Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist/Psychotherapist

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join Southwark Crisis Plus, a service working with repeat users of acute and crisis services and their networks, integrated into Southwark community secondary mental health services. The team works flexibly across adult services in the Southwark directorate to foster consistency and continuity in care between acute/crisis and community pathways, whilst offering focused support to services users and their community teams.

Crisis Plus launched in 2019 to support individuals who experience frequent crisis episodes, e.g. who have had at least three admissions to psychiatric wards within a twelve-month period. The time-limited intervention offers a combination of direct sessions with the service user and consultation with professionals/services in their network to co-create Anticipatory Management Plans (AMPs), focused on understanding crisis service use and relationship to help. The model references principles of collaborative care and shared decision making and, psychologically, aligns with elements of Open Dialogue, DBT, systemic theory and other person-centred, trauma-informed models. The model is currently being implemented in new services across South London.

Main duties of the job

The Highly Specialist Psychologist/Psychotherapist post is a varied and dynamic role with a focus on both service development and clinical work. Applicants would benefit from experience of multi-agency management of self-neglect, self-harm, violence and substance misuse across a range of diagnostic groups.

The successful applicant will use their therapeutic and consultation skills to support a range of complex service users and their networks. This is both direct work to create AMPs with service users, care coordinators and carers/family, and system-/network-focused work consulting with professionals, teams and external crisis services. The post holder would also be expected to guide the work of other mental health professionals. They will have to think creatively, work flexibly and have a range of skills in working alongside others. Core clinical skills needed include: integrative, transdiagnostic and trauma-informed engagement, assessment and formulation skills; risk assessment and management skills; consultation, facilitation and reflective skills; strong communication, MDT and inter-agency working skills; supervision skills.

About us

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness.

SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.

By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field. SLaM delivered more than 14,000 training experiences in 2014; providing an extensive range of learning opportunities for staff at all levels. In addition, our working relationship with King's Health Partners allows those working at the Trust to get involved in academic research.

Job description

Job responsibilities

KR 1 Clinical and Client Care

To provide highly specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients in Southwark Crisis Plus, including risk of harm to self and others, and risk of those vulnerable to dependency on acute and crisis services. This should include knowledge and experience of using CBT, third wave models such as DBT, Open Dialogue and/or other evidence-based treatments in the management of personality disorder, psychosis and/or substance misuse.

To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.

To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.

KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning

To contribute to the effective working of the team or service and to a psychologically-informed framework for the service.

To contribute to the teams or services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.

To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services.

To use High Intensity User planning and evidence-based interventions to offer advice, consultation and training to other members of the service on specialist psychological care of clients.

To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans.

To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members.

KR 3 Policy and service development

To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes.

To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects.

To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services that meet the needs of local communities.

KR 4 Care or management of resources

To take care of, and use carefully, the Trusts equipment and physical resources.

To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.

KR 5 Management and supervision

To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of more junior psychologists with support from a more senior psychologist.

To contribute to the recruitment of more junior psychologists, as appropriate.

To provide supervision for the psychological work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate.

KR 6 Teaching and Training

To undertake occasional teaching and training of pre- and post-qualification psychologists and specialised training to other professions as appropriate.

To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within the High Intensity User team by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology and by implementing knowledge gained in practice.

To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.

KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance

To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.

To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.

KR 8 Research and development

To initiate, undertake, support and supervise regular service evaluation and audits.

To initiate and implement the development of outcome measurement and assessment and assist other staff in the implementation of the same.

KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development

To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist according to HCPC and Trust guidelines.

To ensure own Continuing Professional Development is in line with BPS and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the HCPC Standards for Continuing Professional Development.

To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.

To comply with the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Standards of Proficiency, and ensure professional development in line with these.

To adhere to the BPSs Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.

KR10 General

To travel to appropriate meetings and venues across Southwark directorate and across the Trust when required.

To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group and follow trust policies relating to its management.

To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations (challenging behaviour, self-harm, harm to others, suicide and violence ) and to support others involved in such situations.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• oEntry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration. This can include Clinical, Counselling or Forensic Psychology or registered with BABCP as a CBT therapist. (A/I)
• oAdditional training in a specialised area of psychological practice (such as any NICE and/or evidence base recommended psychological interventions for personality disorder such as DBT, MBT) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses, or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma. (A/I)
• oRegistered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC. (A/I)

Desirable

• oCompleted training course in clinical supervision. (A/I)

Experience

Essential

• oEvidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in community mental health services. (A/I)
• oExperience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in community and acute mental health services. (A/I)
• oExperience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists or CBT psychotherapists, having completed the relevant training. (A/I)
• oPost-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
• oExperience of carrying out post-doctoral research, audit or service evaluation projects.

Desirable

• oExperience of delivering Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, Open Dialogue, or trauma-focused models; or willingness to be trained in one of these models
• oExperience of working across multiple services and agencies in relation to risk of harm to self and others.
• oExperience of working with service users who frequently present to acute and crisis services with multiple and complex risk presentations
• oThe Trust encourages and welcomes applications from people with lived experience of mental health challenges. We see this as valuable and recognise the positive impact this experience can have on the work we do.

Knowledge

Essential

• oKnowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for a range of diagnostic groups including personality disorder, psychosis and/or dual diagnosis. (A/I) oTheoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment.
• oAdvanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics
• oKnowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
• oDoctoral level / equivalent knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis.
• oKnowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.

Desirable

• oUnderstanding of principles around contingency management
• oUnderstanding of principles of treatment in relation to personality disorder
• oUnderstanding of the principles of DBT/Open Dialogue/trauma-focused models

Skills

Essential

• oTo deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
• oTo select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
• oTo 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.
• oTo plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPAs and case reviews.
• oTo plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists.

Abilities

Essential

• oAbility to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles
• oAbility to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
• oAbility to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings
• oAbility 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.
• oAbility 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.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Maudsley Hospital

113 Denmark Hill

London

SE5 8AZ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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