Job overview
The successful applicant will be proficient in the delivery of telephone triage assessments and CBT-based guided self-help interventions and have experience of working with common mental health problems within primary care. You will also have opportunities to co-run groups and workshops with other PWPs or High-Intensity Therapists; experience and skills in this would be beneficial.
We encourage our PWPs to build their clinical skills and develop areas of expertise, such as working with long term conditions or treating a broader range of disorders including low self esteem and OCD.
Career Progression pathways and development opportunities:
We are committed to get the very best out of our staff and support staff in their career aspirations. We have career pathways available, where you will be able to develop your skills and build on your experience to progress into other roles across different specialties. For this role, we offer career pathways to Senior PWP roles, as well as HI trainee roles; we find that working in our team is often a springboard for PWPs to develop and excel in their chosen career paths. In addition, we offer ongoing training and development with CPD or internal workshops suitable to S2, for example OCD, health anxiety and social anxiety. All our qualified PWPs have additional responsibilities and interests to keep the role varied and exciting.
Main duties of the job
1. Conducting telephone based assessments with clients to determine the nature of their psychological difficulties, determine appropriate step of intervention and assess for/manage risk.
2. Delivering brief, evidence based interventions for mild - moderate anxiety disorders and/or depression, to adults (18 yrs +), within a CBT framework.
3. Offering groups for people with anxiety or depression
4. Conduct psychological assessments and interventions via interpreters.
5. Working sensitively with diversity (including working with black & minority ethnic groups).
6. Meet agreed/specified service targets.
7. High levels of organisational ability and demonstrable skills in record keeping and case management.
8. Attend weekly 1-1 case management supervision, 4-6 weekly line management, clinical skills group supervision, monthly service meetings.
Flexible working:
As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. In this role you will be able to work Monday to Friday in the time frames from earliest 8am to latest 7:30pm, giving you the very best of good work life balance.
Working for our organisation
About us:
You can expect a friendly, creative, welcoming and social team consisting of Step 2 clinicians, High Intensity Therapists and admin staff. We take pride in involving our staff, drawing upon their skills and strengths and have a Staff Health and Wellbeing Champion. We are looking for enthusiastic and passionate team players, committed to working for our Croydon communities, offering patient-centred, responsive and high-quality psychological health and wellbeing services.
About our locations:
The postholder will be based at our team bases in Central Croydon and Bethlem Hospital site, staff may also work from GP surgeries in Croydon as well as from home.
Bethlem Royal Hospital
Bethlem Royal Hospital is based in a beautiful setting in over 200 acres of green space in the London Borough of Bromley, South East London. The hospital has easy access to nearby main roads and have offers free parking. The site is within walking distance from of Eden Park and West Wickham overland stations.
Croydon
Another base Croydon Talking Therapies is situated in central Croydon, close to the vibrant high-street that offers fantastic shopping opportunities and a wide range of restaurants. It is within walking distance to East Croydon overland station with quick links to London.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
Clinical
1) To provide assessment and high-volume low-intensity interventions primarily for anxiety and/or depression. This may include psycho-educational workshops/groups, bibliotherapy, guided self-help, computerised CBT, providing information about pharmacological treatments. This work may be face to face, via telephone, virtual or in group format.
2) To offer telephone triage assessments. To make decisions on suitability of new referrals, adhering to the departments referral protocols, referring unsuitable clients on to the relevant service or back to the referrer as necessary or stepping-up the person’s treatment to high intensity psychological therapy.
3) To make an accurate assessment of risk to self and others, including safeguarding issues.
4) To work closely with other members of the team ensuring appropriate step-up and step-down arrangements are in place to maintain a stepped care approach.
5) To assess and integrate issues surrounding work and employment into the overall therapy process.
6) To educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary.
7) To operate at all times from an inclusive values base which promotes recovery and recognises and respects diversity.
8) To meet service requirements in terms of agreed clinical activity and recovery targets. This includes the overall number of client contacts offered and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times and ensure treatment delivery remains accessible and convenient.
9) To prepare for and attend clinical/managerial supervision and clinical skills groups on a regular basis as agreed with Manager. To monitor and review caseload on an on-going basis.
10) To respond to and implement supervision suggestions by supervisors in clinical practice.
11) To engage in and respond to personal development supervision to improve competences and clinical practice.
Professional
1) To complete all requirements relating to data collection and record keeping within the service and the Trust, thoroughly and in a timely fashion.
2) To be aware of and keeping up to date with advances in the spheres of treatment for common mental health problems.
3) To liaise with GPs/other practice staff, the wider SLaM organisation, local statutory bodies and 3rd sector organisations.
4) To attend service and Trust meetings and training as required, including mandatory training and statutory training as required by Trust policy. To keep records of any CPD undertaken.
5) To undertake personal development as identified in the personal development plan
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
9. Holds a recognised qualification to work as a psychological wellbeing practitioner (e.g. Post Graduate Diploma in Low Intensity Cognitive Behavioural Interventions).
Desirable criteria
10. A second class honours degree or higher in Psychology.
11. Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential criteria
12. Experience of conducting telephone based assessments with clients to determine the nature of their psychological difficulties, determine appropriate step of intervention and assess for/manage risk.
13. Demonstrates experience of delivering brief, evidence based interventions for mild - moderate anxiety disorders and/or depression, to adults (18 yrs +), within a CBT framework.
14. Experience of offering groups for people with anxiety or depression
15. Able to conduct psychological assessments and interventions via interpreters.
Desirable criteria
16. Experience working with BAME
Knowledge
Essential criteria
17. Demonstrates knowledge of low intensity step 2 interventions for anxiety and depression within a primary care setting.
18. Demonstrates knowledge of relevant NICE Guidance, an understanding of the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and its relevance to this post.
19. Knowledge of working sensitively with diversity (including working with black & minority ethnic groups).
Desirable criteria
20. An awareness of severe and enduring mental health presentations (including psychosis, bi-polar)
Skills
Essential criteria
21. Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
22. Demonstrates high levels of organisational ability and demonstrable skills in record keeping and case management.
Desirable criteria
23. Fluent in languages other than English.
24. Car driver and/or ability and willingness to travel to locations throughout the organisation.