Job summary
The Children and Young People's (CYPS) Directorate in Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is offering an exciting opportunity for a Band 8a Systemic & Family Psychotherapist to join Mindworks Community Hub South. You will be based in Azalea House, Guildford, with the expectation of travelling to Frimley, Leatherhead and other Surrey locations.

This post will be suitable for a passionate and highly motivated Family & Systemic Psychotherapist interested in providing systemic interventions to families of children with complex mental health needs from diverse backgrounds. The postholder will be part of a multi-disciplinary team, and will deliver family therapy and group therapy interventions, and provide supervision and consultations. The postholder will lead on the development of group interventions across the three Mindworks Hubs and NEH Community Team. This is a permanent full time (37.5 hours) post. Applications are invited from qualified Systemic & Family Psychotherapists registered with UKCP.

We support staff to develop specialist skills and encourage involvement in service development, audit and research. All our staff have regular supervision and access to a wide variety of CPD opportunities.

Main duties of the job

• To provide high quality evidence-based family therapy services to children and families.
• To lead family therapy sessions and clinics within the team working with complex and challenging issues.
• To mentor, supervise and support systemic supervision of qualified and unqualified clinicians within the multi-disciplinary team who are engaged in family / systemic work.
• Liaison with system including social services, community mental health teams and other relevant services.
• To promote a systemic perspective within the team and provide systemic consultation to the wider network.
• To work collaboratively with team managers and clinical leads in the development and delivery of effective services.

About us
Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is the leading provider of mental health, learning disability, neurodevelopmental and drug and alcohol services in Surrey and North East Hampshire. We support people of all ages and are passionate about providing high quality care that is delivered at the right time as close to home as possible to help people recover and stay well.

We are one of the top 10 mental Health, Learning Disability and Community Trust to work for nationwide. Our Trust is an inclusive and supportive employer that offers a wide range of staff networks, flexible working, free parking and excellent health and wellbeing support. We also provide a wide range of opportunities to help staff develop and progress.

Surrey is a beautiful county lying just 30 minutes away from Central London and from the South Coast. Our historic market towns and bustling districts are enveloped in wonderful countryside, and our excellent road and rail networks bring the rest of the country within easy reach. For international travel, both Gatwick and Heathrow airports are nearby.

Please note that we reserve the right to close posts as soon as sufficient applications are received.

Regrettably, due to UK Home Office requirements we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the role.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Job responsibilities
Leadership

• To ensure that the healthcare needs of people with mental health difficulties are communicated to team manager / professional lead / care practitioner.
• To positively contribute to divisional service developments.
• To advocate and represent the service.
• To lead on supervision and Individual Performance Review / Appraisal (as required) of Band 7 Systemic & Family Psychotherapists and trainees on placement in the service.
• To contribute to the development and implementation of appropriate policies, protocols and care pathways.
• To contribute to initiatives to ensure that the needs of people with protected characteristics are addressed within local services.
• To conduct and lead on clinical audit, quality assurance and research, maintaining current knowledge of research findings and development.
• To develop and provide a range of specialist teaching / training packages which can be delivered to arrange of multi-disciplinary audiences.
• To positively contribute to divisional and team developments in relation to all aspects of systemic practice.
• To keep up with best practice and enable services to benchmark practice against nationally recognized standards e.g. NICE Guidelines in partnership with people who use our services and their carers.
• Assist in appropriate staff recruitment and induction and contribute to the wider strategic plans regarding Systemic Psychotherapy recruitment.

Clinical

• To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of clinical work and care. To maintain high standards of care in all areas of practice in accordance with the ASFP and UKCP Professional Code of Conduct, professional guidelines and Trust Policies and Procedures. To act within the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act (2005). To be aware of and implement Safeguarding Adult and Child Protection Policies, procedures and legislation.
• To carry out comprehensive highly specialist assessments and formulation. To plan, implement and evaluate delivery of evidence-based systemic interventions and consultations to support children, adolescents and their families with complex mental health needs, practicing within relevant Codes of Practice and drawing on a range of models and techniques.
• To practice in a way which are inclusive and considerate of the needs of each individual in the system, including consideration of gender, race, religion, age, ability, class, culture, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
• To ensure that care plans are developed in collaboration with children, adolescents and their families.
• To undertake comprehensive risk assessments, formulations and risk management plans for people with complex needs.
• To ensure that appropriate feedback on caseload is provided to relevant stakeholders, and that feedback from service users is used to enhance and develop service delivery. To be responsible for attending CPA meetings and reviews where appropriate.
• To provide consultation, advice and guidance to other professionals working with families both within the service and in partner agencies.
• To communicate professional opinion both verbally and in writing, in a highly skilled and sensitive to families, other professionals, statutory and voluntary agencies.
• To facilitate group therapy interventions and support the development of a programme of group interventions.

Research and Service Evaluation

• To use theory and research e.g., NICE guidelines, to inform evidence-based practice in work with patients, families and their networks.
• To undertake or participate in relevant clinical research, service evaluation and audit.

Qualifications
Essential

• Doctoral or Masters level qualification in Family & Systemic Psychotherapy from a AFT/AFSP accredited course.
• Current UKCP Registration as a Systemic Family Psychotherapist
• Completion of an appropriate systemic supervision course to enable supervision of trainees and students

Experience
Essential

• Extensive experience working with children, young people, families and groups as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a mental health setting.
• Experience across a range of systemic models.
• Demonstrable experience working within a multi-disciplinary setting as a qualified systemic psychotherapist.
• Specialist expertise in particular areas e.g., eating disorders, child protection issues, attachment difficulties.
• Experience in working with multiple types of family structure.
• Experience of providing group therapy.
• Substantial experience in offering supervision and consultation.
• Experience of contributing to service development / project work.

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).

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust is an inclusive and supportive employer that offers a wide range of staff networks, flexible working, free parking and excellent health and wellbeing support.
Please note that we reserve the right to close posts as soon as sufficient applications are received.
Regrettably, due to UK Home Office requirements we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles.
Applicants must have the right to work in the UK for the duration of the role.