Job overview
We are looking for a highly skilled, compassionate, experienced Clinical/ Forensic/ Counselling Psychologist to join us within the female pathway which forms part of the Rehabilitation and High Support (RHS) Care hub in Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust. The post will suit an enthusiastic Psychologist with an interest in a range of therapeutic approaches and consultation skills, combined with a passion for gender-informed care and a desire to work within a rehabilitation setting.
The post holder will work 0.5 WTE within women’s rehabilitation services, based at Beckett Ward, Tameside Hospital (10 beds) and Rhodes Place, Oldham (8 beds). Our rehabilitation wards support women with severe and enduring mental health needs, with the aim of moving towards more independent living. Women have a primary diagnosis of a psychotic illness, but may have additional difficulties with trauma, emotional regulation, substance use, forensic history, or cognitive skills. The post holder will work closely with the new community rehabilitation team who are supporting people who are ready to step down from inpatient rehabilitation services, with the aim of reducing the length of inpatient stays and support successful discharges.
For more information about our services please visit:
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for the promotion and management of a high-quality psychology service across the women’s rehabilitation wards and will be supported by an Assistant Psychologist.
The post will require you to provide psychological assessment, formulation and intervention to service users who present with complex mental health problems, alongside a possible history of trauma, substance misuse and forensic histories. The post holder will provide direct face-to-face clinical sessions and support the psychosocial intervention work of colleagues. The post-holder will lead on embedding and evaluating a trauma informed care approach across the service .
You will be expected to attend MDT meetings and to facilitate regular clinical discussion groups to offer the MDT reflective space, develop psychological formulations and provide bespoke training. In addition, you will provide one-to-one clinical supervision to Psychologists and other members of the MDT as appropriate. The post will require you to be involved in service developments, Quality Improvement projects and governance within the service as required.
The post holder will be part of a respected psychology team within RHS that includes a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Principal Clinical Psychologists, Clinical and Forensic Psychologists and Assistant Psychologists. Supervision will be provided by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
Working for our organisation
We would welcome applications for flexible working patterns, including hybrid working or a job share. We support staff to work flexibly and recognise and respect the roles our colleagues hold outside of their working hours.
Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the top of our agenda. We believe that a diverse, inclusive and engaged culture is vital; that everyone’s value should be recognised and respected.
We proactively challenge injustices, and are the only Trust in the North West to publicly recognise our commitment to becoming anti-racist and supporting our transgender and non-binary colleagues. We also have thriving staff networks to make sure everyone has a voice.
Our vision is for a happier and more hopeful life for everyone in our communities and our staff work hard to deliver the very best care for the people who use our services. We’re really proud of our #PennineCarePeople and do everything we can to make sure we’re a great place to work.
We are committed to staff development through shared learning, training and peer supervision. We are working hard in the Rehabilitation and High Support Care Hub to reduce restrictive practices, and to provide trauma-informed care.
Our trust values are:
Kindness
Fairness
Ingenuity
Determination
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached job description and person specification to support your application for this post. Please refer to the essential criteria in the person specification which will highlight the skills, knowledge and experience you will need to demonstrate in your application, by way of example, to give yourself the best opportunity to be shortlisted.
For further details, discussion or to arrange an informal visit please contact Dr Louisa McNair, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on 07917 503634 or
Person specification
Education / Qualifications
Essential criteria
* Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology, (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, or postgraduate training in Forensic Psychology or Counselling Psychology
* Current registration as a Clinical, Forensic or Counselling psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council.
Desirable criteria
* Completion of further post qualification training within psychological therapies (e.g. DBT, CBT, CAT, CFT, MBT etc.).
Experience
Essential criteria
* Demonstrable post-qualification experience of specialist assessment and treatment of adult clients and those with psychological difficulties in an inpatient setting.
* Demonstrable post-qualification experience of working with complex mental health problems, including distressing psychosis, problems associated with complex relational and emotional needs, and severe depression, anxiety and trauma.
* Demonstrable experience of working with people experiencing a suicidal crisis.
* Demonstrable experience of working within inpatient adult multidisciplinary teams.
* Experience of clinical leadership within a previous role.
* Demonstrable experience of providing clinical supervision to psychologists, psychological therapists or other core health professions.
* Demonstrable experience of providing teaching/ training upon clinical interventions.
* Demonstrable experience of managing demand for psychological services within a form of stepped-care framework (i.e. an approach based upon the provision of direct care, and supporting other professionals in their provision of direct psychosocial work.
Desirable criteria
* Experience in clinical leadership.
* Ability to demonstrate further specialist clinical experience and training.
* Experience of audit and service evaluation within psychological therapy services.
* Research experience within an area relevant to work within an adult service.
* Demonstrable experience of the application of psychological therapy in diverse cultural and ethnic contexts.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
* Understanding of the national and regional legislation, guidance and policy directives in relation to the development and delivery of psychological therapies within inpatient services.
* Evidence of postqualification CPD as recommended and/or accredited by the BPS, or other professional body.
* Up to date knowledge of the needs of people with complex mental health problems, and of psychological approaches to recovery.
* Awareness of the principles of a trauma informed care approach.
* Familiarity with computing technology, including keyboard skills, and use of word-processing, e-mail, and internet software.
Desirable criteria
* Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies and approaches for adults with complex mental health problems.
* Publication of training, service evaluation, clinical audit and research material.
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
* Ability to work with service users, carers and families to engage with their needs and provide them with appropriate psychological support and intervention.
* Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups.
* Well developed, effective communication skills, both oral and in writing, enabling complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to be shared with service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues within the NHS and other agencies.
* Ability to prioritise work, operate a waiting list, meet short deadlines and an unpredictable work pattern that requires regular revision of plans.
* Ability to sit in constrained position for service user assessment, formulation, individual and group therapy sessions and for computer work.
* Ability to work at a high level of professional autonomy and responsibility, in a collaborative multi-disciplinary environment and also as a lone worker in circumstances where there may be exposure to verbal and sometimes physical aggression.
* Able to sustain the intense concentration necessary for service user assessment and formulation, individual and group therapy sessions.
* Ability to work and communicate highly sensitive, contentious information effectively in a highly emotive or hostile atmosphere, and to overcome barriers to acceptance/psychological resistance to potentially threatening information.
* Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to staff and carers exposed to highly distressing situations.
* Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
Desirable criteria
* Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multimedia materials, suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
* Ability to demonstrate an area of special interest/skill in therapeutic intervention.
* Ability to move equipment (including case files, bulky neuropsychological tests, self-help materials, audiovisual equipment) between office base and other work settings.
Work Related Circumstances
Essential criteria
* Use of a car or access to a means of mobility to travel across the Trust footprint in line with service needs.
* Willing to carry out all duties and responsibilities of the post in accordance with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies
* Appointments to regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS disclosure.