Clinical Associate Psychologist

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job description

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to providing high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for the care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good'.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

Across South London and the Maudsley NHS Trust we have been developing new ways of bringing together health and social care professionals with our Voluntary sector and local communities to support people with severe mental health problems, including complex emotional needs associated with a diagnosis of 'personality disorder' and disordered eating.

Our transformation work aims for teams of clinical and non-clinical staff to work together to make a greater positive impact on the health and lives of groups and communities of people living with mental ill-health. Through providing more integrated care across mental and physical health services in inner London, we have been able to test new ways of working within our 'blended' teams, to deliver improvements aligned to the implementation of the Community Mental Health Framework for Adults and Older Adults.

A key feature of our approach has been the development of psychological provision in crisis services. The post holder will provide psychological interventions to service users receiving care from the Crisis Resolution Home Treatment team. This role will be working with people with complex mental health problems, to develop a psychological understanding of their difficulties and to support the development of coping strategies, focusing on strengths and assets to support people in recovery from mental health crisis.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work with people who are receiving care from the Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team to develop a shared understanding of the complex issues the person is facing, how they cope and the impact this has on their mental, physical health and well-being and those around them (psychological assessment and formulation). Under supervision they will explore social, psychological, therapies and other potential options which may improve health outcomes and help them achieve agreed goals.

This work will be under the supervision of a qualified clinical/counselling psychologist who will retain clinical responsibility for clinical work carried out, provided that the clinical work is within the care plan specified.

Working for our organisation

The Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team is multi-disciplinary; Psychiatry, Nursing, Social Workers, Clinical/Counselling psychologists, and Lived Experience Practitioners. The team works with service users to offer brief intervention (usually 2-4 weeks) to support recovery from mental health crisis. We foster a culture of respect, creativity and commitment to working with those that present with complex mental health difficulties.

We endorse and embody the core SL&M values: kindness, respect, together.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Service users seen by the post holder will include those who have experienced high levels of distress and complex mental health difficulties, who may have experienced adverse life events and experiencing socio-economic disadvantages leading to mental health crisis. Service users may present with a high level of risk to both themselves and sometimes to other people. Assessments and interventions will be delivered in a range of settings, including community, as well as clinics and in person, by telephone or digital platform.

Psychological based provision is offered at the individual, group, couple and family level through to teams.

We have Lived Experience Practitioners working in the team with whom the post holder would be expected to work closely, with the opportunity to provide supervision on coping skills interventions and work to support community engagement.

We sincerely welcome applications from people who have previous experience of using Mental Health services, and/or individuals who are/have been a carer for someone. We are also very interested in receiving applications from people who have strong local connections to the 3 boroughs in which we work.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• An approved qualification in psychology conferring eligibility for graduate basis for registration with the British Psychological Society, (Class 2.2 or higher)
• Completed BPS [British Psychological Society] accredited CAP apprenticeship training programme including EPA to IFA standards

Experience

Essential criteria

• Strong ability to engage with a variety of services and community partners and stakeholders, and to expand existing networks, and to nurture and maintain strong working relationships with stakeholders
• Understand how to analyse and appraise key theoretical concepts of psychological models of treatment both at individual and group level recognised in evidence-based national guidelines
• Communicate effectively, share information and check understanding using clear language and appropriate, written materials, making reasonable adjustments where appropriate in order to optimise people's understanding

Desirable criteria

• Lived experience of using services, and/or being a carer for someone

Knowledge and skills

Essential criteria

• To be able to assess and formulate someone's experiences drawing on a range of psychological models and theory
• Awareness of diversity of cultural norms across the borough, and being able to respond to this appropriately
• Work cross-culturally and/or in different languages
• Understand the principles of clinical supervision using them to provide a safe and supportive environment to reflect, review and discuss personal and professional responses to work
• Maintain and implement knowledge of contemporary evidence-based practice through appropriate continued professional development

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working closely with experts by experience, local communities, Community and Voluntary and Social Enterprises, to co-produce and co-develop services
• Knowledge and implementation of local, regional and national policy.
• Able to understand and critically appraise best evidence and existing practice to inform clinical decision making where there is no agreed consensus on treatment protocols and evaluate outcomes

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online
• That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not been successful
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
• That we are a smoke-free Trust

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion, Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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

• CAP HTT Job Description (PDF, 400.6KB)
• CAP HTT Person Specification (PDF, 408.6KB)
• SLaM Staff Benefits (PDF, 1.1MB)
• Happy to Talk Flexible Working (PDF, 680.1KB)