Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Integrated Care System; Exeter; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 63,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading mental health service provider is seeking a Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to enhance care for patients in a dementia ward. The successful candidate will collaborate within a supportive team, focusing on delivering high-quality psychological services and contributing to trainee development in a friendly environment.

Benefits

Supportive work environment

Opportunities for training

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Qualified Clinical or Counselling Psychologist with relevant training.
• Experience in Older Persons Mental Health Services.
• Proficiency in various psychological therapies.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and clinical support for dementia ward.
• Conduct psychological assessments and interventions.
• Supervise and train less experienced staff and trainees.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Conflict Management

Organizational Skills

Time Management

Psychological Assessment

Education

D.Clin.Psychol. or equivalent

Chartered Clinical or Counselling Psychologist Status

HCPC Registration

Job description

Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

This is a newly configured role, providing clinical input and leadership to our dementia ward, based at Franklyn Hospital in Exeter.

The successful candidate would be joining passionate, dedicated and supportive colleagues. Managed by the Inpatient Psychology Professional Lead, they would also be able to link in with other Psychologists across the county based in OPMH as well as Arts Psychotherapists who work on the Exeter wards.

We would consider applications from newly qualified Psychologists or those about to qualify on a band 7-8a preceptorship basis.

Join our supportive, friendly Directorate. We are happy to be approached for informal discussions about the role, so do get in touch.

Main duties of the job

You would be contributing to developing trauma informed dementia care, supporting others in psychologically informed practice and CPD to help us deliver a responsive and high quality clinical service.

There would be opportunities to conduct extended assessments, formulation; brief interventions and work with families and staff teams.

We are committed to providing placements for Trainee Practitioner Psychologists and Psychotherapists and the candidate would be expected to contribute to these.

About us

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job responsibilities

The principal purpose of the job is to improve the psychological health & wellbeing of people within the post holders specialist field of practice. To support in-patient and Adult Community Mental Health Teams and their leadership to deliver high quality services in line with national professional guidance, NICE recommendations and other national policy documents, as part of an overall care pathway.

This will be achieved in this post through undertaking the following areas of responsibility:

1. Contributing a psychological perspective to the leadership, organisation and operation of OPMHin-patient services

2. To ensure the systematic provision of a high quality psychological service in specialist field of practice both in in-patient wards and community settings, as a key component of integrated mental health and wellbeing services across Devon Partnership NHS Trust.

3. Providing clinical leadership and supervision for less experienced staff, trainees and volunteers employed by or attached to the psychology service.

4. Carrying a specialist caseload of clients and providing advice and consultancy to patients and professionals.

5. To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within professional and Trust guidelines as lead specialist.

6. The post holder with receive regular professional and clinical supervision in accordance to Trust policy and to Professional Practice Guidelines set out by the British Psychological Society or appropriate designated Professional Body.

7. Observe, and abide by all relevant Professional Codes of Conduct and Practice including the British Psychological Society or relevant Professional Body. The post holder will be fully registered with the Health Professions Council or equivalent accrediting body as a condition of employment.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Qualified Clinical or Counselling Psychologist (D.Clin.Psychol. or equivalent).
• Eligible for Chartered Clinical or Counselling Psychologist Status in the British Psychological Society.
• Registered with HCPC or equivalent.
• Further training or experience in relevant clinical specialism.
• Further training in related area e.g neuropsychological assessment.
• Further training in supervision.
• Further training in at least one (other) psychological therapy.

Experience

• Experience of working in Older Persons Mental Health Services.
• Experience of working in Community and In-patient settings for older people with complex mental health needs
• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
• Experience in undertaking leadership roles within psychology services in the NHS and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi disciplinary, multi agency contexts.
• Experience of working with people who have experienced complex trauma.
• Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality.
• Experience of neuropsychological assessment.
• Proficiency in in both individual and group therapy approaches is desirable.

Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills.
• Strong leadership qualities, resilience and ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Skills in managing conflict, negotiation and achieving consensus in complex situations in the pursuit of agreed strategic aims.
• Ability to integrate complex data; make highly skilled evaluations and decisions; and take a long term perspective.
• Proven organisational, planning and time management skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and cope with deadlines.
• Highly skilled in specialist interventions with the client group.
• Advanced psychological assessment and formulation skills and risk assessment

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.

Clinical Psychologist and Professional Lead

£55,690 to £62,682 a yearpro rata (22.5 hours over 3 days per week)