Clinical Psychologist

Job summary

We are looking to recruit a Clinical Psychologist who is passionate about working with older people with complex mental health difficulties. This post is based for three days a week at Newtown House, Eastleigh, Hampshire with the community mental health team and for two days a week at Snowdrop Ward, Melbury Lodge, Winchester.

The community mental health team provides care to older people with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, personality disorder and psychosis, as well as for people with dementia and their carers. Snowdrop Ward is a modern, newly refurbished 14 bedded ward which provides assessment and care for older persons with acute mental health difficulties, committed to providing an exceptional standard of treatment and patient centred care for service users in a safe, cooperative & therapeutic environment.

This post will be line managed and supervised by a senior Clinical Psychologist working in OPMH and link with other Clinical Psychologists working within OPMH services across the Trust. The trust has also a number of trainee Clinical Associates in Psychology working in OPMH. We have strong links with the University of Southampton, particularly with the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, the MSc/Diploma in Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Severe Mental Health Problems and training courses for IAPT.

The post could be appointed as a Band 7 with preceptorship towards an 8a role for the right applicant. Responsibilities would be adjusted accordingly.

Main duties of the job

The responsibilities will include the provision of psychological assessment (including neuropsychology) and therapy to older people and their carers in community, clinic and an inpatient setting, to be a source of advice to the multi-professional team on psychological issues and to offer consultation and advice to other mental health and physical health professionals. The successful post holder will also assist in an exciting initiative to upskill the CMHT and inpatient staff team in psychological approaches, including Comprehend, Cope and Connect (CCC). Supervision of a clinical psychology trainee, trainee and qualified Clinical Associates in Psychology (CAP) and contribution to service development will also be required for candidates at 8a level. Candidates who have an interest in neuropsychology will have an opportunity to develop these skills further.

About us

Are you committed to providing remarkable care and service?Are you passionate about helping people and want to make a difference every day?We want to meet you

Southern Health is one of the largest Foundation Trusts in the UK, specialising in mental health, adult and child community health and learning disabilities. We are committed to promoting the welfare and safeguarding of children, young people and adults at risk of abuse and neglect through our 6,500 strong workforce.

Southern Health has over 300 sites across the county and we serve million people throughout all stages of their lives. Our aim is to work alongside the people we support (and our health and care partners) to deliver the best possible care and constantly improve.

Here at SHFT we have so much to be proud of:

Working as a team and supporting each other, we put patients and our staff at the heart of everything we do. We have a skilled and diverse workforce and are committed to our staff development, offering bespoke training packages, leadership pathways and career opportunities. We offer a variety of benefits such as an amazing pension scheme, generous annual leave, Childcare Choices scheme, many discounts (Blue Light card, The Company Shop, NHS Staff Discounts, cycle to work scheme) and much more.

Come to work with us, together we will provide outstanding treatment and care to improve lives.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Further information about the Trust and this role can be found on the Job Description and Person Specification document attached.

We are happy to talk Flexible Working - all requests for flexible working options can be discussed as part of the interview process.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology. HCPC Registration

Desirable

Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology. Training in Clinical Supervision. Training in Comprehend, Cope and Connect, (CCC)

Experience

Essential

In depth experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of individuals across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings. In depth experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse. Demonstrate further specialist training/experience through having received a minimum of 50 hours clinical supervision of working as an applied psychologist. Experience of working within a Community Mental Health Team within the NHS.

Desirable

Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision. Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts. Experience of older peoples mental health.

Additional Criteria

Essential

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 individuals, 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. Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings. Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour. Demonstrate an understanding of, and a commitment to the principles of recovery, choice and personalisation. Full driving licence and access to vehicle for work purposes.

Desirable

Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups ( personality disorder, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities, psychosis etc). High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies. Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health. Experience of working within a multicultural framework.

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