Highly Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Job summary

Due to career progression, we have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or CBT Therapist to join our Merton Talking Therapies team as Step 3 Lead. Merton Talking Therapies is a primary care mental health service providing psychological, and wellbeing support to residents of Merton, or those registered with a Merton GP. It incorporates a Wellbeing and a Talking Therapies service. The Talking Therapies team provide evidence-based psychological treatments (CBT, IPT, DIT, BCT, EMDR) to people with common mental health problems including depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD and eating disorders within a stepped-care model.

As part of the service's Senior Management Team, you will be responsible for leading our committed and hard working Step 3 team. You will work closely with the Service Manager and the Talking Therapies Clinical Leadership team to ensure the Step 3 assessments and interventions delivered by Merton Talking Therapies are of the highest standard and support the service to meet the nationally agreed requirements around access, recovery and waiting times.

Main duties of the job

This is a key role within the Merton Talking Therapies team and requires a range of clinical, managerial and leadership skills. You will share responsibility for the smooth operation of the service, including ensuring that referrals are contacted in a timely fashion, that assessment and treatment protocols are adhered to, that appropriate decisions regarding stepped care are carried out efficiently, and that clinical data entries are completed accurately.

You will provide Step 3 diagnostic assessments and evidence-based treatment on an individual and group basis to clients aged 18 and over presenting with depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD and eating disorders. You will provide professional and clinical supervision to clinicians within the service which will include ensuring that clinicians work towards their identified capacity target. You will be involved in screening referrals and liaising with other teams to support a smooth transition between services where required. You will support with the resolution of complaints and incidents. You will participate in staff recruitment and training, and assist in clinically related audits and data collection as required.

There will be opportunities to develop areas of interest such as working with clients with learning disabilities, working with perinatal clients, working with older adults by leading and contributing to project groups.

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.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide specialist psychological services to patients referred to the Merton Talking Therapies team. This will include providing specialist psychological assessment and therapy as well as offering advice and consultation on patients psychological care to other members of the team. To provide both triage and clinical supervision and case management supervision to the psychological therapists within Steps 2 and 3. Working alongside other members of the Senior Management Team, the postholder will share responsibility for the smooth operation of the service, including ensuring that referrals are contacted in a timely fashion, that assessment and treatment protocols are adhered to, that appropriate decisions regarding stepped care are carried out smoothly and efficiently, and that clinical data entries are completed accurately. The post holder is expected to operate within recognised professional guidelines and the overall framework of the Merton Talking Therapies services policies and procedures. The postholder will also be responsible for conducting audit and analyses of data held on the electronic record system (IAPTUS). The post holder will be required to work flexible hours in line with service opening times and GP surgery hours (8 am 8 pm and some Saturday mornings). This will include at least two week-day evenings and some Saturday mornings. Person Specification

TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

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 (for Clinical Psychologists) neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology ; or alternative training outside of the UK that is recognised by the Health & Care Professions Council leading to registration in the UK as a Clinical or Counselling psychologist or oCompleted a level 2 British Association for Behavioural Cognitive Psychotherapy (BABCP) accredited training course in CBT leading to eligibility for registration with the BABCP as a CBT Therapist, or ohave completed a level 1 BABCP accredited training course in CBT and have met further training, continuing professional development and supervised clinical practice requirements to meet eligibility for registration with the BABCP, or obe currently registered with BABCP as a CBT therapist through an alternative BABCP recognised route

Desirable

BABCP Accreditation as CBT practitioner Training in the supervision of PWPs, clinical/counselling psychologists and/or CBT therapists

EXPERIENCE

Essential

Experience of assessment and treatment of people with common mental health problems of varying severity and complexity, using evidence-based psychological therapies, particularly CBT. Experience in establishing DSM-V clinical diagnosis, and in clinical formulation. Ability to demonstrate further specialist training/experience in psychological therapy, through having received a minimum of 50 hours clinical supervision of working as a specialist clinical or counselling psychologist or CBT therapist over a minimum of 18 months Experience with routine outcome monitoring Experience of providing CBT teaching, training and supervision

Desirable

Post-qualification experience of working in primary care settings Experience of meeting agreed/specified service targets Experience of working within a multicultural framework Experience of using IAPTus and pathway management Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

Management and leadership skills, including ability to address clinical under-performance and unprofessional / inappropriate staff or patient behaviour Understanding of the goals and performance targets relevant to the Talking Therapies services Skills in providing teaching and consultation to other professionals and non-professional groups working in primary care Skilled in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration Advanced practitioner skills in CBT Highly developed oral and written communication skills, and ability to communicate complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to healthcare professionals, and adults with mental health problems and their caregivers Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC or BABCP

Desirable

Knowledge of the theory and practice of evidence-based group and individual psychological interventions at Step 2 or Step 3 Knowledge of the academic literature concerning common mental disorders and their treatment within a Talking Therapies service

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