Job summary
We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Psychologist or Psychological Therapist who has a genuine passion for working with people presenting with experiences of psychosis to work across two of our friendly and welcoming teams.

The Lewisham Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (LEIS) is a specialist multidisciplinary community mental health team who work with people aged 18-65 who are experiencing a first episode of psychosis.

Churchdown Community Neighbourhood Team (Lewisham 'Neighbourhood Three') provides care to adults with a range of 'severe and enduring' mental health needs.

This post is specifically focused on providing specialist psychological therapies (mainly CBT for psychosis), as part of a trust-wide initiative to reduce waiting times for evidence-based therapies.

Main duties of the job
You will be responsible for providing specialist psychological assessment, formulation and interventions for clients who have experienced psychosis and other mental health difficulties. Individual therapy offered includes CBT for psychosis, as well as other therapeutic approaches as appropriate (e.g. ACT, CFT, systemic, EMDR etc.).

You will be involved in assessing and formulating clients presenting with complex difficulties, such as trauma, emotional dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties and neurodiversity, together with psychosis. You will join and contribute to team meetings, case discussions and complex case forums, regularly liaising with colleagues and MDT staff.

You will work alongside passionate and supportive psychologists and psychological therapists, including Clinical Psychologists/Psychotherapists, Family Interventions Therapists, and Assistant and Trainee Psychologists. You will also be part of multidisciplinary teams, including Psychiatrists, Vocational and STaR workers, and Care Coordinators, and have an active role within the team.

About us
The teams have good links with other Lewisham adult mental health services and the other three SLAM Early Intervention teams, and therefore there are regular opportunities to link with clinical psychologists within and beyond other psychosis-related teams.

The teams are well connected to the other community and acute services the borough provides. The sites have good transport links with London and surrounds, with dedicated or free street parking at both sites.

We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family. We want you to feel like you are part of a close knit team at SLaM. It's important to us that you valued and appreciated and that are why we have a comprehensive benefits package on offer

Some of our benefits are highlighted here:
Counselling services
Wellbeing events
Long service awards
Cycle to work scheme
Season ticket loan
Childcare vouchers
Staff restaurants

Job responsibilities

• To provide specialist psychology/psychotherapy services to Lewisham Community Services, including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.
• To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
• To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate.
• To work as an autonomous professional within BPS and HCPC guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.
• To agree outcomes/results with clinical/professional lead and to decide how they are best achieved.

Please see attached job description and person specification for further detailed information.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Essential
  • Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration
  • Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist (or with other professional body appropriate to discipline, e.g. APC/BPC/UKCP/BACP/BABCP), and evidence of required continuing professional development
• Desirable
  • PG Dip or Cert in CBT for psychosis

Experience

• Essential
  • Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs
  • Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature, including clients with psychosis and people who have experienced trauma
  • Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience
  • Experience of developing and carrying out research, audit or service evaluation projects
• Desirable
  • Experience of working in an Early Intervention in Psychosis service and/or secondary care community mental health teams
  • Significant experience delivering CBT for psychosis within EI/CMHT's

Knowledge

• Essential
  • Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of first episode psychosis
  • Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics for psychosis
  • Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities
  • Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care
• Desirable
  • Knowledge of CBT for psychosis models through formal training

Skills

• Essential
  • To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences
  • To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources
  • To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information
  • To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials
  • Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
• Desirable
  • Skills in providing CBT for psychosis assessment, formulation, and interventions

Abilities

• Essential
  • Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles
  • Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate
  • Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these
  • Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour
  • Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed at self

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 (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).

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