the psychology team and the wider Islington Core Mental Health team. As it is such a new role, there are exciting opportunities to shape and develop the service provided. Key duties include:
- Assessment and formulation for service users referred to Islington Core Mental Health team, under supervision from the wider Psychology team.
- Brief interventions for complex presentations above the threshold for IAPT but below threshold for secondary care.
- Individual interventions delivering Structured Clinical Management-informed interventions including problem-solving and skills focused work.
- Group interventions: psychoeducation and skills workshops.
- Working as part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency team.
- Working with diversity and a range of clinical presentations.
- Opportunities for service development, research projects and audit of interventions.
- Interdisciplinary and inter-agency working (e.g. with recovery college)
These are well supported roles, with the successful candidate reeiving high quality supervision, alongside learning and development opportunities.
Please see the attached Job Description for detailed information on the role and main duties / responsibilities.
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS / REGISTRATIONS
Essential
- Honours degree at 2:2 or above in Psychology.
- Eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Attained at least Level 2 Maths and English (equivalent to GCSE grade 9-4 (A*-C))
Desirable
- Further post graduate training relevant to the post (e.g. MBT or DBT, Trauma Informed Care, Group approaches)
SKILLS/ABILITIES
Essential
- Ability to tolerate and remain calm in the face of high levels of emotional distress and emotional demands
- Ability to recognise limits of competence and seek support when needed
- Awareness of diversity of cultural norms and acting in ways that respond to them appropriately
Desirable
- Skills in the use of relevant specialist treatment or assessment procedures
- Proficient use of a language other than English
EXPERIENCE/ KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Experience of work in the NHS, social care, voluntary sector or with community groups
- Experience of working with Service Users presenting with complex needs or severe mental health problems
- Experience of working cross-culturally and/or in different languages
- Awareness of the potential impact of discrimination & disadvantage on mental health
Desirable
- Experience of working with interpreters
- Lived experience of mental health difficulties as a service user or carer
PERSONAL QUALITIES
Essential
- Compassionate and open-minded; treating colleagues, Service Users, carers and relatives with dignity and respect
- Personal resilience to frequently working with the distress of others and potentially upsetting subject matter
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS / REGISTRATIONS
Essential
- Honours degree at 2:2 or above in Psychology.
- Eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartership with the British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Attained at least Level 2 Maths and English (equivalent to GCSE grade 9-4 (A*-C))
Desirable
- Further post graduate training relevant to the post (e.g. MBT or DBT, Trauma Informed Care, Group approaches)
SKILLS/ABILITIES
Essential
- Ability to tolerate and remain calm in the face of high levels of emotional distress and emotional demands
- Ability to recognise limits of competence and seek support when needed
- Awareness of diversity of cultural norms and acting in ways that respond to them appropriately
Desirable
- Skills in the use of relevant specialist treatment or assessment procedures
- Proficient use of a language other than English
EXPERIENCE/ KNOWLEDGE
Essential
- Experience of work in the NHS, social care, voluntary sector or with community groups
- Experience of working with Service Users presenting with complex needs or severe mental health problems
- Experience of working cross-culturally and/or in different languages
- Awareness of the potential impact of discrimination & disadvantage on mental health
Desirable
- Experience of working with interpreters
- Lived experience of mental health difficulties as a service user or carer
PERSONAL QUALITIES
Essential
- Compassionate and open-minded; treating colleagues, Service Users, carers and relatives with dignity and respect
- Personal resilience to frequently working with the distress of others and potentially upsetting subject matter
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.
