Specialist Paediatric Clinical Psychologist

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity for a senior clinical psychologist to join the Long Term Health psychology team, which is part of the Psychological and Mental Health Services department at Great Ormond Street Hospital (PAMHS). You will be working in a senior role within the cancer stream, offering psychological assessment, formulation and intervention to children, young people and families living with cancer and other serious health conditions.

You will be working with the Long Term Health team (a team of paediatric clinical psychologists) who offer psychological input to children under the care of several medical specialties, including cancer, cardiology and palliative care. In addition to your work with the cancer team you will contribute to the flexible delivery of psychology services across the stream, in response to new developments and organisational changes.

You will provide supervision of junior colleagues, including offering regular training placements at GOSH for the local clinical psychology doctorate courses.

Main duties of the job

As a psychology team we draw on a range of therapeutic modalities including Narrative therapy, CBT, Systemic, ACT, Compassion focussed therapy, attachment and mentalisation based approaches. There are opportunities to work in creative formulation driven ways with young people and families and you will have the opportunity to offer individual, family, parent and group psychological intervention as part of this role as well as the opportunities to work with external agencies and within GOSH MDT’s.

Utilisation of research skills for audit, policy and service development and research is encouraged.

Experience in providing supervision and line management is essential. Experience in working with and within teams supporting individuals with life-limiting conditions is essential.

Working for our organisation

GOSH is committed to recruiting the best person for the job, based solely on their ability and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the role; through a process that is fair, open, consistent and free from bias and discrimination.

We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture where all staff are valued, respected and acknowledged. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability status or length of time spent unemployed.

We particularly welcome applications from BAME communities, people with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions and LGBT+ community members.

We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants and employees are treated fairly and consistently. We are proud to be accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, a member of Business Disability Forum and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

All of our staff networks are open to any employee.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents, please see those attached.

Person specification

GOSH Culture and Values

• Our Always values | Always welcoming | Always helpful | Always expert | Always one team
• Knowledge and Understanding of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
• Understanding of Diversity and Inclusion challenges in the workplace.
• Demonstrable contribution to advancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Academic/Professional qualification/Training

• Good honours degree in Psychology.
• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS/HCPC, including clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, and lifespan developmental psychology.
• Eligibility for Chartered status and membership of the Division of Clinical Psychology
• Registration with the Health and Care Professionals Council as Practitioner Psychologist.
• Post–doctoral training and recorded CPD experience and /or further qualifications in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
• Formal training in supervision of other psychologists.

Skills/Abilities

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their carers, and other professionals.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to distressing situations and challenging behaviours.
• Evidence of skilled and productive multidisciplinary team working
• Ability to maintain a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, including verbal abuse
• Evidence of specialised psychological therapeutic skills as used in complex cases within paediatrics

• Evidence of service development and team leadership skills
• Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings

Knowledge and Experience

• Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist at specialist level
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity
• Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
• Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts and of working in a multicultural framework
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to children and young people and child protection
• Experience of supervising junior Psychologists including Assistant Psychologists, Trainee Clinical Psychologists, undergraduate Psychology Placement Students and/or other professionals
• Experience and expertise in working with children who have life limiting and life threatening conditions, including experience of bereavement work
• Experience and expertise of working with children and/or adults with physical health conditions

• Experience of presenting psychology to multidisciplinary audiences at conferences or other educational settings.
• Experience of providing staff support
• Experience of teaching or training

Please be advised that:

The recruitment process for all admin and clerical roles at Bands 2-4 will be a two stage recruitment process whereby shortlisted candidates will undertake an online literacy, numeracy, ICT and typing test. Only those candidates who pass the competency test will proceed to a formal interview.

The closing date given is a guide only. There may be some occasions where we have to close a vacancy once sufficient applications have been received. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification criteria for this post will be shortlisted. Please note that where high volumes of applicants have been received, additional criteria may on occasion be used to determine the final shortlist.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

We are an accredited Living Wage Employer.