Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

An exciting opportunity to join the C&I's Hospital Psychology Service. We are a small but expanding team of psychologists and CAPs working across inpatient services at Highgate Mental Health Centre and St. Pancras Hospital.

We are delighted to advertise a newly funded post, in recognition of Trust's commitment to improve access to psychological interventions and developing Trauma Informed care within inpatient settings for adult and older adult inpatient service users at Highgate Mental Health Centre.

The post-holder will be the principle psychologist for two wards; one adult treatment ward and one older adult treatment ward.

We are looking for psychologists with excellent clinical skills and with demonstrated expertise and knowledge of working with people across the age span, experiencing psychosis and/or other mental health difficulties presenting in acute distress.

Enthusiasm, personal resilience and the ability to work flexibly are essential. Those currently working at Band 7 who are ready for career progression are encouraged to apply. Additionally, we are able to offer this post as a Band 7 Preceptorship towards Band 8a and encourage 3rd year trainees to apply.

The Trust supports a wide range of training opportunities and professional development for qualified psychologists. We offer a comprehensive CPD programme including CBT, systemic and psychodynamic models.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work within the inpatient service, being the principle psychologist for two wards and provide input in collaboration with other psychologists to other teams within the division, where appropriate.

They will work with ward MDTs and manage psychology referrals for direct clinical work including assessment, brief formulation-driven intervention and group interventions. They will also focus on providing consultation, reflective practice and training to teams across the Division and have opportunities for service development focused on developing Trauma Informed approaches and improving clinical care. The post holder will utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development/quality improvement.

About us

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

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.

As an applicant for this role, you are urged to demonstrate within your supporting statement a combination of evidence that reflects your competence to meet the job specification and provide examples of how C&I Cultural pillars are an integral part of the way you have and will continue to deliver service.

Date posted

22 July 2022

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£54,223 to £60,316 a year per annum inclusive HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

455-CANDI-107

Job locations

Highgate Mental Health Centre/St Pancras Hopsital

Highgate Mental Health Centre, Dartmouth Park Hill

London

N19 5NX

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

To provide specialist psychological assessments using interview, formal psychometric and other assessment methods as appropriate.
To provide psychological formulation and treatment, advice and management of service users, using a range of psychological interventions appropriate to the service. To carry out direct and indirect risk assessments and management plans in line with MDT care planning.
To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the psychological assessment and treatment in accordance with policies of the service.
To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals, to assist formulation, diagnosis and treatment plans.
To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to service users carers and families, where appropriate.
To provide reports and communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of service users.
To liaise with other health and social care staff, from a range of agencies, in the care provided to service users.

Teaching, training and supervision

To provide reflective practice and case formulation sessions to clinical teams to assist formulation and treatment plans including management of challenging behaviour and risk behaviour.
To provide professional and clinical supervision of trainee clinical/counselling psychologists and Clinical Associates in Psychology (CAP).
To provide staff support and group debrief meetings following serious incidents, including service user death and aggressive incidents.
To provide specialist consultation, training and supervision, where appropriate, to other health and social care staff working with the client group.

Research, audit and service evaluation

To utilise evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual and group work and work with other team members.
To undertake appropriate research and provide research advice to other staff undertaking research.
To participate in and contribute to clinical audit and service evaluation with colleagues within the service, to help evaluate and improve service provision.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical

To provide specialist psychological assessments using interview, formal psychometric and other assessment methods as appropriate.
To provide psychological formulation and treatment, advice and management of service users, using a range of psychological interventions appropriate to the service. To carry out direct and indirect risk assessments and management plans in line with MDT care planning.
To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the psychological assessment and treatment in accordance with policies of the service.
To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals, to assist formulation, diagnosis and treatment plans.
To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to service users carers and families, where appropriate.
To provide reports and communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of service users.
To liaise with other health and social care staff, from a range of agencies, in the care provided to service users.

Teaching, training and supervision

To provide reflective practice and case formulation sessions to clinical teams to assist formulation and treatment plans including management of challenging behaviour and risk behaviour.
To provide professional and clinical supervision of trainee clinical/counselling psychologists and Clinical Associates in Psychology (CAP).
To provide staff support and group debrief meetings following serious incidents, including service user death and aggressive incidents.
To provide specialist consultation, training and supervision, where appropriate, to other health and social care staff working with the client group.

Research, audit and service evaluation

To utilise evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual and group work and work with other team members.
To undertake appropriate research and provide research advice to other staff undertaking research.
To participate in and contribute to clinical audit and service evaluation with colleagues within the service, to help evaluate and improve service provision.

Person Specification

Qualification

Essential

Doctoral level (equivalent) training in clinical or counselling psychology
Current registration with the Health Professions Council as a clinical psychologist, or counselling psychologist

Desirable

Completion of further post-doctoral post-qualification specialist training in areas of practice relevant to the post

Experience

Essential

1.Significant experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity
2.Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision
3.Experience providing consultation and staff reflective practice

Desirable

1.Significant post-qualification experience working with severe mental health problems and presenting in acute distress

Skills

Essential

Skills in the use of a range of methods of psychological assessment (including psychometric tests), intervention and management for the full range of problems of severity and complexity presented in adult mental health, including challenging behaviours.
2.Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS

Abilities

Essential

1.Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice (2)
2.Interest and ability to contribute to service development

Knowledge

Essential

1.Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group
2.Understanding of the difficulties faced by adults with chronic mental health issues and periods of crisis

Person Specification

Qualification

Essential

Doctoral level (equivalent) training in clinical or counselling psychology
Current registration with the Health Professions Council as a clinical psychologist, or counselling psychologist

Desirable

Completion of further post-doctoral post-qualification specialist training in areas of practice relevant to the post

Experience

Essential

1.Significant experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity
2.Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision
3.Experience providing consultation and staff reflective practice

Desirable

1.Significant post-qualification experience working with severe mental health problems and presenting in acute distress

Skills

Essential

Skills in the use of a range of methods of psychological assessment (including psychometric tests), intervention and management for the full range of problems of severity and complexity presented in adult mental health, including challenging behaviours.
2.Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS

Abilities

Essential

1.Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice (2)
2.Interest and ability to contribute to service development

Knowledge

Essential

1.Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group
2.Understanding of the difficulties faced by adults with chronic mental health issues and periods of crisis

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).