Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen in health psychology at Northumbria Healthcare for a practitioner psychologist (Clinical/Counselling/Health) to join our Living Well with Pain (LWWP) service. The successful candidate would join an experienced multidisciplinary service, comprising of psychological practitioners, physiotherapy and pharmacy. LWWP is a well-utilised service, taking referrals from across primary and secondary care services. We work within a biopsychosocial framework, supporting adults living with persistent pain in the Northumbria region to improve their quality of life. Psychologically informed care is an integral part of our approach in supporting people to understand and improve their relationship with persistent pain. For this post we would be interested in receiving applications from candidates due to qualify from a doctoral psychology courses. The post will be based between Wansbeck and North Tyneside General Hospitals; however, the successful candidate would be expected to work across several hospital and community venues within Northumbria and therefore Trustwide travel is essential. Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date once the required number of suitable applications have been received.

Main duties of the job
The successful candidate would provide high-quality evidence-based psychological therapies for people living with persistent pain, drawing upon a range of psychological models, including, but not limited to, acceptance and commitment, and cognitive behavioural therapies, in addition to the latest in pain science approaches. The successful candidate would have opportunities to work across the MDT, providing input into referral and assessment pathways, and delivering the Pain Management Programme (PMP) group. The LWWP team are committed to continuous improvement, and duties may include supporting service development and quality improvement, evaluation, and audit with the aim of contributing to the service's quality and safety monitoring and developing clinical leadership skills. To facilitate our work, psychologists in the service are supported with a clear structure of clinical supervision, adapted to clinical interest and personal development plans. Supervision is provided individually, and through specialist model supervision groups within the wider health psychology grouping.

About us
We manage three major locality hospitals at North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Hexham, plus a number of smaller community hospitals and clinics from Tynemouth to Berwick on Tweed, covering one of the largest geographical areas of any NHS trust in the country. Leading in innovation and quality - opening a state of the art Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, the first of its kind in England. Do you want to work in one of the best performing NHS organisations in England? Work in an organisation that supports its staff and focuses on staff experience as much as it does the experience of its patients? You can live and breathe in an area that has the cleanest air, cost effective living, great nightlife, some of the best schools with a wealth of history available on your doorstep. Sound too good to be true? Well it isn't, this is what you get when you work for Northumbria Healthcare, this is the Northumbria Way! Please read 'applicant guidance notes' before submitting your application.

Job responsibilities
Essential Criteria:

• Degree in psychology or related mental health field.
• Post Graduate Doctorate (or equivalent) training in clinical/counselling/health psychology (or due to complete by time of commencing employment).
• Registered with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist, which must be in place at the time of commencing employment.

The post holder will work autonomously within HCPC and NHS Trust professional guidelines. Applicants, if not already an HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist, must be undertaking a qualification making them eligible to be registered with the HCPC. Applicants must have completed or be about to complete a Doctoral level Postgraduate training in Clinical or Counselling Psychology or hold a BPS Statement of Equivalence. Applicants with a doctorate in Health Psychology will be considered if they can demonstrate comparable clinical experience and competencies that are acquired in the clinical element of Clinical or Counselling Psychology doctorates.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential:

• Honours degree in psychology or related mental health field.
• Doctorate in clinical or counselling or health psychology that confers eligibility for registration as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Experience and Knowledge
Essential:

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the range of care settings.
• Experience of working with: o a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course. - presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.

Desirable:

• Experience of working with patients in a physical healthcare setting

Other Requirements
Essential:

• You may also need to travel between Trust premises as required for the performance of your duties. You may also be expected to work at any of the trust sites. The Trust would consider making reasonable adjustments to the role, if necessary, to enable a disabled person to undertake the role

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.
Certificate of Sponsorship: 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.
UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Dr Fiona Hirst, Fiona.Hirst@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk