Family Therapist

Job description

Job responsibilities

Eating Disorders are extraordinarily complex illnesses that present with abnormalities in physical and psychological functioning. The physical complications have the potential to cause permanent damage and in some cases are life threatening. The causes are complex and multi-factorial, including genetic, neurodevelopmental and environmental influences. They require a comprehensive treatment programme including medical, psychiatric, psychological, social and educational interventions.

Ellern Mede offers two treatment programmes, a Recovery Unit and a High Dependency Unit (HDU). We aim to stabilise patients physical and psychological states as rapidly as possible for transfer to step down service. The HDU admits patients whose illness requires more intense levels of clinical involvement and nursing. The service is able to admit patients requiring treatment under mental health legislation. The aims of the services are to improve the patients health and dependency needs sufficiently for transfer to a regular eating disorder unit or to the community.

An outpatient service is currently being developed.

Ellern Mede is able to admit patients requiring treatment under the Mental Health Act.

The post-holder will be expected to work as part of a Tier 4 child and adolescent in-patient service, providing treatment for children and young people with eating disorders.

The role involves assessment and treatment of children, young people and their families with complex eating disorder and other complex mental health problems.

The role will involve providing support and guidance, helping other staff members develop skills in working with families.

1. MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBLITIES

To provide both specialist and generic assessments of referred patients, using interview and other assessment methods as appropriate.

To formulate and devise treatment plans for referred patients and to provide interventions using a range of generic and discipline specific models appropriate to the service. This includes both short- and long-term treatment approaches.

To liaise with all relevant staff members regarding the care and treatment of clients.

To establish and maintain effective communication and relationships with nursing and other multi-disciplinary colleagues within the service and also with professionals in referring agencies

To contribute systemic perspectives to the multi-disciplinary teams understandings and care of clients.

To liaise with other health, social care and education staff, from the range of agencies involved in the care of clients.

To provide specialist mental health advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals/ agencies to assist in the formulation, diagnosis and treatment of clients.

To manage own caseload and to seek advice and supervision as appropriate

To provide reports and communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner concerning the assessment, formulation, treatment plans and needs of clients.

To attend case reviews and other professional meetings and provide reports where appropriate.

To facilitate groups with parents and young people.

To ensure that all patients are safeguarded from potential harm and to conduct activities in a manner which is consistent with professional practice, policy and legislation

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Post-graduate (MSc.) level qualification in family and systemic psychotherapy recognised by AFT
• Registration or eligibility for registration with U.K.C.P
• Prior professional qualification and experience in another relevant discipline e.g. mental health nursing, social work, clinical psychology.
• Post Qualifying (family therapy) experience, minimum of one year

Desirable

• Additional training relevant to the post.

Experience

Essential

• Generic and discipline specific mental health assessments and treatments of children and families across a range of ages.
• Formulating and devising treatment plans for a range of presentations, including both short and long-term treatment approaches.
• Working autonomously with families providing assessment and treatment.
• Substantial experience of working with children, young people and their families.
• Experience of working in a CAMHs service.
• Experience of contributing to multidisciplinary team meetings.
• Experience of working with complex mental health problems.

Desirable

• Experience of working with eating disorders.
• Working autonomously within community settings.
• Experience of delivering groups, e.g. parent or sibling groups or groups for adolescents.
• Experience of multi- family group therapy interventions.
• Experience of Inpatient work
• Experience of providing a culturally sensitive service.
• Experience of supervising colleagues from other disciplines.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Essential

• High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of family and systemic psychotherapy.
• Knowledge and Skills of a range of models in the assessment and treatment of child mental health including specific family and systemic theories and evidence base.
• Knowledge and skills in effective communication, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues.
• Knowledge of the relevant clinical research literature and ability to apply it to the field of eating disorders and child mental health.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health, education, the Childrens Act and Child protection/safeguarding.
• Ability to provide on-going treatment in complex and frequently changing circumstances.

Desirable

• Working knowledge of the theory and practice of at least one other specialist psychological therapy.

Additional / Personal

Essential

• Ability to form good working relationships and work flexibly with others in a multidisciplinary setting.
• Ability to manage high levels of stress and a busy working environment.
• Ability to work flexibly
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice.

Desirable

• Interest and ability to contribute to service development.
• Experience of providing training, education, support, consultation to other professionals.
• Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of multi-media materials suitable for presentations with clients and /or professionals.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Ellern Mede Group

Address

96 Draycott Road

Breaston

Derby

DE72 3DB

Employer's website

https://www.ellernmede.org (Opens in a new tab)