Specialist Clinical Psychologist - Autism Divisional Lead
We are excited to share this opportunity for a specialist ClinicalPsychologist (8b; 8a considered with exceptional experience) to join ourdynamic team as Autism divisional lead. Weare a progressive company, based in Kidderminster, running NHS services with atrauma-informed, holistic approach and have a committed approach toface-to-face autism assessments. Our belief is that families and individualsdeserve our time and attention at this instrumental time in their lives toensure that they get the very best outcome for them.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the developmentof our strong, multi-disciplinary team based in Kidderminster, providing NHSand independent neurodiversity assessments and support across the lifespan inHerefordshire & Worcestershire (H&W) and the West Midlands.
We would love to hear from enthusiastic and experienced colleagues who are looking to take on a leadership role and play a key part in the development of our work to provide outstanding, neuro-affirming assessments and care for neurodivergent children and adults.
A key element of the role will be supervision, consultation, and leadership skills, to support our growing Multi-disciplinary team, including experienced colleagues from within Speech and language, Nursing, Psychology, and Social Work.
We encourage interest from candidates who are passionate about enhancing the lives of clients with neurodiverse traits.
Main duties of the job
As divisional lead, you will work closely with our Clinical Directorand other divisional leads to ensure our neurodiversity pathways runeffectively and in the best interest of our clients and their families. You will also lead contributions to service development as a core part of oursenior management team.
You will bring advanced skills to offer high-qualitypsychological input. This will include complex assessment, formulation anddiagnostic thinking, intervention and consultation. You will support the development of integrated work across pathways to support consistent, uninterrupted experiences of care.
With strong supervisory skills, you will haveproven experience of working positively with inter-divisional colleagues.
As part of our collaborative ethos of leadership, you willbe well-supported as you work together with colleagues to deliver a progressiveand dynamic quality of care with clients and their families at the forefront ofeverything that we do.
There will be opportunities to be involved in service development and research to ensure that services are accessible andmeet the needs of the communities we work with. As the provider of our localNHS pathway, we work closely with commissioners and stakeholders acrossH&W. As Neurodiversity Lead, liaison withthese networks will be a key part of the role, offering an importantopportunity to be at the forefront of the development of local policy andprovision.
About us
The Family Psychologist is a multidisciplinary assessment and support clinic, working to provide a unique and varied mix of mental health, neurodiversity, and educational support across the Midlands and the UK.
As part of our close and supportive team, you will have opportunities for learning and development within a flexible and caring work environment.
Whilst we are an Independent Provider, we hold the NHS contract for Adult (16+) Autism Assessments and U16 Right to Choose for both Autism and ADHD within Herefordshire & Worcestershire. We are committed to the provision of accessible and inclusive services working to the NHS core values of; Working together for patients; Respect and dignity; Commitment to quality of care; Compassion; Improving lives: Everyone counts.
Beyond these values, we as a team are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive work environment, in which individual strengths, needs, and circumstances are well supported and you will be encouraged to develop and thrive within your role.
You will be well supported by our in-house Consultant Clinical Psychologist, as well asrobust clinical supervision. You will work as a central part of our strong multi-disciplinaryteam, as well as having access to excellent CPD opportunities specific to your division and to further your leadership capabilities.
(see organisation chart in supporting documents)
Job responsibilities
You will be leading our NHS Adult Autism service as well asour NHS U18 Right to Choose offering. This is a dynamic role which has seensignificant demand in line with the national trend. Resources are availablewhen required to grow the service in line with any capacity restraints.
Our Adult Autism Pathway is well-established, and itsleadership will be creative and supportive of their team to ensure theindividuals and families have the very best outcomes, and will be constantlyseeking ways to improve the service both clinically and strategically.
Our CYP Right to Choose Pathway is a newly establishedpathway within H&W. This leader will be instrumental in creating a Right toChoose service that these young people and their families can rely on. Theywill be committed to ensuring the young person's futures will not be prohibitedor restricted by their neurodiverse traits.
You will be a qualified Clinical Psychologist with notablepost-qualifying experience, passion and strengths for working with neurodiverseindividuals and their families at all ages. You will have strong clinicalleadership skills, bringing a compassionate and supportive approach to joinothers in leading this innovative division.
You will have the knowledge and skills in neurodiversity andmental health to undertake complex assessments and deliver evidence-based andoutcomes, as well as supporting others in this work.
You will not be an island in this role; you will besupported by our other divisional leads which include ADHD specialist and our interventions lead and safeguarding as well as the overarching support from our Consultant Clinical Director.
You will understand the importance of collaborative workingwith the individual and extended family including carers and schools to ensurethe right clinical decision is made for the individual. To ensure this isachieved you will liaise with our interventions and safeguarding leads whereappropriate to ensure a trauma-informed approach is at the centre of everythingwe do.
You will be a reflective practitioner with strengths tobring to a multi-disciplinary team. You will have advanced skills and knowledgeto support the development of others through supervision, consultation andtraining.
Your multidisciplinary divisional team may include AssistantPsychology, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Teachers, SocialWorkers and Mental Health Practitioners/Nurses from a diverse range ofbackgrounds. This provides an opportunity to work in a team with a strongmultidisciplinary ethos as well as collaborating with colleagues in other divisionsand working in partnership with other agencies.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* A Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent e.g. Master's level qualification in Clinical Psychology if qualified before 1996.
* Active registration as a Practitioner Psychologist with the HCPC
* Post qualification training or proven equivalent experience in leadership or management
* Post qualification assessment training relevant to adults, children and young people with neurodiverse traits
Experience
* Experience of delivering effective evidence-based, outcomes-informed psychological assessments with adults, children, young people and families, including risk assessment and risk management
* Experience of working collaboratively with service users and their families/carers, including shared decision making and the use of both clinician and patient rated outcome measures
* Experience of working collaboratively within multi-disciplinary services and across organisational boundaries
* Experience of working with a wide variety of adult and child mental health problems, across the whole age range, reflecting all levels of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems
* Experience of obtaining service user feedback and data to improve outcomes and services
* Experience in teaching, training and assessing in clinical practice.
* Experience of safeguarding children and ensuring the safety of young people in partnership with other agencies as appropriate.
* Experience of using an equality and diversity framework in clinical, supervisory and leadership practice.
* Experience of initiating, chairing, attending and contributing to multi-professional and interagency meetings.
* Experience of working as an autonomous individual, taking on responsibility, making decisions and seeking support as needed.
* Experience of providing clinical supervision, undertaking appraisals, developing job plans, recruitment, managing performance, absence and staff development.
Knowledge & Skills
* Highly developed ability to integrate complex clinical information into a coherent formulation and share this with others including service users and professionals
* The ability to work as an autonomous senior clinician, make decisions under pressure and seek support as appropriate.
* The ability to communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner with adults, children and young people, parents, carers and others as appropriate, conveying information that may be contentious or highly distressing concerning assessment, clinical formulation and treatment, at times during emotionally difficult situations and help your team to develop these skills.
* The ability to present complex, often sensitive information in a variety of formats, both written and verbal, in a professional, clear and organised manner, including public speaking to a range of audiences and ensure your team meets the standards laid out by the Clinical Director.
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.
£64,455 to £74,896 a yearStep points depending on experience
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