Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist - Team Lead

The Methodist Church in Britain; East Ham; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust is recruiting a senior clinical psychologist to lead the ACTIVATE Team’s chronic fatigue syndrome and persistent pain service. The role involves expert assessment, formulation and therapy for complex cases, plus directing the service’s development within an integrated MSK framework.

You will work within a multidisciplinary team, supervise others, provide training, and liaise with GPs and other services to implement biopsychosocial approaches.

Qualifications

• HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist.
• Doctoral-level clinical psychology training (BPS accredited) or equivalent.
• At least 4 years' experience as a qualified clinical psychologist.

Responsibilities

• Lead clinical delivery and strategic development of the chronic fatigue syndrome and persistent pain service.
• Lead highly specialist psychological assessment of patients using interview, psychometrics and other methods; write reports with recommendations.
• Develop and deliver 1:1 and group treatments using psychological or biopsychosocial interventions.
• Provide comprehensive assessment, formulation and therapy for complex cases.
• Offer consultation, supervision and input to other team members and colleagues.

Skills

Psychological assessment

Group treatment delivery

Risk assessment

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Education

Doctoral-level clinical psychology training (BPS accredited)

Post-graduate training in clinical supervision

Job description

This post leads clinical psychology within the ACTIVATE Team, a community service run by Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust from Kingsway Health Centre. The role centres on highly specialist psychological assessment and treatment of adults with chronic fatigue syndrome and persistent pain, including 1:1 and group work, plus leading the service's clinical and strategic development. The multidisciplinary team takes a hands-off approach, motivating patients to self-manage, and sits within the integrated community MSK services. Applicants need HCPC registration and at least four years' experience as a qualified clinical psychologist.

What the job involves

• Lead the clinical delivery and strategic development of the chronic fatigue syndrome and persistent pain service
• Lead highly specialist psychological assessment of patients, using interview, psychometrics and other methods, and write reports with recommendations
• Lead the development and delivery of 1:1 and group treatment using psychological or biopsychosocial interventions
• Provide highly specialist assessment, formulation and therapy for complex cases
• Provide clinical psychology input to adults, families and carers referred to the team
• Take autonomous professional responsibility for assessment and treatment of patients with persistent pain
• Undertake risk assessment and management, and advise colleagues on the psychological aspects of risk
• Provide consultation, advice and supervision to other team members, including joint and individual sessions
• Advise GPs, MSK services and local pain services on formulation, diagnosis and treatment
• Plan, co-coordinate and deliver psycho-educational group programmes, mainly for patients with CFS or persistent pain
• Communicate assessment, formulation and treatment plans in a skilled and sensitive manner
• Maintain working relationships with ACTIVATE colleagues and liaise with consultants, GPs with extended role, the wider MSK service and other CFS and pain services

What's required

Qualifications

• Doctoral-level clinical psychology training accredited by the BPS, or a BPS statement of equivalence
• Further post-graduate training in clinical supervision, including supervision of trainee clinical psychologists

Registration & licences

• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist

Experience

• At least 4 years working as a qualified clinical psychologist
• Working with a wide range of client groups across the life course and the full range of clinical severity
• Specialist psychological assessment and treatment in outpatient and community settings
• Working effectively in multidisciplinary teams in physical health settings
• Devising and leading individual and group treatment programmes

Skills & knowledge

• Teaching and training others using complex multimedia materials for public, professional and academic audiences
• Using clinical governance to support practice in the face of emotive material and challenging behaviour
• Containing organisational stress and the stress of others, with self-awareness and reflective practice
• Working with patients who are sometimes resistant to a psychological view of their symptoms
• Empathising with patients who have a medically unexplained condition
• Building collaborative working relationships with colleagues and health care professionals