Job overview
This is a rare opportunity for a qualified Psychologist to join our Walsall locality Older Adult Enhanced Community Mental Health Team (OAECMHT) and to expand their therapeutic practice within a holistic, person-centred and recovery-focussed culture. You will be an intrinsic member of the multi-disciplinary team working closely alongside the OAECMHT Team Manager, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Consultant Psychiatrists, CPN’s and OT’s. All highly value the role of the Psychologist within the MDT - “MDTs are so much better with Psychology in attendance as discussions are much more professionally challenging/stimulating.”
You will have access to expert clinical supervision and full connections with the wider Older Adult Psychology staff team here at BCHFT. We are committed as a team to supporting and networking with each other across the various clinical areas within our Older Adult Division. Continuing Professional Development opportunities will be available to assist your ongoing professional growth and development. You will also be able to contribute to the CPD of others - upskilling them in psychological skills via involvement with the delivery of a range of training programmes including CBT, Personal Empowerment Training and Dementia Tier 2 training.
If you are recently qualified and/or looking for an exciting opportunity to develop professionally in a supportive and valuing environment we look forward to receiving your application.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be working with older people who present with a wide range of complex mental health, clinical and social needs often presenting along with comorbid frailty and chronic physical health conditions. Examples of clinical presentations range from bereavement and trauma, psychosis, anxiety, depression, complex emotional needs and trauma, as well as people with dementia. The main clinical roles would include:
1. The provision of bespoke specialist psychological assessments for individuals, carers, and families of service users, using complex psychological data from a variety of sources.
2. Supporting and developing team formulations, facilitating regular complex case discussions, and supporting staff in creating and implementing psychologically informed, person-centred care plans.
3. The provision of a range of psychological interventions for service users, and, where appropriate, for carers and families.
4. Facilitating reflective practice sessions for the MDT
Working for our organisation
As a Trust we are committed to increasing the quality of services and providing services which are safe and supportive to services users, their carers and relatives.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Provide highly specialist psychological assessment of clients with highly complex conditions based on the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of data from a variety of sources, which will include neuropsychological testing
Undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and provide specialist advice to other professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management.
Undertake highly skilled evaluations and makes decisions about treatment options.
Provide highly specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other staff contributing directly to client’s diagnosis, formulation and intervention plan.
Facilitate decision-making by planning and mapping assessment processes/interventions with members of the team to determine the most appropriate treatment modality or service for clients.
Clinical supervision of Trainee Applied Psychologists and Assistant Psychologists, Band 7 Applied Psychologists working within immediate area (as appropriate), under the guidance of Consultant Applied Psychologist
Provide highly specialist advice, guidance, consultation and supervision to other direct care staff in MDT
Devise and deliver training to other staff in MDT
BCHFT are committed to investment in our Psychology staff so you will have access to a psychology specific dedicated CPD budget to support your professional growth.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
5. •Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied Psychology (or its equivalent) as accredited by the BPS including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
6. •Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
7. •HCPC registration as an Applied Psychologist with Chartered Status
8. •Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees
9. •Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable criteria
10. •Registration with BPS
Experience
Essential criteria
11. •Working as a qualified applied psychologist within the designated service including a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and a range of clinical severity across a range of care settings.
12. •Exercising full clinical responsibility for clients’ psychological care as a care coordinator within the context of a multidisciplinary team.
13. •Teaching, training, consultancy and clinical supervision and field supervisor for doctoral theses.
14. •Research and development
15. •Quality and service improvement and evaluation.
Desirable criteria
16. •Experience of joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies
Knowledge
Essential criteria
17. •Evidence-based practice relevant to the role
18. •Risk assessment and risk management
19. •Clinical governance
20. •Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health
21. •Audit and research methodology
22. •Social inclusion agenda
23. •The Trust’s Quality Improvement System
Skills
Essential criteria
24. •Communicate highly complex and highly sensitive information effectively, to a wide range of people
25. •Adapt creatively the evidence base for the interventions relevant to the client group (define)
26. •Provide effective teaching, training, consultancy and clinical supervision for the multidisciplinary team
27. •Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team and undertake care co-ordination/lead practitioner responsibilities
28. •Undertake complex multiagency working and liaise with multiple systems
29. •Utilise psychometric tests competently
30. •Identify, provide and promote appropriate interventions / means of support for carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours
31. •Utilise appropriate clinical governance mechanisms within own work
32. •Demonstrate effective keyboard skills
33. •Utilise multimedia materials for presentations in professional, academic and public settings
34. •Able to work in accordance with the Trust Values and Behaviours
35. •Able to engage with vulnerable people and work effectively in highly distressing and challenging circumstances
36. •Respects and has awareness of the advantages of joint working with other experienced professionals in a multidisciplinary setting
37. •Able to work flexibly and co-operatively as part of a team
38. •Able to use own initiative and make decisions independently
39. •Committed to continual quality and service improvement
40. •Self-aware and committed to professional and personal development. Able to accept and respond positively to feedback from supervision