Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist

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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.

Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist NHS AfC: Band 8a Main area MK Mental Health Grade NHS AfC: Band 8a Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 333-D-MK-MH-1258-C

Site Neath Hill Health Centre Town Milton Keynes Salary £53,755 - £60,504 Per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 10/11/:59

CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.

Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page .

CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.

Job overview Band 8a or Band 7-8a Preceptorship Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Are you a clinician passionate about working with service users with psychosis? Do you enjoy working with carers and families? Are you an independent practitioner who can promote psychology in a small team? We are looking for applications from highly motivated and enthusiastic Senior Clinical or Counselling Psychologists who are committed to delivering patient-focused care and treatment.

We are keen to invest in the development of new practitioners joining our service to enhance their knowledge, skills, clinical practice, leadership and confidence in working in this area. We are therefore looking for applicants who either have experience in Early Intervention Psychosis (EIP) or have a good foundation of transferable skills and an interest to develop in this area.

There is a strong sense of camaraderie within the Milton Keynes EIP team, and a strong partnership between operational and clinical staff. There are opportunities to access funded specialist training in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for psychosis and family interventions. There may also be an opportunity to spend one clinic session per week in another team/speciality to maintain additional skills.

Main duties of the job The Milton Keynes Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Service is a multi-disciplinary team providing treatment and support for people who are experiencing symptoms of psychosis for the first time, and during the first three years following a first episode of psychosis. The service has a strong focus on providing psychological interventions alongside care coordination, help, advice and support. The team helps service users make sense of their experiences, provides treatment and interventions to enable them to get back to, or continue to, work or study, whilst liaising with other services and agencies to sort out benefits and finances, and help solve any housing problems.

A key part of the role will be acting as liaison and Principal Investigator for research trials (e.g. virtual reality CBT) from different universities.

Our staff demonstrate an interest in providing a high level of service for service users and carers as well as an interest in service development. We are looking for motivated and committed clinical or counselling psychologists who are passionate to lead the development of psychological therapies and the therapy pathways within our service.

Where the applicant will be newly qualified on appointment they will join a number of other recent recruits in Milton Keynes and undergo a well-established, thorough preceptorship programme ensuring they are equipped with the competencies required of an 8a post holder before they progress.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To provide a highly specialist psychology service to clients with first episode psychosis, including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.
• To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
• To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a lead specialist in EIP.
• To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.
• To work as an autonomous professional within BPS and HCPC guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.
• To agree outcomes/results with clinical/professional lead and to decide how they are best achieved.

Person specification Qualifications

• Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC.
• Completed training course in clinical supervision.
• Entry-level qualification in Applied Clinical or Counselling Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration.
• Additional training in a specialised area of psychological practice or model of therapy through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses, or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma.
• BABCP Accreditation.
• CBTp training.

Experience

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with psychosis.
• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in EI or acute services.
• Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists having completed the relevant training.
• Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
• Experience of carrying out post-doctoral research, audit or service evaluation projects.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for people with complex mental health problems.
• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatments.
• Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
• Doctorate level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis.

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.

• Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points-based system.
• Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
• If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Employer certification / accreditation badges You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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