Trainee Health Psychologist

Health Education England is funding seven Trainee Health Psychologists to explore the contribution and impact health psychology can make in supporting the NHS to achieve its workforce transformation and redesign goals as part of an exciting pilot programme.

Workforce transformation helps meet the growing, changing needs of local populations, ensuring high quality care today and in the future.

This Midlands region post is hosted by Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust.

The post is two years, fixed term.

Applicants should hold an MSc Stage 1 Qualification in Health Psychology at Merit level or above and a good honours Degree in Psychology (2:1 or equivalent) with BPS Graduate Basis for Chartership.

Supported by the DCHS Health Psychology Service, the post holder will work to implement psychologically and behaviourally-informed approaches to workforce redesign with one or more teams and services.

The post holder will be expected to work flexibility to support a range of services and programmes of work, using psychology and behavioural science skills to enhance staff capability, opportunity and motivation to make changes to their practice.

Alongside this, the post holder will work with their supervisors to proactively shape their training plan to meet the five competencies of the Stage 2 Health Psychology Qualification and complete all pieces of work to a high standard over the course of the two years.

In joining the DCHS Health Psychology Service, you will be welcomed into a highly motivated team.

Our department is made up of dedicated professionals from a range of backgrounds and with diverse experiences.

The environment is supportive, nurturing and values innovation and diversity.

Our Trust was recently rated as outstanding in a CQC Well-Led review and is a fantastic place to work.

Our purpose is to provide community health services to a patient population of over one million people in Derbyshire and Derby, as part of Joined Up Care Derbyshire. We employ around 4,200 substantive staff, caring for patients in 11 community hospitals, 30 health centres, as well as in clinics, GP practices, schools, care homes and, in people’s own homes.

You will be supported to link with organisations such as Derbyshire County Council’s Public Health department that greatly value the psychological input we provide and is keen to help us foster and develop further opportunities to grow.

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification. To apply, please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB - this link will take you to the TRAC Recruitment Site. You will need to register if you do not already have an account

In brief, the main purpose of the role is to plan and implement formulation-driven psychological and behavioural interventions within teams and services.

These will address key workforce transformation issues for DCHS and organisations within our wider Integrated Care System Joined Up Care Derbyshire.

**This may include interventions to**:

- Support staff to change ways of working (e.g. changing rehabilitation pathways)
- Improve patient engagement in services (e.g. screening programmes, secondary prevention education programmes)
- Develop new services/interventions (e.g. waiting list interventions for priority patient pathways, to increase patient wellbeing, engagement in subsequent care/treatment and support waiting list management initiatives)

Knowledge of the NHS Long Term Plan and People Plan, the ICS/ICB infrastructure across England, and an interest in staff practice change will be advantageous.

Any previous experience of working within the NHS or wider health and social care system would also be beneficial.

Excellent written and oral communication skills are essential, with a strong emphasis on teamwork, learning from others and establishing a rapport and working relationships across a range of contacts.

You will be expected to work independently at times, plan and organise work autonomously, balancing the needs of Stage 2 Training with a day-to-day workload.

Excellent organisational, timekeeping and IT skills are therefore expected.

Education, Qualifications and Training

Essential criteria
- Degree in psychology, 2.1 level or above
- Hold GBC from BPS
- MSc Stage 1 in Health Psychology at Merit level or above

Experience and Knowledge Required

Essential criteria
- Knowledge of a range of psychological and behavioural theories, models and methods in relation to health
- Understanding of UK Stage 2 Health Psychology competencies and professional guidelines as defined by BPS
- Relevant postgraduate level research experience using quantitative and/or qualitative research methods
- Strong understanding of professional and ethical issues in health psychology

Skills and Attributes

Essential criteria
- Strong written and oral communication skills to communicate with people sensitively and form good professional rapport
- Good report writing and presentation skills to produc