Senior Clinical/Counselling/Health Psychologist

This is a rare and exciting career development opportunity for a clinical/counselling psychologist to lead a compassionate, committed psycho-oncology team (MaPS - Macmillan Psychologist Support) and a small psychological service in the Rapid Diagnostic Clinic (RDC) at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.


The MaPS team provides psychological assessment and intervention to patients and their significant others across the cancer pathway, as inpatients and outpatients, as well as training, supervision, consultation and support to multi-disciplinary colleagues. We have no waiting list and have scope to develop innovative services, with strong support from our Personalised Care lead and Head of Nursing for cancer and haematology.


The RDC psychology team offers a pioneering service which aims to ensure patients who come for investigation of non-specific suspected cancer symptoms, are offered an holistic service, identifying contributory psychological factors and then working with patients to ensure these are addressed through brief intervention or thoughtful onward referral.


Both teams are highly valued and well-supported by committed multi-disciplinary colleagues and this role would suit someone wishing to develop their leadership skills within a supportive service which is strongly focused on meeting the needs of the local community.
This role primarily involves managing and developing the LGT psycho-oncology team (MaPS) (0.6wte) but also the RDC psychology service (0.The RDC team is a multi-disciplinary medical team and the psychological service is provided by an 8a clinical psychologist and the postholder. This is a Cross site post, working at both Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woolwich and University Hospital Lewisham.
Both the MaPS and RDC teams are driven by strong patient-centred values to support the delivery of psychologically-informed care across the pathway. We work closely with multi-disciplinary colleagues in innovative ways and have a dynamic and supportive leadership team within cancer services. LGT cancer services work hard to serve their local diverse community in a holistic and inclusive manner. We work closely with psycho-oncology teams at Guy's and St Thomas's and King's College Hospital trusts and have strong support from a fantastic Personalised Care team in the South East London Cancer Alliance.


Our people are our greatest asset. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:


~ Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development


~ Improving the experience of staff with disability


~ Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development


~ To manage, develop and ensure the systematic provision of a highly specialist psychology service (Macmillan Psychological Support Team MaPS) within cancer services and the Rapid Diagnostic Clinic with Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes. To contribute to service evaluation research and policy development.


To provide expert clinical input in the MaPS team and the Rapid Diagnostic Clinic and ensure that systems are in place and working effectively for the clinical and professional supervision and support of other psychologists and staff within the service as appropriate.


The post-holder will be required to work cross-site at both the University Hospital Lewisham and Queen Elizabeth Hospital sites of Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.


Key Result Areas & Performance:


Provide expertise in a highly specialist clinical area which will contribute to the assessment and treatment of patients referred to the MaPS team and the Rapid Diagnostic Clinic in Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust


~ To provide highly specialist psychological assessment and clinical formulation in relation to clients with complex mental health needs associated with cancer services and the Rapid Diagnostic Clinic.


~ To select and administer highly specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating highly complex data drawn from several sources including interviews, psychometric tests, cognitive tests and psychological rating scales.


~ To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situation which may occur in cancer services and the Rapid Diagnostic Clinic in Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust and to support others involved in such situations.


~ To select and deliver highly specialist evidence based psychological treatments, monitoring outcome as well as modifying and adapting interventions, drawing on a range of theoretical models.


~ To work as an independent and autonomous profession with British Psychological Society (BPS) and Health Care and Professions Council (HCPC) guidelines, and the policies and procedures of the service, taking full responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions.


~ To advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of clients.


~ To travel to meetings as appropriate and across Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust when required.


~ To communicate highly complex and sensitive information with patients, relatives or colleagues in a skilful and sensitive manner, taking account of sensory and cultural barriers to communication.


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


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


~ Teaching, training and supervision


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


~ To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within cancer services and the Rapid Diagnostic Clinic in Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in clinical health psychology and general applied psychology and by implementing knowledge gained in practice.


~ To organise and provide specialist training to other professions as appropriate.


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


~ Management, recruitment, policy and service development


~ To identify aspects of the service which could be improved and initiate and implement service development projects, both within psychology and the broader service.


~ To provide professional leadership and service management and appraise more junior qualified psychologists and psychotherapists, assistant psychologists and other professionals as appropriate.


~ To participate in the recruitment process of more junior qualified psychologists, psychotherapists and assistant psychologists as appropriate.


~ To supervise the day to day work of more junior psychological staff in the service.


~ To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and developing services.


~ To provide expertise in a highly specialist research area which will contribute to chronic pain and clinical health psychology.


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


~ To maintain good working relationships with professionals, patients and others both within the service, the Trust and the wider community.


To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with HCPC requirements and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements.


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


~ To contribute to the strategic development and implementation of new initiatives e.g. national guidelines including NICE.


~ To comply with the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and ensure professional development in line with the HCP Standards for Continuing Professional Development and Standards of Proficiency.


~ To adhere to the BPS Psychologys Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.


~ To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in line with professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry where appropriate.


~ To participate fully and implement standards devised from Trusts clinical and research governance activity.


~ To ensure that the service provided is acceptable and accessible to the diverse communities which attend University Hospital Lewisham.


Qualifications & Training
Doctoral level qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology or equivalent
Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a cancer diagnosis and a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in clinical health psychology
Experience in the provision of evidence-based psychological therapy
Experience of supervising psychologists (including trainees) and having completed the relevant training
Experience of providing teaching and training to psychologists or other professional groups
Experience of working with, and addressing issues of, diversity including experience of working within a multicultural framework
Experience of carrying out post-doctoral research, audit and other service evaluation projects
Experience of proposing and implementing service development projects within own service area

Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for patients being seen in a general hospital setting
Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the HCPC
Specialist knowledge and understanding of theory of evidence-based psychological therapies
Knowledge and understanding of other models of psychological therapy
Advanced theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of psychological disorders in the context of general medical complaints
Evidence of continuing training in a specialised area of psychological practice through formal post-doctoral training (diploma or equivalent) OR a combination of specialist short courses OR an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice based learning in a specialist area o Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.