Job summary
This is a training post within the Strides Eating Disorder Service. The role is offered as a 24-month fixed term appointment, providing the successful candidate with the opportunity to apply for a substantive Psychological Therapist post within the service upon completion, subject to service need.

The post-holder will work within the service providing formal psychological interventions whilst undertaking a programme of training for this role. This intensive training post will equip the post-holder to provide a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) service to clients with a range of complex problems for which CBT is demonstrated to be clinically effective. The post- holder will work in the service for -4 days of the week using the newly developed skills whilst attending the training programme for the other day.

The post holder will work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages, using interpreters when necessary and should be committed to equal opportunities

Main duties of the job

• Accept referrals via agreed protocols within the service
• Make decisions on suitability of new referrals
• Assess clients for suitability for CBT.
• Formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes for clients.
• Educate and involve family members and others in treatment as necessary, conveying CBT formulations with sensitivity in easily understood language.
• To be responsible for implementing interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis.
• To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options, taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors.
• Adhere to an agreed activity contract relating to the number of client contacts offered, and clinical sessions carried out per week in order to minimise waiting times.
• Attend multi-disciplinary meetings relating to referrals or clients in treatment, where appropriate.
• To liaise with other clinicians involved in the patient's care.
• Keep coherent records of all clinical activity in line with service protocols
• To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients.
• To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor progress during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care.

About us
Teaching, training and supervision

• To receive regular clinical professional supervision from senior clinician.
• Receive supervision from educational providers in relation to course work to meet the required standards for accreditation.
• Attend and fulfil all the requirements of the training element of the post
• Apply learning from the training programme in practice
• To attend Staff Group with other colleagues in the service when possible .
• To undertake all mandatory training that is relevant to the post, including updates.

Management, recruitment, policy and service development:

• To advise both service and professional management on those aspects of the service where psychological and/or organisational matters need addressing.

Research and service evaluation

• To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in work
• To undertake appropriate research/audit and provide research.
• To undertake project management, including complex audit and service evaluation.
• To familiarise themselves with, and to comply with, the Trust's requirements on research governance.

Job responsibilities
The post will be within the Support to Recovery in Disordered Eating Service (STRIDES) which works with adults aged 16+with mild to moderate eating difficulties, across the boroughs of Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, Brent, Harrow and Hillingdon. Travel to a range of different working sites is required.

Qualifications
Essential

• A recorded/registered qualification in one of the following at graduate level in mental health or learning disability nursing, social work, counselling (accredited level), occupational therapy, arts therapy, medicine (psychiatry / general practice), psychological therapy (UKCP registered), Psychology (clinical, counselling, forensic or health). Please see the BABCP website for more detail of accepted qualifications. OR ? Evidence of meeting the Knowledge Skills and Attitude (KSA) requirements of BABCP

Desirable

• Experience working in a service for severe mental health problems

Knowledge/ Experience
Essential

• Demonstrable experience of working in mental health services
• Ability to meet agreed/specified service targets
• Ability to manage own caseload and time
• Demonstrates high standards in written communication
• Able to write clear reports and letters to referrers

Desirable

• Experience of working in Eating Disorder Services
• Worked in a service where agreed targets in place demonstrating clinical outcomes

Skills and Competencies
Essential

• Ability to evaluate and put in place the effect of training
• Computer literate
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Has received training (either formal of through experience) and carried out risk assessments within scope of practice
• Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients

Knowledge
Essential

• Demonstrates an understanding of a range of mental health difficulties and how it may present in Secondary Care
• Demonstrates a knowledge of the issues surrounding work and the impact it can have on mental health
• Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post

Desirable

• Knowledge of medication used in anxiety and depression and other mental health problems

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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).