Highly Specialist DBT Therapist

Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic band 8a highly specialist DBT therapist or clinical/counselling psychologist trained in DBT to join our DBT service for clients with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder. This service forms part of our clearly defined personality disorder pathway that includes other interventions such as Mentalization Based Treatment (MBT), Structured Clinical Management (SCM) and DBT skills only groups. The personality disorder pathway within this Trust provides treatment options within generic CMHT/RST's and specific complex needs teams. This post is located within a specialist personality disorder team.

The post holder will have excellent assessment, formulation, and intervention skills, especially in the delivery of NICE compliant treatments such as DBT; be able to work well within a team, able to provide supervision, consultation, support and leadership to colleagues, and have significant experience in working with this client post holder will need to be intensively trained in DBT and have experience in providing supervision within this model.

This post is at an 8a level, but we welcome applications from experienced DBT therapists (who may not meet the supervision experience criteria) who could progress from a band 7 preceptorship to a band 8a in this post. For preceptorship posts there will be dedicated CPD funding and applicants will be supported to develop their supervision training and experience.

Main duties of the job

You will be required to work as a core member of the Kingston DBT service working alongside senior clinicians and providing supervision to DBT therapists within the service. You will provide model adherent DBT to clients of the service and ensure that the treatment programme is delivered, monitored, and evaluated to promote a high standard of patient care. You will also take a lead in the decision-making processes around treatment options available to service users in line with our current pathways as well as individual patients' historical context, current risks, needs and their goals and personal choices. Clinical/counselling psychologists will also contribute to the supervision and training of trainee clinical/counselling psychologists who work within the service.

Agile and flexible working:

As one of the few Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. This is a post and we can be flexible in relation to which days of the week are worked. There are however standing team commitments that would, at present, require Tuesday to be one of your working days.

About us

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.

About our locations:

Kingston (Tolworth)

For those relocating from outside London, we are happy to discuss the possibility of a relocation package (T&Cs apply).

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide highly specialist assessments of clients referred based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complexdata from a variety of sources, as required including, as appropriate, clinical history taking, psychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care where necessary. Assessment should gather information about psychopharmacological treatment and liaise with senior medical clinician to formulate a plan to review and manage. To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a clients mental health problems), based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy. To be responsible for implementing a range of therapeutic interventions employed individually and in synthesis, maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses, adjusting and refining formulations or understandings, drawing upon different explanatory models and employing methods of intervention that are based upon evidence of efficacy. To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options in line with the theoretical and therapeutic models and the highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual. To manage an individual case load that includes individual and group-based therapy To provide highly specialist clinical advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan, drawing on expertise in To contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings and agencies serving the client group. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other services across service lines on specialist risk assessment and risk management for this client group. To act as care coordinator, where appropriate, taking responsibility for initiating planning and review of care plans under enhanced CPA including clients, their carers, referring agents and others involved the network of care. To prepare reports for, attend and contribute to CPA meetings. To be responsible for the flexible management of a defined caseload designed to meet the individual needs of the client and the carers within the trusts CPA policy and Mental Health Act frameworks. To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor progress. To ensure effective communication and share relevant information as required. To implement and/or participate in crisis intervention measures with the client/family or in conjunction with other agencies. To supervise DBT therapists Person Specification

Training and Qualifications

Essential

Educated to degree level or equivalent or Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology (for Clinical psychologists), two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology; OR alternative training outside the UK that is recognised by the Health & Care Professions Council leading to registration in the UK as a Clinical or Counselling psychologist. Core Mental Health Profession registered with an appropriate professional body (, NMC, UKCP, HCPC) Formal training in DBT (to intensive level) with 2 years of supervised experience or Evidence of completion of DBT training Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS Formal training in supervision of other psychologists To be registered with the Health & Care Professions Council under the appropriate domain specific title

Desirable

Post registration qualification in group work Group Analytic training or working toward such or oPrequalification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology. Accreditation in DBT; or working towards accreditation in supervision in DBT Generic Supervision training Trust training in medications: medication awareness and medication management (if appropriate to your professional registration)

Experience

Essential

Demonstrable experience of working with adults with mental health problems in a variety of community settings Experience of multi-disciplinary team working Experience of inter-agency working Experience of working with clients with a diagnosis of personality disorder

Desirable

Experience of the use of a variety of therapeutic tools Experience and skills in risk assessment and management Experience of working with diverse communities Experience of considering the management of psychopharmacology in partnership with senior medical colleagues. (if appropriate to your professional registration)

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

Good knowledge of Risk Assessment procedures and skills to make significant clinical decisions based on this knowledge. Ability to undertake complex assessments and develop comprehensive clinical formulations Ability to reflect on personal experience. Demonstrates capacity and willingness to use clinical supervision Knowledge of evidence-based practice, clinical governance and related knowledge for research and audit. Good knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to relevant fields. Computer skills: advanced keyboard skills and ability to use software programmes including word processing and email. Can plan, organise, and prioritise own workload. Ability to work flexibly with autonomy Well developed skills in written and verbal communication Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS. Formal training in the supervision of doctoral level trainee clinical psychologists

Desirable

Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health Understanding of the organisational framework in which the service operates Ability to consider differences and equalities both in therapy and professional relationships Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups ( dual diagnosis including people experiencing psychosis with personality disorder, substance misuse, learning disability, neurological dysfunction, additional disabilities etc). High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies Knowledge of recent policy and legislation in relation to people with severe and enduring mental health problems specifically and concerning mental health in general.

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