Job overview
We are looking for an enthusiastic, innovative and highly motivated psychologist to lead the Complex Emotional Needs (CEN) pathway in Westminster Adult Community Services. Joining our Adult Psychological Therapies services in Westminster will provide you with the opportunity to develop your leadership skills, overseeing the provision and development of psychological therapy and psychosocial interventions for service users with Complex Emotional Needs as part of the integrated multi-disciplinary community services.
The post holder will be responsible for oversight, management and running of the CEN provision in the Borough to ensure the delivery of high quality integrated, recovery-focused and evidence-based interventions to individuals who present with Complex Emotional Needs and personality related difficulties. They will work alongside other clinical leads across the Borough to ensure a coherent and joined up service provision to those with complex mental health conditions.
We especially welcome applications from candidates with the valuable experience of the diverse social and cultural communities the Trust serves as we are seeking to ensure our psychology staffing has greater diversity and better represents local communities. The successful candidate will be supported to develop their career and flourish as a valued member of the psychology staff group. There are also a number of support systems within the Trust including staff peer networks.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will have strong leadership skills and clinical expertise in complex mental health difficulties and significant experience working within the area of Complex Emotional Needs. The post holder will have a key role in contributing to the ongoing development and delivery of the specialist CEN pathway, ensuring the systematic provision of a high-quality specialist psychological therapies service. They will lead on management of referrals and allocation to specialist treatment pathways. They will also support the delivery of psychological interventions in their key areas of skill e.g. DBT or MBT.
The post holder will contribute to and initiate service developments related to psychological care provision for this client group across the Borough. They will also have a strong commitment to the recovery model, multi-disciplinary working, service user and carer involvement, and working with people who are cautious about engaging with mental health services. Strong team skills and confidence in providing consultation, training and supervision to other staff is essential.
The post holder will be part of a supportive group of Psychological Therapists, with good supervision structures and access to opportunities within the borough and wider trust for development of special interests and the sharing of specialist knowledge. The service also has close links with several regional Clinical & Counselling Psychology Training Courses.
Working for our organisation
CNWL NHS Trust is committed to staff personal development, with a trust wide culture change and leadership programme that has staff wellbeing at its core.
1. An opportunity to work for one of the top 10 NHS employers
2. Flexible working
3. Variety of work
4. Access to a variety of CPD opportunities
5. We encourage staff input and ideas in relation to moving services forward, improving care pathways and meeting the client group’s needs.
As a Trust we are committed to investing in our staff through a range of initiatives, both profession-specific and organisation wide. Psychological professions staff are able to access a range of trust-wide CPD initiatives. We have partnered with Bespoke and Contextual Consulting to provide some of the profession specific CPD, alongside additional CPD sessions we commission as part of CNWL CPD programme for Psychological Professions. CNWL also has seven established staff networks supporting a range of individual needs.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
· To ensure the systematic provision of a high quality specialist psychological services to clients within the complex emotional needs pathway.
· To supervise and support the psychological assessment and therapy provided by psychologists, psychotherapists and other clinical members of the team who provide psychologically based care and treatment.
· To take responsibility for the day-to-day operational and clinical practice of psychologists and psychological therapists working within the CEN pathway and to act as a point of liaison between the CEN pathway and other local services.
· In conjunction with the Lead Psychologist, to take a lead role in the co-ordination and delivery of psychological services across the CEN pathway to ensure the provision of a consistent and well-integrated psychological service model across the borough.
· To manage referrals into and out of the CEN pathway in a co-ordinated and effective way and to assist with the equitable allocation of cases for assessment and treatment.
· To assist with the co-ordination and provision of training placements for trainee psychologists, honorary psychotherapists and other staff as agreed with the Lead Psychologist.
· To liaise with the relevant training institutions and agencies, including Clinical Psychology Training Schemes and other training courses.
· The post-holder will be responsible for ensuring that systems are in place for the effective professional supervision and clinical governance of the psychological therapists and therapy clinicians within the pathway, for which the post holder has designated professional responsibility, including clear systems for professional supervision, appraisal, performance management and the identification of CPD needs across the team.
· The post-holder will be expected to provide necessary service activity reports in a timely and organised fashion and ensure that the psychologists and psychotherapists within the service areas are using the appropriate information recording systems in accordance with Trust and other relevant professional policies.
· To ensure compliance with Trust policies and procedures in a variety of areas and where required to assist in the reporting of key performance indicators to relevant commissioners and monitoring bodies e.g., CQC, GP Commissioning Bodies etc.
· To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic clinical governance of psychological practice within the psychological therapies service.
· A key requirement of the job is to carry out necessary audit, policy and service development and research activities within the service to ensure the delivery of a high quality service with a sound basis in in best clinical practice.
· To assist the Lead Psychologist with the full range of planning and implementation of policy and service development changes within the area served by the services.
· Where required, to act as a deputy for the Psychological therapies service in Westminster including attendance at key meetings and policy forums. The post-holder may also be asked to represent the psychological therapies service in Trust-wide forums and meetings.
Vaccination
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
6. Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
7. Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the
8. Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.