Senior Practitioner Psychologist - Dementia Inpatient
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Come and join us
We're looking for people who share our values (compassion, accountability and optimism) to help us provide high quality care to the patients, carers, families and local communities we serve. We specialise in providing NHS mental health and learning disability services.
So what can we offer you in return?
We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.
You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.
As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don't forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.
If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.
Job overview
Senior Psychologist (8a ) Forget Me Not Unit, Dementia Inpatient Wards, Swandean, Worthing
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a qualified, HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist to join our inpatient services for people living with dementia in Worthing. The Unit opened in 2021 and was re-designed to be a dementia friendly environment, following advice and support from the University of Worcester. You can see more on this YouTube video: Forget Me Not dementia intensive care unit - YouTube
You will be working all 3 wards as part of the multi-disciplinary teams. The ward staff and leadership team are committed to developing a centre of excellence for the care of people living with dementia and the candidate would be encouraged to contribute to this.
Main duties of the job
You will supervise 3 full time Assistant Psychologists who work in the Unit and be supported by a Consultant Clinical Psychologist who has extensive experience of working within inpatient settings and is also a Licensed Dementia Care Mapping Trainer with the University of Bradford and a Communication and Interaction Trainer. You will be enthusiastic and committed to working with people living with dementia and their families/friends/carers. You will be responsible for providing psychological and neuropsychological interventions in a service where psychology is highly valued. We would welcome applicants with well-developed skills in non-pharmacological approaches to supporting people who are living with dementia, especially individuals who experience distress associated with unmet needs. You will have knowledge and experience in working with clients in relation to risk and safeguarding concerns. Skills in teaching and training are also desirable.
Working for our organisation
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health, forensic and learning disability services in and across Sussex. The Trust has teaching status and is developing into one of the country’s leading teaching mental health trusts. At Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust we are at the forefront for Dementia research. We have recently engaged in a Sussex-wide project, in Communication and Interaction Training (CAIT) with Prof Ian James. Working here offers continued training and development, variety, plus all the benefits of living in Sussex.
If you would like to discuss the role we would welcome contact from you: Sally Stapleton, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, sally.stapleton@nhs.net (07824 434146) or Suesan Summers, Matron, (0300 304 0644) s.summers5@nhs.net
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Sussex is a beautiful county with good transport links, vibrant communities, rural areas, and tourist attractions, including the Coast and the South Downs. You will join a friendly, highly-skilled and enthusiastic community of applied psychologists within West Sussex and a broader, highly experienced network of older people’s specialists across Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. You will receive regular clinical and professional supervision as well as a commitment to your own continuing professional development. Our Trust offers a wide range of CPD and the post-holder will have the opportunity to develop special interests and expertise in line with service and team objectives.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained before 1996 or outside the UK*] as approved by the HCPC, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
* For forensic psychologists working in forensic settings: Masters degree (with the award of the British Psychological Society qualification in forensic psychology or equivalent)
* Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HCPC
Knowledge/Experience
* Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings
* Demonstrate specialist experience gained postqualification of working as an applied psychologist with evidence of having received a substantial amount of clinical supervision (normally in the region of approximately 50 hours)
* Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
* Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
* Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.
We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.
In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children’s social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.
Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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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