This post offers an exciting opportunity for a Senior Assistant Psychologist to join the London Women's Mental Health Requirement (MHTR) Service. The service aims to reduce short-term custodial sentences given to women by providing an alternative community-based sentencing option, and aiming to address the mental health need linked with the offending.
The service is comprised of two pathways: the well-established primary care MHTR service and the pilot secondary care MHTR service. The primary care pathway provides direct, short-term psychological intervention to service users. The secondary care pilot pathway is seeking to secure MHTRs provided by existing secondary care services. London is one of three pilot sites across England, which have been commissioned to pilot this pathway. The post will sit across both pathways.
Please note: travel across London will be required as part of the role.
The successful candidate will contribute to the delivery of a psychology-led service that provides court-ordered psychological intervention to women, as an alternative to short-term custodial sentences. The role includes assessing service users to determine suitability for the service, independently holding a caseload and providing intervention to service users across London (under supervision). The post holder will also provide outreach to staff in courts and probation offices across London, to ensure they are up to date with MHTRs and are aware of the service. The post holder will be expected to liaise with professionals from a number of agencies including mental health services, probation, and the courts. The post holder will be able to access training appropriate to the role. There is also opportunity to get involved in research and audit activity.
Please note: travel across London will be required as part of the role.
We're passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, Patients are at the heart of everything we do.
Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people.
We're always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we're hoping to find our future leaders and we'll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.
With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more – whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
Clinical
1. To undertake assessments and interventions (including neuropsychological tests, self report
measures, rating scales, direct and indirect observations and semi-structured interviews of
clients, family members and others involved in the clients care).
1. To assist in the development of psychologically based frameworks of understanding and care
to the benefit of all clients of the service.
1. To formulate and deliver care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management
of a client's problems within settings where there may be a hostile atmosphere, challenging
behaviour or high levels of expressed emotion.
1. To assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
2. To compile risk histories to inform care plans, risk and crisis plans.
3. To work with other team members to improve care practices and the quality of life of clients.
4. To attend and contribute to multi-disciplinary meetings.
5. To support the delivery of evidence based psychological interventions for clients.
6. To carry out other clinical and administrative tasks as appropriate to the post holder's grade.
7. To be up to date with both de-escalation, physical breakaway and PMVA techniques
appropriate to the service environment.
1. To provide care equitably to all service users, in an anti-discriminatory approach also
promoting equality, diversity and inclusion for service users and their families
Administration
1. To establish and maintain records and statistics concerning the service.
2. To be acquainted with, implement and maintain all relevant Trust and Psychology and
Psychological Therapies policies and procedures.
1. To report immediately any incidents affecting staff, users or visitors on health service property
in accordance with Trust policies.
1. To maintain and manage systems for stock control of Psychology tests, test materials and
other equipment.
Professional Issues
1. To abide by the BPS code of Conduct and Ethics and the Division of Clinical Psychology
Professional Practice Guidelines.
1. To maintain confidentiality in line with Trust policy
2. To participate in clinical and professional audit.
3. To participate in and contribute to Quality Assurance initiatives.
4. To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.
Research and Service Evaluation
1. To design and implement agreed elements of audit and research projects.
2. To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT
and statistical programmes.
1. To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research in order to promote
evidence based clinical practice. This will contribute to the clinical work of Applied
Psychologists and other team members.
General
1. To promote and model the Trust's values in working with colleagues and others contributing
to a compassionate culture that celebrates difference and diversity and supports all staff to
flourish
1. To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of
practice, through the active participation in internal and external Continuing Professional
Development training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holders
manager.
1. To maintain the highest standards of record keeping and report writing in accordance with
professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and
procedures.
1. To undertake administrative duties as required.
2. To perform other duties of a similar kind appropriate to the grade, which may be required,
from time to time, by the Psychology Manager.
1. To participate fully in the Trust's performance review and personal development planning
process on an annual basis.