Employer South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site The James Cook University Hospital Town Middlesbrough Salary £37,338 - £44,962 per annum (pro rata) Salary period Yearly Closing 14/07/2025 23:59
Trainee Counselling Psychologist
Band 6
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a third-year Trainee Counselling Psychologist, to provide psychological assessment, formulation and therapy to patients with long-term physical health conditions within the Medical Psychology Service at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This post will be supervised by a Consultant Counselling Psychologist.
The Medical Psychology service provides psychological assessment, support and treatment to medical patients within South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The main base is at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough.
Please note that candidates must have completed at least one year on a Counselling Psychology Doctoral training programme and must remain on the course as a requirement for this post.
Main duties of the job
To provide, under supervision, a specialist medical psychology service to patients with long-term physical health conditions, ensuring effective, caring and compassionate services to patients.
To provide psychological assessment for patients with a variety of different long-term health conditions. Examples of long-term conditions may include: rheumatology conditions; persistent pain; chronic fatigue syndrome/ME; diabetes; renal conditions; life changing injury/disability.
To develop psychological formulations in collaboration with the patient, taking into account complex biopsychosocial interactions and iatrogenic issues.
Following assessment, to provide appropriate signposting and/or referral to other services if required. This will require liaison with local talking therapy services and mental health teams.
To provide one-to-one psychological therapy for patients with long-term health conditions. Therapy will be focused on adjustment and self-management of long-term conditions. Therapeutic models may include Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT).
To support the long-term conditions psychology team with the delivery of therapeutic and psycho-educational groups for patients.
To work independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures .
Working for our organisation
Medical Psychology
The Medical Psychology service is made up of Clinical Psychologists, Counselling Psychologists, Health Psychologists, Psychological Therapists and Assistant Psychologists. We deliver psychological assessment, intervention and support to patients with a range of medical conditions across the lifespan. We utilise third wave therapies (especially Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing and Mindfulness) alongside CBT as the core therapeutic modalities, with training and supervision provided to support delivery of these approaches. We also carry out clinical audit, research and service evaluation. We have strong links with the Doctoral Training Programmes at the University of Teesside and York St John University, and we provide teaching, placements and research projects for Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology and Health Psychology trainees.
The Trust encourages innovation and service development, and we actively support this within the Medical Psychology service. All clinicians are expected to take on service development and service governance duties as part of their role, both within the Psychology service and within the wider MDTs in which we work. We provide mentoring and support to deliver this.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the full job description and person specification document(s) for main responsibilities of the role.
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust offers leadership and improvement training to all new staff. This training programme has been designed to support our leaders in developing their understanding of leadership and management skills. You will be expected to attend the following training sessions
· Your Leadership Impact
· Leading your Team to Success
· Leading Into the Future
· Service Improvement for Beginners
The leadership and improvement programme aims to:
* Explore leadership within the NHS
* Promote Trust values and behaviours
* Develop your leadership effectiveness and skills
* Equip staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to lead and complete service improvements within the scope of your role.
After you complete these six and a half days of training you will be able to explore further leadership and improvement training opportunities. We also offer a range of additional in-house and externally provided courses and bitesize programmes through our Leadership and Improvement Team.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Undergraduate degree in Psychology, or an equivalent qualification, which confers eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the British Psychological Society
* Must be registered on a BPS approved Doctorate in Counselling Psychology Programme.
* Awarded a 2.1 or above for undergraduate psychology degree
* Qualification in one or more models of psychological therapy
Knowledge & Skills
* Good level of knowledge of Counselling Psychology theory and therapeutic approaches
* Genuine enthusiasm for working within a physical healthcare setting and/or with patients with long-term conditions
* Ability to work to professional guidelines as defined by BPS, HCPC and requirements of Counselling Psychology Doctoral training course
* Good IT literacy and keyboard skills (eg web search and office packages).
* Ability to assess and manage risk
* Effective team player with excellent communication and liaison skills.
* Managing and planning demands of autonomous workload and doctoral training requirements.
* Empathy and engagement skills with client group
Personal attributes
* Self-aware and emotionally resilient
* Compassionate and supportive attitude to patients and colleagues
* Keen to learn and develop, personally and professionally
* Genuine interest in working with clients with physical health problems
Experience
* Experience of completing psychological assessments
* At least one year of experience providing psychological therapy
* Ability to use clinical supervision to support own practice
* Core skills in assessment, formulation and psychological interventions
* Ability to use clinical supervision to support own practice
* Experience working with clients with physical health problems
* Experience of working in the NHS, e.g.: as an Assistant Psychologist, Research Assistant, Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, Healthcare Assistant, etc.
Disclosure and Barring Checks (DBS)
It is now the policy of South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who are new to the Trust who require DBS clearance for the post they have been offered, are required to pay the cost of their DBS. The method of payment for this is via salary deduction from your first month's pay.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. We welcome applications from the Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Network; LGBT+ Network; Disability and Long-Term Health Conditions Network, Faith Network, Childless not by Choice Network and the Menopause Support Group.
As an inclusive employer,we are here to support you.
The Trust welcomes applications from all candidates who meet the criteria for the role. Please note that from January 2021, to work in the UK all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship unless you have permission to work via another route. Non UK / RoI candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) .
Please provide full and accurate details of your current immigration status on the application form. Your current immigration status will not be considered as part of the shortlisting or interview process.
Please note that not everyone needs a ‘Skilled Worker’ visa. If you are applying for a vacancy in health or adult social care, you may be eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead.
Please note: if the job you are applying for does not meet the eligibility criteria above, we will be unable to offer you sponsorship and you will need to explore whether you may be eligible to apply for an alternative immigration route which will secure your right to work in the UK before you apply. If you are in the UK already on a visa, please ensure you have no restrictions that would prevent you from taking this post.
The Trust encourages and supports all applicants to be fully vaccinated against both COVID19 and influenza.
Please be aware, there are occasions where some vacancies may close prior to the closing date advertised. This will only happen where sufficient applications are received AND will be made evident on the job advert.
Please note if you are successfully shortlisted, we will contact you via the email address that you have applied from so please ensure you check your emails regularly.
Existing employees of South Tees NHS Foundation Trust currently on the Redeployment Register, who meet the essential criteria for this post, will be shortlisted and interviewed prior to all other applicants.
IMPORTANT-Please ensure you read the 'Guidance Notes for Applicants' document attached to this advert before you start to complete your application form.
This document provides detailed advice regarding the completion of your application form.
The guidance document also provides in detail what identification and certificates you must provide at interview should you be shortlisted.
As part of our pre-employment screening process, all applicants are required to provide references from their last continuous 3 year employment and/or training/education. The refereesMUSTbe a Line Manager/Supervisor. Applicants are requested to ensure email addresses for all referees are included on their application form. Personal references and references from colleagues are not acceptable.
Unfortunately we are unable to respond to all applicants and those who are not contacted within six weeks of the closing date should assume that their application has been unsuccessful.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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