Senior Clinical/ Counselling Psychologist or Psychological Therapist
Job overview
The Medical Psychology service provides psychological assessment, support and treatment to medical patients within South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is based at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough and Friarage Hospital, Northallerton.We are pleased to be recruiting for highly experienced Senior Clinical/Counselling/ Health Psychologists or Psychological Therapists to contribute to the specialist clinical services, supervision and leadership within our psycho-oncology services and clinical health psychology services.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for Senior Psychologists or Psychological Therapists to work alongside Consultant Psychologists to provide specialist clinical services, supervision and leadership.
We provide input across the trust into a range of specialities including but not limited to; oncology, haematology, palliative care, rheumatology, diabetes, pain, CFS, infectious diseases, renal, burns and plastics. The post holder will have responsibilities for providing leadership within specific area(s) of the service.
The post holder will take a lead on specific audit and service evaluation projects and will be involved in service development projects with the aim of expanding the service in line with national guidelines and standards. The post will also involve line management and clinical supervision of other staff.
Applicants will need to have had experience of working in a clinical health setting.
Working for our organisation
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust offers leadership and improvement training to all new staff. This training programme has been designed to support our leaders in developing their understanding of leadership and management skills. You will be expected to attend the following training sessions
- Your Leadership Impact
- Leading your Team to Success
- Leading Into the Future
- Service Improvement for Beginners
- Developing your Service Improvement Skills
- Lean Practitioner
The leadership and improvement programme aims to:
- Explore leadership within the NHS
- Promote Trust values and behaviours
- Develop your leadership effectiveness and skills
- Equip staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to lead and complete service improvements within the scope of your role.
After you complete these six and a half days of training you will be able to explore further leadership and improvement training opportunities. We also offer a range of additional in-house and externally provided courses and bitesize programmes through our Leadership and Improvement Team.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the full job description and person specification document(s) for main responsibilities of the role.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential criteria- To demonstrate expert knowledge of psychological principles relevant to the clinical specialism, through both direct clinical contribution and as a resource to the whole of the multidisciplinary team in terms of patient management.
- Detailed knowledge of the skills and competencies of delivery of at least one evidenced based model of psychological therapy relevant to working with patients with physical health conditions (e.g. CBT, ACT, CFT).
- Well-developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies.
- Well-developed knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practised within the field of psychology
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to relevant client groups and the healthcare system
- Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
Experience
Essential criteria- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatments of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings.
- Experience of carrying out successful audit, research, and service development projects.
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients’ psychological care and treatment, both as an individual practitioner and also within the context of multidisciplinary care.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, (including people with long-term conditions) across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity.
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience in one or more clinical settings.
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Psychologists - Post-graduate doctoral level training in Clinical, Counselling or Health Psychology BPS/HCPC accredited. Psychological Therapists-completed relevant level 2 required for BABCP accreditation .
- Completed training course in clinical supervision and/or accredited to supervise psychological practitioners
- Current registration with the BABCP as a Psychological Therapist or HCPC Registration as a Clinical, Counselling or Health Psychologist
- Additional training beyond entry level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice or therapeutic approach (e.g. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) relevant to the psychological needs of medical patients (at least level 1 training) OR a combination of specialist short courses and/an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a registered body
- Evidence of CPD development
- For Psychological Therapists: A recorded/registered qualification in a core health or social care profession at graduate level (e.g. nursing, social work, occupational therapy) or have passed the Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (KSA) pre-requisite criteria as recognised by the BABCP prior to undertaking post-graduate training. Completed BABCP Level 2 postgraduate training at a level required for BABCP accreditation.
- Attendance at leadership and development programme
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria- Highly effective verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to meet the requirements of clinical governance in the maintenance of high standards of clinical practice in the context of regular exposure to highly distressing experiences and unpleasant working conditions.
- Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and challenging behaviours.
- Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems and verbal and physical abuse.
- A passion and enthusiasm for working with patients in a medical psychology setting
Disclosure and Barring Checks (DBS)
It is now the policy of South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who are new to the Trust who require DBS clearance for the post they have been offered, are required to pay the cost of their DBS. The method of payment for this is via salary deduction from your first month's pay.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve.All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. We welcome applications from the Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Network; LGBT+ Network; Disability and Long-Term Health Conditions Network, Faith Network, Childless not by Choice Network and the Menopause Support Group.
As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you.
If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at [email protected]
The Trust encourages and supports all applicants to be fully vaccinated against both COVID19 and influenza.
Please be aware, there are occasions where some vacancies may close prior to the closing date advertised. This will only happen where sufficient applications are received AND will be made evident on the job advert.
Please note if you are successfully shortlisted, we will contact you via the email address that you have applied from so please ensure you check your emails regularly.
Existing employees of South Tees NHS Foundation Trust currently on the Redeployment Register, who meet the essential criteria for this post, will be shortlisted and interviewed prior to all other applicants.
IMPORTANT - Please ensure you read the 'Guidance Notes for Applicants' document attached to this advert before you start to complete your application form.
This document provides detailed advice regarding the completion of your application form.
The guidance document also provides in detail what identification and certificates you must provide at interview should you be shortlisted.
As part of our pre-employment screening process, all applicants are required to provide references from their last continuous 3 year employment and/or training/education. The referees MUST be a Line Manager/Supervisor. Applicants are requested to ensure email addresses for all referees are included on their application form.Personal references and references from colleagues are not acceptable.
Unfortunately we are unable to respond to all applicants and those who are not contacted within six weeks of the closing date should assume that their application has been unsuccessful.