Job overview
We are seeking an enthusiastic and creative Highly Specialist CAMHS ADHD Practitioner to work within our ADHD pathway in Tower Hamlets CAMHS as part of our wait list initiative work. Tower Hamlets is a socially and ethnically diverse borough in East London. Our ADHD referrals have increased rapidly, and we are seeking additional staffing to provide good quality assessments to our children, young people and families. This post is open to applicants from all the core professions: Psychology, Family Therapy, Psychotherapy, Nursing, Social Work and Occupational Therapy.
The role is based in our ADHD pathway, and the post holder will contribute to the assessment and treatment of young people and families in this pathway, as well as contributing to service development/quality improvement projects in the service.
If the post holder has non-medical prescribing qualifications, there will also be the opportunity to work in our medication treatment pathways, providing high quality, safe, evidence-based medication management of ADHD.
Main duties of the job
The post holderwill provide assessments and evidence-based interventions for children and young people with suspected neurodevelopmental disorders.This is a community-based post within Tower Hamlets CAMHS The post holder will directly contribute to the positive working environment within the ADHD Pathway. The post holder will require a high degree of professional autonomy and self-management and will be required to account for their professional practice through appraisal and audit.
The ADHD pathway is a small, committed team currently comprising of a Consultant Psychiatrist, Band 8a Nurse Prescriber (0.4 wte), Speciality Doctor (0.4 wte) and Physician Assistant (1 wte). We are an innovative and supportive team who place quality improvement and people participation at the core of our outcomes focussed delivery of assessment and treatment.
Working for our organisation
Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for details.
For further information and/or an informal discussion, please contact Dr Justin Wakefield, Associate Clinical Director.
Person specification
Education/Qualification/ Training
Essential criteria
1. Qualification in appropriate mental health/social welfare profession including: Family & Systemic Psychotherapist / Clinical or Counselling Psychologist / Clinical Nurse Specialist (Mental Health or LD) / Psychotherapist/ Occupational Therapist / Social Worker
2. Appropriate level of qualification for your profession e.g. BSc, Masters or Doctorate
3. Registration with your appropriate body (e.g. UKCP, NMC, HCP etc.)
4. Evidence of continuous and relevant professional training and development (CPD) in keeping with qualification period.
Desirable criteria
5. Qualification as a Non-medical Prescriber
Experience
Essential criteria
6. Substantial experience at Band 7 or 8a in delivering specialist ADHD and mental health assessment and treatment interventions for children and young people, and their families, with significant and complex Neurodevelopmental problems in CAMHS
7. Substantial experience of working in a multi-disciplinary and multi-agency context and with complex networks
8. Substantial experience of working with children with ADHD, learning disability and/or autism, challenging behaviour, their families and wider networks
9. Substantial experience of working with a wide variety of patient/client groups across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
10. Substantial experience of working with children and young people in an emotionally demanding environment
11. Substantial experience with working with children and young people and their families in a therapeutic context
12. Substantial experience of working with children, young people and families in emotional crisis
13. Knowledge and experience with working with safeguarding issues and serious mental health problems, including challenging behaviour
14. Substantial experience of risk assessment and risk management
15. Experience/knowledge of working in a multi-ethnic community and of working with interpreters
16. Substantial experience of providing consultation in the multi-agency context
17. Experience, skills and flexibility to contribute to and facilitate effective working within a multi-disciplinary team setting
18. Experience of teaching and training
19. Experience of working with families in severe crisis
20. Experience of providing supervision
Desirable criteria
21. Experience of group work
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
22. Masters or Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology consistent with and relevant to CAMHS practice
23. Evidence of continuing professional development as required by professional guidelines
24. Knowledge of and skill in using a wide variety of CAMH theories and interventions and the ability to use these appropriately in relation to client need and work setting
25. Knowledge of Neurodevelopmental conditions, in particular ADHD, and skill in using suitable interventions with this client group
26. Sufficient knowledge of other modalities to engage appropriately with colleagues and their work with clients
27. Knowledge of child development/ mental health issues
28. Up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, and ethical issues, including The Children Act, and strategic frameworks and their implications for both clinical practice and professional management
29. Knowledge of current developments in therapy with children and adolescents both with and without neurodevelopmental conditions and mental health problems
30. Knowledge, understanding and experience with diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and families with a high level of deprivation
31. Knowledge of current developments in CAMHS and of guidelines and recommendations of assessment and intervention with children and adolescents with significant mental health difficulties
32. Acquaintance with parenting literature
Other
Essential criteria
33. Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to “hold” the stress of others
34. Working to local and national protocol and guidelines
35. Ability to work autonomously, setting appropriate goals, in accordance with professional ethics guidelines and Trust policies
36. Understanding of equality of opportunity and related policies and procedures
37. Ability to endure prolonged periods of concentration for extended client therapy sessions
38. Able to sit in constrained positions for a substantial period of working time
39. Respectful approach to service users, families, carers, colleagues and other professionals
40. Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings