Clinical Psychologist

PALMS is evolving and we want to welcome additional clinicians to be part of our vibrant and multi-disciplinary team who include Clinical Psychologists, Positive Behaviour Analysts, Systemic Therapists, Learning Disability Nurses, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Practitioners, Speech and Language Therapists and Outreach Workers.

With the continued evolution of PALMS we are seeking to appoint an additional Clinical Psychologist who is a motivated and forward thinking clinician and leader who can work flexibly and is committed to supporting CYP and their families across Hertfordshire and the full PALMS’ team.
- Passionate about and have a desire to contribute to change in a vibrant NHS team
- Dedicated to supporting CYP with autism and/or learning disability and their families.
- Collaborative in their approach to work with families, networks, and others services
- Able to work both in a team environment and autonomously
- Able to maintain a high degree of professionalism when working in settings where there is a highly emotive atmosphere.
- Flexible in their approach and have resilience under pressure

PALMS (Positive behaviour, Autism, Learning disability, Mental health Service) works across Hertfordshire providing a specialist multi-disciplinary approach. PALMS is a CAMHS commissioned service which offers individually tailored support for children and young people (CYP), aged 0-18 who have a global learning disability and/or Autistic
Spectrum Disorder, helping families to manage challenging behaviour, toileting, feeding and sleeping concerns which have not benefitted from community interventions and/or to support mental health needs which cannot be met with reasonable adjustment by other CAMHS services.

Additionally, PALMS also supports problematic sexualised behaviours.
Interventions include workshops, groups, individual therapy, parent as therapist sessions, and a family clinic. PALMS aims to keep children and young people with their families within Hertfordshire thereby improving outcomes for all family members.

PALMS predominantly applies narrative, systemic, positive behaviour, and bio-psycho social models adhering to the STOMP / STAMP and Transforming Care Agendas.

PALMS principally deliver a flexible service according to need and personal
circumstances, in a planned way. For example, for a full-time worker this equates to flexibly working 37.5 across the working week. PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.

The post is permanent and will cover the East and North of the county with principle bases in Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage.

We have continued to support CYP and their families through the COVID19 pandemic embracing virtual working whilst continuing to offer face to face work where clinically appropriate. Virtual working offers flexibility to both team members and families and is
now embedded in the PALMS team.

The PALMS team is friendly, cohesive and proactive. We value feedback and empower all team members to contribute to the continuous development of the service and welcome innovation and change.

**We can offer you**:

- Regular clinical and professional supervision
- Regular appraisal, personal development planning and opportunities for continuing professional development. This includes specific support with regards to fulfilling the PALMS’ role. Recent examples include the team undertaking training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), sleep assessment and intervention, and systemic and family practice.
- Regular opportunities to meet as a team including peer reflection and Intervision.
- Opportunities to work closely with a multi-disciplinary team and learn from other evidence based frameworks and approaches.
- Opportunities to provide clinical supervision and line management to other members of the PALMS team as appropriate.
- Opportunities to connect with local and national networks Involvement in providing training.
- 27 days annual leave, 29 if you have worked for the NHS for 5 years and 33 if you have worked for the NHS for 10 years, in addition to 8 days bank holidays.
- Entitlement to the NHS pension scheme.

We are able to offer a recruitment and retention premia to qualified clinical team members in PALMS. This includes receiving a £1,000 payment (pro-rota based on WTE) once passing probation. Following this, two additional £1,000 (pro-rata) payments will be made after 6 months and then again at one year.