Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Link Psychologist to work on the Forensic Learning Disability and Autism (LD-A) Ward which provides specialist care and treatment to people who have intellectual impairment, some of whom also have an autism diagnosis. All service-users have additional mental health needs, challenging/offending behaviour, personality disorder and/or a history of problematic substance misuse.

We are welcoming applications from clinical, forensic or counselling psychologists who have HCPC registration to join the MDT, comprising psychiatry, nursing, occupational therapy, social work and speech and language therapy to deliver the highest quality care and support to the service-users on the ward, their friends and family and professional network. Previous experience of working with people with intellectual impairments with or without autism is essential. Experience working in forensic settings would be highly desirable as would experience in neuropsychological assessment.

This post is open to those applying at a band 7, 8a or 8b level, depending upon qualifications and experience. For those applying at a lower banding level, there will be a structured training schedule to enable you to gradually increase your roles and responsibilities, according to the job description below. The hours of work available will be adjusted depending upon the banding, up to a maximum of 32 hours. It is a fixed term post for 12 months covering maternity leave.

Main duties of the job
As the link psychologist for the Learning Disability and Autism (LD-A) ward, you will coordinate all psychological and psychotherapeutic input to service users on the ward. All service-users will have a learning disability, with or without autism, in addition to offending or otherwise challenging behaviour, mental health problems and often personality disorder and substance-use problems.

The link psychologist is responsible for determining but not providing all the psychological and psychotherapeutic input to service-users. You will work alongside an arts psychotherapist, positive behaviour support (PBS) practitioner and assistant psychologist, dedicated to the ward and assessments and treatments will also be shared amongst the Forensic Psychology and Psychotherapies (P&P) department. You will oversee the comprehensive assessment of service-users' needs.

The LD-A ward will work systemically to ensure that all parties involved in service-users' care are involved, whether that be friends and family members, community teams and/or other agencies. Previous experience of working systemically with friends and family and working with multiple agencies is therefore essential. Where appropriate, the SWLSTG Forensic Service is keen to involve service-users and their family and friends in the development of materials and the delivery of interventions and therefore experience of coproduction and a focus on empowerment is also an advantage.

About us
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.

Unless expressly stated in the job advert the role is not subject to sponsorship, please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK.

Job responsibilities

• To provide specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the LD-A ward based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological (and neuropsychological) tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.
• To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a clients mental health problems and offending behaviour, based upon a comprehensive understanding of the clients intellectual difficulties and/or neurodiversity and an appropriate conceptual framework, employing proven methods of efficacy.
• To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups on the LD-A ward, adjusting and reformulating the therapeutic models as appropriate based on feedback on engagement and follow up, drawing on several different explanatory theoretical models and maintaining several provisional hypotheses.
• To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options considering both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
• To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to MDT members and other professionals contributing directly to the clients formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.
• To contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all service users on the LD-A ward and across the Forensic Service and agencies serving the client group including the provision of advice and consultation and the dissemination of psychological research and theory.
• To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide specialist advice to other professionals in the NHS on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management, as well as to other external agencies concerned with Public Protection, such as Social Services, Probation, Multi Agency Public Protection Panels (MAPPPs).

If you have used AI to support the preparation of your application, please briefly indicate how it was used within your supporting statement or application form. Please remember, your application is your opportunity to tell us about your skills, experience and motivation for the role. We encourage applicants to complete their application and supporting statement in their own words wherever possible. We recognise that AI tools can be helpful in supporting accessibility, and for improving spelling, grammar and structure. Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content can become generic and fail to accurately reflect an applicant's individual experience. Applications that clearly demonstrate your own voice, reflections and experiences are often the most effective and help us better understand your suitability for the role. Please be aware that information provided in your application and supporting statement may be explored further during the selection process. It is important that all applications accurately represent your own knowledge, skills and experience.

Person Specification
Training & Qualifications
Essential

• Doctoral level training in clinical/counselling psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, as accredited by the BPS
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS
• Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
• Registered with & Care Health Professions Council (HCPC) under the appropriate domain title

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in neuropsychology or other relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
• Qualification in Clinical Neuropsychology (QICN)
• Advanced supervision training in a therapeutic model (e.g. psychodynamic, systemic, CBT, MBT or DBT).

Experience
Essential

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings
• Significant experience of neuropsychological assessment, formulation and development of treatment plans.
• Experience of assessing and working with people with neurodiverse conditions.

Desirable

• Experience of leading on areas of service development.
• Experience of coproduction with service-users and/or family members.
• Experience of leading a research project.

Knowledge & Skills
Essential

• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information, including contentious and highly distressing information, to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological and neuropsychological assessment, psychological formulation, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration. This requires the use of highly developed analytical skills and judgement.
• Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence-based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post.
• Planning, prioritising and organising skills for caseload management.

Desirable

• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• High-level knowledge and skills in specialist neuropsychological assessment of adults with intellectual impairments.
• Formal training in supervision of other psychological practitioners.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies to treat people in secure settings.

Other
Essential

• Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multimedia materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour

Desirable

• Personal experience of mental health problems

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).