Job summary
We have an opportunity for Band 7 Clinical or Counselling Psychologist or BABCP Accredited CBT Therapist to join our team.

Main duties of the job
We have an opportunity for Band 7 Clinical or Counselling Psychologist or BABCP Accredited CBT Therapist to join our team. We require highly skilled and motivated practitioners to work as part of a dynamic multi-disciplinary team providing high quality, specialist evidence-based treatment to Veterans. The post holder will be innovative, enthusiastic and flexible and able to work both autonomously and as part of the team.

Key elements of the roles will include;

• delivering CBT on a one to one and group basis including intensive trauma focused CBT
• contributing psychological expertise as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• contributing to service evaluation, audit and research
• contributing to policy and service development

We are particularly interested in receiving applications from those with experience in the specialist field of trauma

All psychological therapists at Combat Stress are professionally managed with appropriate levels of supervision, peer support and specialist training.

About us
Combat Stress is the UKs leading mental health charity for veterans. For over a century weve been helping former service personnel deal with issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. Today we provide specialist treatment and support for veterans from every service and conflict, focusing on those with complex mental health issues related to their military service. We provide a range of community, outpatient and residential mental health services to veterans with complex mental health problems. We provide services in-person and online.

Job responsibilities
Job title:
Clinical Psychologist/Counselling Psychologist/CBT Therapist

Directorate:
Clinical

Location:
Hub based with some remote working

Accountable to: Deputy Head of Operations / Communities Manager

Clinical Supervision: Senior Clinical/Counselling Psychologist / CBT Therapist

Pay grade:
Band 7

Type:
As per contract

Values Framework
All staff are expected to know and understand the values of the organisation and uphold these values whilst at work.

Together
Focused
Bold
Personal

General Overview of Role
To work collaboratively as a member of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) delivering services for veterans with PTSD and other trauma-related mental health difficulties, and alcohol/substance misuse problems

To contribute to residential, outpatient, community and digital care and treatment programmes, working flexibly to meet veteran need

To provide comprehensive psychological assessment, collaborative formulation, and treatment planning

To provide evidence-based CBT psychological treatment, including third wave CBT interventions, on a group and individual basis, to Veterans attending PTSD treatment and recovery focused programmes.

To offer CBT-based consultation and support to other MDT members and advice to referrers, external agencies and carers on veterans psychological needs/suitable interventions

To provide CBT supervision of trainee psychologists/students

To be contribute to service development and audit and training and research initiatives as appropriate.

To work closely with the Senior Psychologists/Senior CBT therapists and Heads of Psychological Therapies to contribute to the development and enhancement of treatment programmes, other relevant service development and clinical governance.

Main Duties and Key Responsibilities

Management Responsibilities
The role has no direct line management responsibility

To follow relevant professional practice guidelines and organisational policies and procedures regarding clinical practice

To adhere to the Combat Stress Psychological Therapy job planning expectations (Please note these are aligned to NHS Scotland practice)

Clinical Responsibilities
To provide specialist psychological assessment using a CBT framework for referred veterans, using structured and semi-structured clinical interview, psychometric instruments and other assessments methods as appropriate

To formulate and devise CBT treatment and management plans for referred veterans with a range of psychological problems, and of varying severity and complexity, including those with challenging behaviours

To provide CBT interventions for veterans with PTSD and other trauma-related mental health problems

To maintain an agreed clinical caseload

To provide CBT-based advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals in the multi-disciplinary teams of Combat Stress and to assist in developing team formulation and treatment plans for Combat Stress veterans

To provide high quality, evidence-based CBT treatments for veterans with mental health problems including, but not restricted to PTSD, depression and anxiety/arousal disorders in a 1:1 and group-based context

To promote evidence-based practice throughout our services to other professionals and motivate others to advance practice and improve quality of care.

To provide reports with respect to CBT assessment, formulation and treatment planning

To liaise with other Combat Stress staff in other centres and sections of the service (e.g., Community Outreach), other health and social care staff, from a range of statutory and non-statutory agencies including the veterans charity sector, in the care provided to clients.

To promote and develop positive and productive/effective working relationships with other multidisciplinary members of Combat Stress clinical teams.

To promote independence, recovery and active involvement of veterans in their own care at all times

Education and Training
To provide CBT supervision to trainee clinical and counselling psychologists and, where required, of assistant psychologists, recovery support workers and others engaged in delivering CBT-based interventions

To provide CBT advice, consultation, training and supervision, where appropriate, to other multidisciplinary staff working with veterans

To contribute to the development and delivery of internal staff development activities as appropriate

To always fulfil the mandatory training requirements of Combat Stress

Administrative Responsibilities
To communicate skilfully, tactfully and sensitively highly complex and sensitive information with veterans, carers and external referrers, considering sensory and cultural barriers relevant to veterans in particular, in this communication.

To use Information Management and Technology effectively in accordance with the policies of the organisation.

All staff who contribute to Veterans records are expected to be familiar with, and adhere to, Combat Stress Standards of Records Keeping Policy. Staff should be aware that Veterans records throughout Combat Stress will be subject to regular audit.

All staff that have access to Veterans records have a responsibility to ensure that these are maintained efficiently and that confidentiality is protected in line with Combat Stresss Confidentiality of Health records Policy.

In addition, all health professionals are advised to compile records on the assumption that they are accessible to Veterans in line with the access to Health Records Act 1990.

To complete incident reporting in accordance with the policies of the organisation.

Research, Audit and Service Evaluation
To utilise evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in all facets of individual work (e.g., individual, group & family interventions, practice of supervision) and work with other team members.

To undertake appropriate evaluation and audit research within Combat Stress as negotiated with the Manager of Psychological Therapies.

To participate in and contribute to clinical audit and service evaluation with colleagues within the service, to help evaluate and improve service provision and develop appropriate reports as required as negotiated with the Manager of Psychological Therapies and other senior members of staff.

Professional Responsibilities
To participate in regular clinical professional supervision and appraisal as consistent with the requirements of the Organisation.

To maintain and develop the highest standards of practice, through active participation in continuing professional development and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in psychological practice in areas related to the post.

General
To fully understand and adhere to the policies and procedures of the Charity.

To be compliant with the administrative and clinical processes defined.

To work in a flexible and responsive way to meet the changing needs of the service users and demands of the service.

To promote a veteran centric approach throughout the veterans treatment journey.

To promote equality, diversity, and the rights of the service users.

To support partnership working.

To follow safeguarding procedures to minimise risk of harm to children or vulnerable adults.

To undertake any other duties at the request of the line manager which are commensurate with the role, including project work, internal rotation (as per contract) and absence cover.

To contribute to the maintenance of a healthy and safe working environment by adhering to Health and Safety Organisational policies.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients across a range of care settings.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of adult client groups presenting with problems that reflect the full range of mental health disorders experienced by veterans (e.g., trauma, anxiety disorders, depression, substance misuse) of varying clinical severity.
• Significant experience of delivering CBT
• Experience of working with a multidisciplinary team

Desirable

• Experience of working with mental health services with British Veterans
• Experience of contributing to teaching and training
• Experience of the application of psychological therapies in different cultural contexts.

Qualifications
Essential

• EITHER 1) HCPC registered psychologist who has completed Post Graduate doctoral level training in counselling or clinical psychology, including specifically models of two or more distinct psychological therapies to include CBT
• AND/OR 2) BABCP accredited CBT Therapist with a professional health and social care qualification satisfying SSSC requirement. ie. RMN, Social Worker, OT etc.

Desirable

• Completion of further post-qualification CPD/training in areas of practice relevant to the post, ideally including working with PTSD/trauma-related psychological difficulties
• Experience of delivering CBT supervision

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.