Job summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic, committed psychologist to join the Worcestershire Inpatient team, as part of the Acute Psychology team. The Acute Adult Mental Health Psychology Team works across the Acute Mental Health pathway and current covers the PICU, acute MH wards, Rehabilitation and Home Treatment teams across the County. Psychology is highly valued, both for complex case work, staff support and team cohesion and all parts of the Acute Pathway are currently in the process of development and improvement, with a key focus on trauma informed care and compassionate leadership. This 1.0 WTE role provides an excellent opportunity to contribute to local and trust wide improvements. Regular clinical and managerial supervision will be available, and CPD is supported as an essential part of the role. The post holder will have the opportunity to input into teaching, training, research and supervision. Flexible working is supported. This post is a Band 7, development role, which will move to a Band 8a upon successful completion of a development plan. We welcome applications for full time working but would be happy to discuss alternative working hours as necessary.

For a telephone or Teams conversation about this post, please make contact with Dr Rachel Black (rachelblack@nhs.net, Acute Psychology Lead)

Main duties of the job
Highly specialist assessments leading to the development of psychological formulations, and interventions including group work.

Complex case consultation, reflective practice and supervision to other psychological practitioners and multi-disciplinary teams.

You will help to create and sustain co-produced psychologically and trauma informed environments across out acute pathway.

You will be actively supported to develop service initiatives in line with key national and local priorities.

You will be involved in developing and presenting both patient groups and staff training sessions.

You will be a valued member of our highly respected psychological service working in an empowering and compassionate team to connect with your own values and personal and professional development priorities.

As a development role, personal and professional development will be a priority.

The post holder will receive both clinical supervision and line management.

We have close connections with the Coventry & Warwick Clinical Psychology Training course and regularly host trainee placements.

About us
At Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, we are working together to deliver outstanding care. We run community hospitals and community health services across Worcestershire and provide mental health and learning disability services across both Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Our people (all 4500+ of them) provide services for people of all ages, experiencing both physical and/or mental health conditions from over 100 sites.

We will support you to thrive; offer flexible working options for a great work-life balance, help you fulfil your ambitions, and empower you to make positive changes within your team or service. We value diversity and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities.

What we offer;

• 27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service
• Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when you work unsocial hours
• Flexible and agile working opportunities
• Great maternity, paternity, and adoption support
• Wide range of supportive staff networks
• Health and wellbeing opportunities

If you would like to know more, please visit our website.

We encourage you to read the attached applicant guidance notes.

Sharing your data - As a data controller we may sometimes need to process your data to pursue our legitimate business interests, for example to request a survey from you (optional), to support the Trusts understanding of where you gained interest in working for the Trust.

Job responsibilities
The development role would commence on a Band 7 moving to a Band 8a on successful completion of the development plan. Copies of both job descriptions are included in the supporting documents.

Alongside the Band 7 Job Description and Person Specification. The post holder will also:

• Behave consistently with and promote the values of the Trust
• Adhere to HCPC practice guidelines
• Implement the psychology provision guidelines and Trust policies
• Evaluate referrals, undertake the assessment, treatment, and management of patients with psychological difficulties with a varying range of complexity and aetiology with reference to clinical need and service capacity
• Meet and maintain targets within the psychology provision

For full details of the duties and criteria please refer to the job description and person specification attached.

Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential

• Knowledge required specific to the role and clinical area
• Advanced theoretical and applied knowledge of psychological approaches and assessment for people with psychological problems, including specialised psychological assessments and interventions
• Evidence of regular professional training and experience as required by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) in order to maintain exceptionally specialist skills in psychotherapy
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and national guidance and their implications for clinical practice

Desirable

• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including the use and limitations of complex multivariate data analysis and qualitative methods as practiced within the field of Clinical /Counselling Psychology

Qualifications
Essential

• BSc/BA Honours degree at 2:1 or above in Psychology
• Post graduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS
• Evidence of regular continuing professional development through further professional training and experience, as required by the HCPC and the BPS
• Eligible for registration as a Chartered Psychologist (Clinical or Counselling) by the BPS
• Registered with HCPC as a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist
• I understand that I will be asked to provide original certificates to verify my qualifications at point of offer.

Experience
Essential

• Experience required specific to the role and clinical area
• Experience of multi-agency and multi-disciplinary working
• Experience of conducting clinically relevant research
• Significant experience of supervised practice including working with families and care organisations
• Experience of assessing and providing a wide range of psychological interventions to a wide range of patients presenting with a full range of clinical severity
• Experience of exercising clinical responsibility for a patients psychological care and treatment

Desirable

• Experience in appropriate and up to date methods in dealing with patients who may be very distressed, have cognitive impairment, may be aggressive, or have a history of developmental trauma
• Experience of strategic planning and service development
• Experience of providing clinical supervision to trainees, assistant psychologists and/or other professionals

Skills & Abilities
Essential

• Highly developed and effective communication skills, both oral and written, including ability to communicate complex, highly personal and sensitive information.

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.

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.