Band 8A Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist, Bristol

Job summary Clinical Psychologist Band 8a Specialised Deaf ServiceThe Specialised Deaf Service is a small but highly specialised service supporting Deaf and deafblind people with complex mental health needs.
The majority of service users use British Sign Language (BSL) or various forms of deafblind communication.The team support people with diverse mental health needs and is proud to have developed joint assessment pathways for ASD and dementia.
We are now looking for an experienced, skilled clinical psychologist to join our team.The role will include providing assessments, consultation and therapy with deaf and deafblind service users in addition to supporting service development within the Trust.
The post holder will be the lead clinician in the service.It is essential that the post holder has BSL level 6 or equivalent - native BSL users are very much invited to apply.The team is based from Gloucester House, Southmead Hospital but the role will involve some remote working and community based work across Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and BaNES.At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community.
We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Main duties of the job To provide highly specialist psychological assessment and therapy to patients and carers as appropriate to the service.To provide highly specialist advice and consultation on clients' formulation and psychological management to other non-psychologist colleagues.To use highly specialist psychological knowledge and skills to contribute to the more effective management of patients by the various teams in the area and where appropriate outside of the area.To clinically supervise/line manage trainee clinical psychologists, assistant psychologists, CAPs and less experienced psychology staff, and other professionals.To contribute to audit, research, policy and service development within the areas served by the Psychological Therapies Service.To develop and deliver training in psychological therapies for multidisciplinary staff About us We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.We provide services from a range of locations to approximately million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing.
The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees.
We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
Job description Job responsibilities CLINICAL To provide a high quality and largely autonomous and systematic clinical/counselling psychology service.
To undertake highly specialist assessments, including neuropsychological assessment, risk assessment and assessment for suitability for specialist psychological therapies with clients and their carers.
To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of clients mental health problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy, across the full range of care settings.
To be responsible for providing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers & groups.
To provide at least one specialist evidence based psychological intervention.
To provide highly specialist consultation to members of the various teams in the area.
To use highly specialist psychological knowledge and skills to contribute to the more effective management of patients by teams.
To be involved in the development and delivery of training.
To participate in clinical and caseload supervision.
To maintain accurate records and to monitor clinical workload using agreed systems.
To support the full implementation of CPA or equivalent including acting as care-coordinator.
To enter data as requested by the Trust in a timely manner.
MANAGEMENT Delegated caseload supervision Represent the service at specialist meetings as requested The co-ordination of small scale projects as requested PROFESSIONAL To fully adhere to the Policies and Procedures of the HCP.
To fully observe the BPS (1996) Code of Conduct and the DCP Guidelines for the Professional Practice of Clinical Psychology (1995).
To be aware of, adhere to, and where appropriate, contribute to the formulation and review of Trust, Area, Clinical Psychology policies and procedures.
To participate in local psychological therapy and psychology meetings and trust wide meetings.
To maintain and develop high standards of clinical psychology practice by engaging in CPD and co-operative working/networking with other clinical psychologists.
To participate in an annual performance appraisal.
To participate in clinical supervision.
SERVICE GOVERNANCE To participate in service governance processes To support and participate in multidisciplinary clinical audit.
To liaise with other disciplines and agencies to ensure that best practice is shared.
To promote the use of effective interventions in the service.
TRAINING AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT To provide supervision for clinical psychology trainees from regional training courses and elsewhere as appropriate.
To provide training, supervision and consultation in psychological approaches to other staff in MDTs.
To contribute to the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care across service settings through providing teaching, training, consultation and supervision.
To provide training and supervision to assistant psychologists.
To participate in peer supervision arrangements for psychologists in the area.
To collaborate with colleagues to develop and offer training courses, workshops and supervision groups to develop psychological skills for staff in the area.
To contribute to the teaching of students and trainees in psychology, medicine, nursing and other health care disciplines.
To agree a plan of personal development with the line manager and professional lead for the service.
Provide inclusive, compassionate and effective leadership for your team by setting clear vision and direction.
Develop a culture and environment in which members of staff are encouraged and supported to deliver high- quality services and are supported to innovate and improve services where appropriate.
Encourage your team to feel able to raise concerns openly and safely.
Promote equality of opportunity in service delivery and employment, ensuring that no person receives less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, religion, creed, colour nationality ethnic or national origin, sexual orientation or disability.
Support prompt recruitment by identifying vacancies to the AWP Recruitment Team as soon as they arise, and participate in the selection and effective induction and onboarding of new joiners to the team.
Take responsibility for encouraging people to stay with AWP, ensuring that you are aware whenever a member of your team is considering leaving, seeking to understand their reasons and encouraging them to stay.
Ensure that key messages are cascaded in your team and that your team are encouraged to put forward suggestions.
Show appreciation to your team when they do good work and support them when they are struggling.
Consider the individual needs of team members for a healthy work-life balance and think about how their needs can be supported by providing flexible ways of working.
Support all team members to keep their mandatory and statutory training up-to-date and identify the learning and development needs of all team members of the team ensuring that everyone has an up-to-date personal development plan (PDP).
Ensure that every team member as at least an hour of supervision (one-to-one meeting) each month, this may include both managerial and clinical supervision.
Ensure all team members receive a constructive assessment of their performance each year and set SMART objectives for the coming year.
Seek support from the HR Team when required.
Act as a positive role model at all times.
PERFORMANCE AND INFORMATION MANAGEMENT Ensure that you and your team understand all of the agreed key performance indicators for your service, particularly relating to outcomes and essential standards to be met.
Ensure that you and your team understand data quality standards and that all the necessary records for your service are maintained and reported.
Ensure that you and your team understand all of the clinical and business action plans relevant to your services.
Ensure that you and your team understand all of the monitoring, auditing and reporting systems relevant to your services.
SERVICE DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING Actively seek opportunities for improvement for the services which you and your team provide by identifying research evidence and best practice elsewhere, interpreting/translating and facilitating adaptation for AWP.
Analyse and interpret data to inform the strategic direction of the services which you and your team provide Ensure multidisciplinary involvement and the use of quality improvement (QI) techniques in service improvement, by negotiating shared solutions, facilitating the resolution of complex or contentious issues and managing any conflict into constructive outcomes.
Ensure effective risk identification, analysis, mitigation and management within your services, encouraging all members of your team to be aware of and to manage risks.
GOVERNANCE AND POLICY Ensure that you understand all of the key governance requirements, policies and standards for your services and that these are communicated to your team; make sure your team understand the importance of good governance.
Support the development of policies relevant to your services, including your team in this work.
SERVICE/POLICY DEVELOPMENT To collaborate with specialist staff and other agencies in the LDU to extend the range of specialist psychological individual, family and group interventions available across the area.
To propose changes to policies and procedures in multidisciplinary teams as appropriate.
To advise managers of service developments RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT To engage in research relevant to service priorities as appropriate.
To participate in audit and service evaluation activities examining the effectiveness of current service delivery and informing the development of services relevant to client needs.
To provide advice, support and consultation to colleagues from other disciplines undertaking research in the area.
KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS With the following staff working and providing services in the area.
Clinical psychologists and other Psychological Therapy staff across the area.
Team Leaders and multidisciplinary staff in the various teams in the area Person Specification Clinical Essential Doctoral Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology qualification or equivalent.
Eligible for Chartered Psychologist status.
HPC Registered.
Post qualification and further specialist training in specified specialist intervention Experience of working in a MDT, and of risk assessment and management.
Experience of delivering training, consultation and advocacy work in this field Level 6 BSL and the ability to undertake clinical work in BSL.
Experience of working the mental health field Desirable Ability to cope with workload pressure/ prioritise workload.
Ability to work independently and also as part of a small team Interest and experience in service development Experience and/or qualifications in deaf blind communication skills