To support the Integrated Mental Health Team (IMHT) in supporting the provision of a talking therapies service within HMP Altcourse The focus of the service is to provide a high quality therapy service to meet the psychological needs and well-being of men in prison and to support staff in their support of the men. The Assistant Psychologist role will involve direct clinical work, both in 1:1 and group format, assessment and screening for a range of mental health difficulties, consultation and training opportunities.
Main duties of the job
To support and enhance the professional psychological care of service users within the service, across all relevant sectors; providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions under the supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, working independently according to a plan agreed with the supervising qualified psychologist and within the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Job responsibilities
The post holder will work within the Integrated Mental Health Team (IMHT) based within the Healthcare unit at HMP Altcourse. This is a local Home Office Category B prison. The successful candidate will provide some brief psychotherapy services within a mental health service under close supervision from qualified members of staff. Clients are remanded or sentenced male prisoners in HMP Altcourse. The post holder will utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research within the local area/speciality.
Members of the IMHT attend meetings and conduct both individual and group therapies within healthcare, the inpatient unit and on the prison wings. Given the nature of Secure Services, there is potential exposure to face-to-face verbal and physical aggression. The post holder is expected to maintain professionalism and awareness of the potential risks for patients, themselves and other colleagues, at all times. The post holder may encounter professional, legal, and personal challenges including considerable media interest.
Due to the security status of HMP Altcourse, the post holder works under the direction of the Security arrangements of Her Majestys Prison & Probation Service/Ministry of Justice/HMP Liverpool. The successful candidate will be subject to prison vetting procedures.
Main responsibilities:
To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
Under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist:
To work with potentially distressing material in relation to service users personal histories and possible offending behaviour, risks to self and others, and additional security requirements as integral to a secure environment.
To undertake psychological assessments of service users which may include a range of psychometric assessments, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with service users, carers and others involved in the clients care.
To assist in the formulation and delivery of care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems.
To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
To assist in the development of a psychological framework of understanding and care to all service users of the service, across all care settings.
To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings as directed by the qualified psychologists.
To use a degree of initiative and work independently with service users on planned pieces of work and to exercise judgment based on good practice and operating procedures.
To receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines and directorate policy.
To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
Where appropriate, and under the supervision of qualified staff, contribute to the training and support of other staff.
Under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist:
To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.
To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed as required.
To assist qualified clinical psychologists in the design and implementation of audit, effectiveness and research projects.
To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of full reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
To review evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified psychologists and work with other team members in their clinical responsibilities as necessary.
To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice through active participation in appropriate CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holders professional and team/operationalmanager(s).
To maintain the highest standards of clinical record-keeping and report-writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society, the Health Professions Council, Clinical Business Unit and Trust policies and procedures.
To undertake specific administrative duties as required.
To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade which may be required by their clinical supervisor.
Develop a skill base in the administration and analysis of a range of psychometric packages as directed.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* A First or Upper Second honours degree in psychology OR a lower class with a post-graduate qualification. (e.g., Master's degree)
* Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (GBR)
* ECDL or demonstrable proficiency with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Publisher and SPSS
* Degree included study of psychopathology/clinical/ forensic issues.
* Further training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, positive behaviour support, autism, personality disorder and/or research design and analysis
Experience
* Ability to carry out instructions, use own initiative but recognise own limits and can utilise and tolerate supervision effectively
* High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
* Able to use library effectively, conduct literature searches, etc
* Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
* Has experience of face-to-face work within psychology, mental health and/or with clients with behaviours that challenge.
* Experience of working in a setting comparable to that in which the post is based
* Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team/ experience of working alongside staff from other disciplines.
* Experience of research methods, audit or other service evaluation techniques
* Has worked with qualified psychologists and/or mental health professionals and has an awareness of professional standards/issues
* Experience using computers for databases or data -analysis, especially SPSS for Windows
Knowledge
* Knowledge of psychological approaches to working with people who have mental health needs or behaviours that challenge (e.g., Positive Behaviour Support, Trauma Informed Care, Person Centred Care etc)
* An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or behaviours that challenge.
* An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
* An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a learning disability context
Skills
* Good written and spoken English
* Good inter-personal skills
* Ability and willingness to travel for work
* Recognises the limits of own competence and need for supervision.
* High standard of report writing
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.
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