Principal Clinical Psychologist

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust; Norwich; On-site; GBP 64,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider in Norwich is seeking a Principal Clinical Psychologist to enhance the Mental Health Liaison Service. The role involves delivering specialized psychological care, participating in service evaluation, and developing psychological services across medical specialties. Candidates should have post-graduate training in clinical psychology and a focus on improving patient care. Join a supportive team and contribute to innovative healthcare solutions in a thriving environment.

Qualifications

• Post-graduate training in clinical psychology and specialized areas.
• Experience with a variety of mental health problems.
• Ability to work in multicultural frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Deliver specialized assessments and psychological interventions.
• Participate in service evaluation and research projects.
• Lead services for both mental and physical health.

Skills

Confidence in using IT systems

Experience in complex psychological assessment

Professionalism in distressing situations

Education

Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology

Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with HCPC

Accreditation in CBT

Job description

We are looking to appoint a Principal Clinical Psychologist, ideally with experience working at the interface between Mental and Physical Health, to complement existing 8a Psychology provision within an expanding Mental Health Liaison Service inputting into a 1250 bedded Acute University Teaching Hospital. The successful candidate will be part of a Multidisciplinary Team consisting of experienced Medical, Nursing, Psychology and Social Work Staff, with a particular focus on delivering services to patients, their families/carers and the wider healthcare system that is informed by psychological theory.

In addition to providing specialist assessment and formulation-guided evidence-based interventions for presentations ranging from self-harm in the context of crisis to functional or persistent physical symptoms, the successful candidate will also be involved in service development, training, supervision/reflecting practice and and increasing the knowledge and skills of staff within the Acute Hospital.

An interest and commitment to quality improvement will be paramount, as there is an expectation that the appointee will participate in service evaluation and research projects. Similarly, the successful candidate will be expected to take a lead in the development of psychological services to complement the delivery of care from across the range of Medical and Surgical Specialities.

Main duties of the job

The main duties are diverse and include both direct and indirect clinical work alongside consultation, teaching and service development. It includes:

Working at the interface between mental and physical health,provide highly specialised psychological assessments based upon the use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with individuals, family members, carers, and other health professional across the acute hospital and specialist clinical areas.

Formulate and implement plans for brief evidence-based interventions for the management of individual's psychological needs related to both their mental and physical health problems and associated risks.

Lead on the implementation of a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families, and acute hospital staff within and across teams drawing upon different theoretical models.

Provide a systematic understanding of patients' presenting problems, particularly where certain events, relationships, or psychological factors manifest repeated crises and multiple attendances to the Emergency Areas

About us

Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.

Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.

Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.

Job responsibilities

Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!

Person Specification

Qualification

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology, or its equivalent, including eligibility for chartered status with the BPS
• Further post qualification, post graduate training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
• Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• OR a recorded/registered qualification in one of the following - nursing, social work, occupational therapy, arts therapy or a psychological therapy - plus further post graduate level diploma qualification training in CBT and accredited as a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist by the British Association of Cognitive & Behavioural Psychotherapies (BABCP)
• Evidence of CPD in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Practical Experience

• Specialist complex psychological assessment and treatment of people with a wide range of mental health problems, of varying severity and complexity.
• Application of psychology/psychological therapies in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups and presenting problems including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems
• Working in the relevant service to support specialist knowledge
• Representing psychology/psychological therapies within MDT setting (clinical and organisational contexts).
• Experience of clinical work in a setting relevant to the post

Skills

• Reasonable confidence and competence in using IT systems (e.g. Outlook, Word, clinical or other record systems) relevant to the role

Knowledge

• Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnosis, people with additional disabilities etc.)
• Providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS/BABCP.

Other

• Commitment to continuing professional development, to partnership working and to reflective clinical practice
• Capacity to exercise careful clinical judgement whilst
• Experience of working within a multicultural framework.
• Experience of providing specific support intervention and strategy for staff

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.

£64,455 to £74,896 a year
Gross per annum