Job summary
Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist - Band 8a/8b (depending on experience), full time
ACTIVATE Team, E&N Hertfordshire, Kingsway , Stevenage - CFS, persistent pain and specialist COVID-19 rehabilitation
Due to expansion of the service we are looking for an experienced and innovative Band 8a/8b Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist to join our team.
ACTIVATE is a multi-disciplinary team consisting of Clinical Psychologists, Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists, and an administrator. We provide highly specialist assessment and intervention for adults with CFS and / or persistent pain and are part of the trusts specialist COVID-19 rehabilitation pathway.
ACTIVATE adopts a primarily hands off approach to treatment which is aimed at motivating and educating service users to manage their condition more effectively and utilises both individual and group based interventions. Close multi-disciplinary working within the team, is a key part of the service delivery and the successful candidate will be expected to play a leading role in the delivery of the Pain Management Programme
Applicants will have excellent communication skills and experience in delivering interventions to both individuals and groups. As educating and working with other professionals is an expected and integral part of the role experience of multi-disciplinary working is essential. Regular supervision and CPD opportunities will be provided by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist in the service
Main duties of the job
- To support and enhance the work of the multi-disciplinary team providing a highly specialist service to people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Persistent Pain and post Covid fatigue
- In particular to take a lead role in the clinical delivery and strategic development of the persistent pain service
- To support and enhance the professional psychological care of patients within the service by providing highly specialist psychological assessment, formulation and therapy as well as consultation, advice and supervision to other members of the team
- To provide highly specialist clinical psychology input to adults, their families and carers referred to the ACTIVATE Team with persistent pain and post Covid fatigue
- To provide highly specialist psychological assessment, formulation and therapy for complex cases within the service. This will be based upon clinical psychology and clinical health psychology theory and practice
- To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the teams' policies and procedures
- To develop and maintain effective working relationships within the service and with relevant MDT's across other trusts within the region, and where appropriate outside of the region
About us
- A big thank you for considering joining us at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust
- You'll find it a great place to work with many benefits offered to you as a member of our staff
- We put our patients, their families and carers at the centre of our vision - Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities
- Our staff are proud to be Innovative, Caring and Agile in their work to help achieve the Trust vision
- We welcome diversity in our workforce and are interested in applicants from all backgrounds
- We don't want you to miss out so we'd like you to know that if we have a high level of interest in this role, the vacancy may close prior to the advertised closing date, so please make your application as soon as possible - Apply now
- You've made a great decision to apply to join to HCT - we're looking forward to taking the next steps of the journey with you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification
Whilst it is not a legal requirement, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust encourages and supports all staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification
Whilst it is not a legal requirement, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust encourages and supports all staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology (or its equivalent) as accredited by the British Psychological Society or British Psychological Society Statement of Equivalence
- Registration with HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist
- Completion of further post-graduate / qualification specialist relevant training in clinical supervision, including training in supervision of trainee clinical psychologists
Desirable
- Further training in specific theoretical models e.g CBT and/or psychological specialities e.g. Health Psychology
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Strong experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist
- 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
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment across the full range of service settings including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings
- Experience of working with people with physical health conditions
- Experience of devising and leading treatment programmes at both individual and group level
- Experience of working effectively with other professionals in multidisciplinary teams in physical health settings
- Experience of the application of psychological approaches for different social and cultural groups
- Knowledge of the workings/structure of NHS organisations
- Evidence of being able to use computers to a good level, including the use of Word, Excel and power point
Desirable
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision of pre and post qualified psychologists
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multidisciplinary care
- Experience of working with people affected by persistent fatigue / CFS / Persistent pain
- Experience of working with complex client groups with multiple physical, social and psychological problems or people whose health is compromised by low adherence to medical regimens
- Proven research skills and experience of both quantitative and qualitative research methods
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Well developed knowledge and skills in the use of complex methods of clinical assessment, intervention and management
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non - professional groups
- Ability to contain and mediate in situations with clients where they may be distressed and/or at risk to themselves and others
- Skills in undertaking psychological interventions relating to health behaviour change and chronic illness relevant to persistent pain and fatigue
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
- Evidence of continuing professional development as required by HCPC and the British Psychological Society
- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
Desirable
- Well developed knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapy
- Well developed knowledge of teaching multi -disciplinary health professionals applications of psychological principles of self management in chronic disease settings
Other
Essential
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi -media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
- Ability/skills in working through interpreters
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology (or its equivalent) as accredited by the British Psychological Society or British Psychological Society Statement of Equivalence
- Registration with HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist
- Completion of further post-graduate / qualification specialist relevant training in clinical supervision, including training in supervision of trainee clinical psychologists
Desirable
- Further training in specific theoretical models e.g CBT and/or psychological specialities e.g. Health Psychology
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Strong experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist
- 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
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment across the full range of service settings including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings
- Experience of working with people with physical health conditions
- Experience of devising and leading treatment programmes at both individual and group level
- Experience of working effectively with other professionals in multidisciplinary teams in physical health settings
- Experience of the application of psychological approaches for different social and cultural groups
- Knowledge of the workings/structure of NHS organisations
- Evidence of being able to use computers to a good level, including the use of Word, Excel and power point
Desirable
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision of pre and post qualified psychologists
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multidisciplinary care
- Experience of working with people affected by persistent fatigue / CFS / Persistent pain
- Experience of working with complex client groups with multiple physical, social and psychological problems or people whose health is compromised by low adherence to medical regimens
- Proven research skills and experience of both quantitative and qualitative research methods
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Well developed knowledge and skills in the use of complex methods of clinical assessment, intervention and management
- Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non - professional groups
- Ability to contain and mediate in situations with clients where they may be distressed and/or at risk to themselves and others
- Skills in undertaking psychological interventions relating to health behaviour change and chronic illness relevant to persistent pain and fatigue
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
- Evidence of continuing professional development as required by HCPC and the British Psychological Society
- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
Desirable
- Well developed knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapy
- Well developed knowledge of teaching multi -disciplinary health professionals applications of psychological principles of self management in chronic disease settings
Other
Essential
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi -media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
- Ability/skills in working through interpreters
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
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).
