Clinical Psychologist

Integrated Care System; Wokingham; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in mental health is seeking a Clinical Psychologist to deliver high-quality care for older adults with complex mental health needs. This full-time position offers a band 7/8a developmental opportunity, with progression to band 8a upon meeting competencies. Candidates will help provide specialist psychological assessments and therapies, developing skills in a supportive environment. Flexible working options and ample opportunities for continuous professional development are included.

Benefits

Flexible working options

27 days' annual leave

Excellent learning and career development opportunities

'Cycle to Work' scheme

Discounts at popular retailers

Generous maternity and paternity leave

Qualifications

• Doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology with HCPC registration.
• Experience in working with older people and their families.
• Ability to manage complex and comorbid presentations.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist psychological assessments for clients.
• Implement plans for the psychological treatment of mental health problems.
• Deliver psychological therapy and neuropsychological assessments.

Skills

Experience with older adults

Ability to work in an MDT setting

Strong communication skills

Education

Doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology

HCPC registration

Job description

This is an excellent opportunity to work in a varied role within a well-established Older People's Mental Health service that includes a Community Mental Health Team, Home Treatment Team and Memory Clinic function.

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and motivated Clinical Psychologist who will provide high quality formulation-led care for older people with complex mental health needs and individuals of any age who are diagnosed with dementia. This is a full-time band 7/8a developmental opportunity and funding has been secured for appointed candidates to progress to band 8a once agreed clinical and leadership competencies have been met.

The postholder will be joining a well-resourced service that includes a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Assistant Psychologist and Trainee Clinical Psychologists completing placements. There will be opportunities to further develop clinical and leadership skills through service development projects, supervision experience, CPD and training, as well as becoming involved with the Oxford regional FPOP group.

The postholder will work from the team base (Wokingham Hospital) and home, as well as completing visits to clients' homes within the Wokingham borough. Travel across Berkshire for meetings and training will occasionally be required.

Parking: Free parking is available on site.

Main duties of the job

To provide specialist psychological and neuropsychological assessments for clients based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex psychological data from a variety of sources. The role will include delivering psychological therapy, completing neuropsychological assessments and formulating Positive Behaviour Support plans for people with dementia who present with behaviour that challenges.

To formulate and implement plans for the psychological treatment and/or management of clients' mental health problems.

To implement specialist psychological interventions for individuals and groups, which are formulation-led and informed by the clinical evidence-base.

To communicate in a skilled and sensitive way, both orally and in writing, assessment results, formulation, treatment plans and sensitive or complex information.

To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients' formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan. This includes supervision of junior psychological professionals.

To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients.

To receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.

Working pattern and service operating hours: Normal rota hours are 9-5pm, 37.5 hours a week and there is some flexibility regarding working days, within the needs of the service.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

Job responsibilities

The must haves for you to be considered for this role are:

• Doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology, with HCPC registration.
• Experience in, and passion for, working with older people and their families/carers.
• Experience in offering a psychological perspective in an MDT setting.
• Ability to work with people with complex and comorbid presentations, including cognitive impairment or physical health conditions.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

For a discussion about this role, please contact Dr Katy Lee (Consultant Clinical Psychologist): 0118 904 7200.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

• Post graduate doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or for those who completed their training overseas)
• Accreditation with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical/Counselling) (Eligibility for) Chartered Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
• Additional training and accreditations (or working towards these) in relevant models to reflect post qualification interests/ specialism (e.g., particular therapy models and accreditations, Health Psychology, Neuropsychology).

Continuous Professional Development

• Evidence of training and/or interest and knowledge in psychological models and therapeutic approaches relevant to the post.
• Commitment to continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant accrediting body.

Experience

• Experience of working in evidence-based ways with services users (and their carers/families) presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the range of settings, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
• Experience of dealing with highly distressing or emotional circumstances, such as serious mental illness, child and sexual abuse, exploitation, and complex family dynamics
• Experience of working effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and multi-agency environment
• Experience of service development and carrying out clinical audits, evaluative research and applying the findings
• Experience of working with, and addressing, issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism, and equality of access to the service
• Experience of delivering teaching and training to staff
• Experience of providing clinical supervision, mentoring or providing structured guidance to other staff

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrable knowledge, skills and abilities in the practice of assessment, formulation and intervention, relevant to specialist modality and service area
• Knowledge and understanding of service evaluation, audit and research and how to undertake these activities in an NHS context, including how to implement learning
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, complex, technical and/or sensitive information to service users, their carers/families and other professional colleagues, both within and outside of an NHS setting
• Well-developed interpersonal skills, with the ability to support, influence and engage with clinicians, stakeholders and service users to create change and improvement
• The ability and skills to act as an advocate for the service, to engage and foster positive relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of the service within the wider health care system
• Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages (such as RiO, Outlook, databases, MS Office/Teams, One Consultation and the Internet)

Additional Requirements

• Able to work flexibly around working patterns as required
• Ability to travel independently between locations in Berkshire to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£50,008 to £56,908 a yearper annum (inc. of HCAS)