Job summary
Employer heading
Clinical Psychologist
NHS AfC: Band 8b
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust provides child and adult mental health services, learning disability, wellbeing, older people's and eating disorder services across Norfolk and Suffolk.
At any one time, around 23,000 people in Norfolk and Suffolk are receiving care and attention from the Trust. We believe in whole life care - seeing people in the context of their whole lives, understanding the importance of good physical health, friends, family, spirituality, culture, home, work, education and a sense of purpose and achievement to experience good mental health.
Nearly 3,800 full and part-time practitioners care for our service users in hospitals, in the community and in their own homes, whilst an additional 1,400+ staff provide non-clinical support, including cleaning, catering, delivering supplies, ward administration, information technology, human resources and financial services.
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and want to reflect the diversity of our local communities within our teams. We welcome applications from all talented individuals with the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience.
We are committed to delivering quality driven mental health services. Every individual makes a valuable contribution. We are proud of our staff who have been commended for the care they provide. Do you value working positively, respectfully and together? If so, we’d love you to join us!
We will consider flexible working arrangements for our roles, please indicate in your application if this is something you require
JOB DESCRIPTION/PERSON SPECIFICATION
Please read the job description/person specification carefully and ensure your application reflects the knowledge, skills and experience needed.
YOUR APPLICATION
It is important that you complete a formal application form as CV’s alone will not be accepted.
We can provide all our job application materials in alternative formats so that these are accessible to everyone. Should you require any documents within this job pack in an alternative format, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].
PLEASE NOTE: If you use a hotmail, msn or yahoo e-mail account, you will need to check your "junk" mail regularly as these email providers will divert any communication from this Trust/NHS JOBS straight into your " junk" inbox.
Job overview
We are seeking an experienced compassionate Senior Psychologist to lead the Psychology provision on two adult acute wards. You will be joining a team which has put in significant effort to improve quality of the service provision focusing on developing collaborative formulations, group Psychotherapy and individual work as required. There will be a strong emphasis on risk formulation and management at a leadership level.
The role requires the post holder to make best use of the psychological resources on the ward and developing their effectiveness and efficiency where possible.
The post holder will be supported by the Consultant Clinical psychologist and will be a part of a growing network of senior Psychologists in the West Suffolk area.
We have been working hard to influence the system in a positive manner and have had positive outcomes in reducing restrictive interventions. This would be something the successful candidate would be asked to support and continue. We are committed to the safe wards approach and use a DBT informed manner of working with patients who self injure.
We are committed to supporting the post holder’s professional development aspirations, and would seek to provide opportunities for appropriate and relevant continuing professional development.
Main duties of the job
Leading in the effective and efficient use of psychological resources in the wards. Supervising the other members of the therapy team. Being able to remain flexible and autonomous in how the resources are used in the wards.
Developing a close working relationship with the recently appointed Crisis Home treatment team Senior Psychologist to develop a joined up service in line with current NHS England best practice guidelines.
As the Principle Clinical Psychologist you would be offering supervision to the more junior Psychological positions. We would ask that you offer training placements for the UEA DClinPsy course.
To act as a senior clinician in chairing meetings, both within the service and with stakeholders in the wider mental health system.
Clinical Role
The successful candidate would be expected to lead on psychologically informed risk assessment and formulation, rising to the challenge of responding to the recent criticism of general risk assessment measures.
The post holder would be expected to lead on the more complex patient presentations and support the other members of the team in their work with patients.
Working for our organisation
Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.
Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.
Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you’ll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We’re an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The staff team in the wards value the psychological perspective within the MDT working.
As Senior Psychologist you would be asked to contribute to effective MDT working. There will also be opportunities to engage with the wider system to support the acute pathway objectives. Responding to need in offering brief training packages to the staff team. Leading on ensuring the Debrief system in the wards is effective and meaningful in reducing the longer term consequences of incidents. Signposting staff to appropriate staff support services.
Supporting the system.
Understanding the complex challenges of the system, being able to formulate the challenge to the system and influence it in a positive manner is an essential part of the role. Acute wards are a reactive and challenging environment and supporting the wider system is a essential part of this job.
The team.
You would be part of a positive and dynamic ‘Therapy Team’ which includes 2 Occupational Therapists, 2 Peer Support Workers, 3 Assistant Psychologists. The Therapy team currently seeks to offer individualised formulations for all patients and then a group intervention model with space for individualised interventions if clinically appropriate.
This role will be supported by the new Consultant Clinical Psychologist post so there will be a meaningful handover and ongoing support from a clinician who has been in this post.
Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!
Further benefits include:
- NHS pension
- a comprehensive in house & external training programmes
- career progression
- starting annual leave of 27 days per annum increasing to 33 days pa based on length of service (plus paid bank holidays)
- staff physio service
- NHS discounts and many more.
We are working hard to maintain usual recruitment process however please be aware that we may ask you to be interviewed via MS Teams rather than in person. Please also bear with us as we endeavour to recruit people in these unprecedented times.
Please visit our Facebook and Twitter page @NSFTjobs
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology, or its equivalent, including eligibility for chartered status with the BPS
- Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of CPD in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
Experience
Essential criteria
- Specialist complex psychological assessment and treatment of people with a wide range of mental health problems, of varying severity and complexity.
- Extensive experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist and evidence of specialist knowledge gained through practice and ongoing training
- Teaching, training and delivering clinical supervision.
Desirable criteria
- Experience leading services
Skills
Essential criteria
- Assessment, evaluation and management of risk associated with mental ill health and related psychopathology
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnosis, people with additional disabilities etc.)
- Practitioner level knowledge of at least two models of psychological therapy
Other
Desirable criteria
- Experience of providing specific support intervention and strategy for staff
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Oliver Hockley
- Job title
- Principle Clinical Psychologist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01284 719700
List jobs with Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust in Allied Health Professions or all sectors