You will be one of a team of six psychologists, working as part of a multidisciplinary service which aims to help individuals to understand and manage persistent pain by developing self-management skills.
Psychologically informed practice is key to our service, and you will work closely with other team members to empower people with long-term pain and other health conditions to improve their quality of life. The role involves one-to-one work, and facilitation of both face‑to‑face and online groups. Individuals may experience other health conditions and mental health issues alongside persistent pain, requiring a multi‑faceted approach using a variety of models of therapy.
There are opportunities to supervise clinical psychology trainees and Band 7 psychologists and to guide other professionals in the application of psychological models.
The role is based across coastal West Sussex, and includes responsibilities in Bognor Regis and Worthing. There is also the opportunity to work virtually for part of the role.
Main duties of the job
You will be offering pain psychology assessments and interventions for complex persistent pain patients requiring a multi‑faceted approach using a variety of models of therapy, in both 1:1 and group settings and both face to face and virtually.
You will manage your own caseload, provide consultation to other professionals and contribute to service development. There is the opportunity to supervise Band 7 psychologists and to consult with MDT members on psychologically informed practice.
Job responsibilities
To provide a specialist psychology service to persistent pain patients, providing 1:1 assessment, management and therapeutic work in face‑to‑face and online settings, and in the group Pain Management Programme.
To provide specialist advice and consultation to non‑psychology colleagues on patients psychological care.
To provide supervision to psychology colleagues.
To provide training and education in psychological understanding and interventions to colleagues and where relevant, staff in other services and agencies.
To work with the team to lead on developing psychology services within the organisation.
To utilise research skills for audit, policy, service development and research in the use of psychological therapy in persistent pain to ensure the use of evidence based / best practice.
To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the services policies and procedures.
Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for further information on the role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Post graduate qualification in clinical or counselling or (registered with HCPC) or other core profession, with additional therapy accreditation in NICE guideline evidence‑based practice (e.g. BABCP)
* Post graduate level training including two or more distinct psychological therapies and experience across the mental health system
* Membership and accreditation with a relevant professional body (such as HCPC, BABCP and/or UKCP)
* Post‑qualification training and /or experience in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
Experience
* Experience of working as a qualified psychological practitioner within the NHS for a minimum of 2 years.
* Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients across a full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care, and secondary care mental health patient settings.
* Experience of using ACT or CBT to treat the full range of common mental health problems including anxiety and depression.
* Experience of working with persistent pain patients or other chronic long‑term condition, with patients, presenting with the full range of clinical severity.
* Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care and treatment, both as a care coordinator and within the context of a multidisciplinary team.
* Experience of teaching, training and professional/clinical supervision.
* Experience of maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of emotive and distressing problems.
* Experience of representing psychology within the context of multidisciplinary care.
* Effective working with and liaising with other health professionals.
Skills and Knowledge
* Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
* Well‑developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, highly technical, and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers, and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
* Ability to communicate with a range of patients with a range of communication abilities and be able to work using collaborative models of joint decision making.
* Ability to work independently and to take responsibility for own clinical caseload.
* Skills in providing consultation to other professional an non‑professional groups, and developing collaborative formulations and treatment plans for patients with complex physical health conditions and co‑morbid psychological presentations.
* Knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology.
* Knowledge of legislation in relation to the patient group.
* Ability to identify and employ clinical governance mechanisms to maintain standards and quality.
* Knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies.
* Ability to deliver third‑wave cognitive‑behavioural interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Compassion Focussed Therapy.
* Experience of working therapeutically within a group setting.
* The ability to make good use of supervision and support and to work within the limits of own competencies.
* Formal training in the supervision of other psychologists.
Other
* An understanding of the principles of equal opportunities in relation to staff and patients.
* Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS.
* Ability to travel to all locations across the locality including Brighton, Worthing, Bognor Regis and Horsham. Public transport is not available to all destinations - if not a car owner/driver, please state how you will travel.
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.
Principal Psychology Practitioner - Pain Service
£57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum pro rata
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part‑time, Job share, Flexible working, Home or remote working
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