Job responsibilities
Job Title
Psychologist
Department
Clinical / Managerial
Reporting To
Hospital Director
Grade
TBC
Location
Middlewood Clinic, Midhurst
Evaluation Date
TBC
Purpose
The post holder will be required to contribute to a clinical psychology service within the multidisciplinary eating disorder team. You will be primarily responsible for the provision of individual therapy based on evidence-based approaches and may also be involved in the delivery of family and group interventions.
You will contribute to the comprehensive MDT assessment of patients difficulties and the development of individualised clinical formulations. As an individual therapist, you will support patients in relapse planning and liaise with community teams to support the safe discharge of patients back to the community. You will also be responsible for supporting the psychological thinking of the wider team, providing reflective practice, and delivering training to staff. The post holder will provide line management to the Psychology Assistant on the Unit. The post-holder will be supervised by the Therapies Lead/Clinical Psychologist. The post will also include clinically related audit, research and development, as well as clinical audit and evaluation.
Key Accountabilities
Clinical
- To participate in the assessment of referrals, and to provide initial assessment of people referred to the service.
- To undertake high quality direct (assessment & therapeutic) and indirect (consultative, advisory, and evaluative) specialist psychological interventions making autonomous clinical decisions about own professional practice.
- To undertake psychological assessments of young adults with moderate to severe eating disorders, often complex in presentation undertake the assessment utilising information from a broad range of structured psychometric and semi structured clinical methods.
- To formulate and implement plans of specialist psychological treatment or management of patients mental health needs based on a multi-factorial psychological understanding and current evidence based best practise taking into account the current nice guidelines, and recommend specialist treatment protocols for eating disorders.
- To undertake a range of psychological therapeutic interventions, drawing on a range of psychological models and employing a range of modalities (individual, family /systemic and group) adapted and tailored to the need of the individual, and to undertake on going evaluation of the outcome of the interventions.
- To be responsible for providing a psychological perspective in the multidisciplinary assessment of service users and their families of carers.
- To undertake psychologically based risk assessment and risk management for patients and provide advice on the psychological aspects of risk to the multi-disciplinary team.
- To have knowledge and understanding of the principles of the CPA and to support and contribute to the CPA care planning process for clients on CPA.
- Take responsibility for initiating, planning and reviewing care plans and, if appropriate in agreement with the line manager take on the care co-ordination role for clients on CPA.
- To consult with and provide specialist psychological guidance to careers and families of service users.
- Preparation of reports and assessments.
- Liaison with families, commissioners, medical professionals and suppliers in respect of the provision of services. To participate in research initiatives as appropriate.
- To participate in regular psychological and eating disorder audits and become involved in Clinical Governance.
Leadership
To contribute to the leadership and development of the therapy service to ensure that it meets the needs of the patients admitted to the Unit
To contribute to the skill development of staff within the unit
To provide high quality supervision to the Psychology Assistant within the service
To support the completion of appraisals/personal development plans with junior staff.
To regularly share updates and information particularly when any incidents arise that may affect the standing or safe operation of the service.
To participate in the development and implementation of appropriate local policies, protocols and care pathways.
To contribute to appropriate staff recruitment
Teaching, training, and supervision
To receive regular clinical professional supervision from a senior clinical psychologist and, where appropriate, other senior professional colleagues.
To gain additional highly specialist experience and skills relevant to clinical psychology and/or the service as agreed with the therapy lead.
To provide professional and clinical supervision to less experienced psychologists, trainee clinical psychologists, and assistant psychologists.
To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with the client group across a range of agencies and settings, where appropriate.
Professional
To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of clinical work and care.
To maintain high standards of care in all areas of practice in accordance with the
To maintain high standards of care in all areas of practice and in accordance the the HCPC Code of Conduct, professional guidelines and Company Policies and Procedures.
To act within the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act (2005).
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
To carry out professional responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other relevant legislation.
To participate in new staff induction.
To maintain up to date knowledge
To participate in quality improvement activities and clinical audit as required.
Research and service evaluation
To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members.
To To undertake appropriate research and provide research advice to other staff undertaking research.
- To undertake project management, including complex audit and service evaluation, with colleagues within the service to help develop service provision.
This job description is an outline, which reflects the present requirements of the post and is not intended to be an inflexible or finite list of duties and responsibilities. As these duties and responsibilities change and develop the job description will be amended from time to time in consultation with the post holder.
Elysium healthcare follows safer recruitment of staff for all appointments. It is a requirement that all staff understand it is each persons individual responsibilityand are committed to promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. All staff will also be subjected to an enhanced DBS disclosure when working with Children and vulnerable adults
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential:
Good Honours degree in psychology,
A recognised postgraduate doctorate in clinical/ Counselling psychology or equivalent,
Full registration with the HPC (Health Professions Council ) and Current Practising Certificate,
Ability to communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.
Qualifications Desirable:
Evidence of CPD Log
Knowledge Essential:
Up to date knowledge of issues in eating disorders
Knowledge of evidence-based practice.
Working knowledge of legislation & its implications for both clinical practice & professional management in relation to the client group & mental health.
Working knowledge of all the traditional models of psychotherapy & the evidence for their use & detailed knowledge of 2 or more of them.
KnowledgeDesirable:
Demonstrates breadth of experience and awareness in and outside of Eating Disorders / psychiatry and medicine;
Demonstrates use of evidence based practice,
Management/financial awareness,
Understanding of research methodology and intention to pursue research in eating Disorders
Knowledge of the principles & practise of CPA
Experience Essential:
Minimum of 3 years fulltime postgraduate clinical /counselling trainee and
Minimum of one year as graduate assistant (or equivalent).
Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups across the whole life course and with presenting problems that reflects the full range of clinical severity.
Experience Desirable:
Specific specialisation in course of training
Active involvement in audit
Proven leadership record,
Skills, Essential,
Excellent team and interpersonal skills,
Ability to communicate effectively in written and spoken English,
Competent to work without direct supervision,
Ability to travel to assessments,
Diagnostic Interviewing.
Experience of working with major eating disorders in different care settings.
Experience of delivery family based treatment.
Additional / Personal Essential:
High levels of self-motivation,
Commitment to high quality patient centred specialist eating disorder service) provision.
Flexible and accommodating while keeping clear focus on overall goal.
Ability to sustain self and support others.
Ability to work as part of MDT.
