Band 8b Clinical/Counselling Psychologist - Bristol, N. Som & S. Glos

Job overview

Later Life Inpatient Psychology Lead, BNSSG: Clinical or Counselling Psychologist

Band 8b (0.4-0.6WTE)

We are looking for a dynamic and enthusiastic lead for Later Life Inpatient Psychology to oversee psychological and psychologically-informed care for older people on AWP wards covering Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

The successful candidate will need strong leadership skills in order to build relationships and achieve the ambitions of inpatient transformation

Main duties of the job

To develop, co-ordinate and ensure the psychological provision for older people on BNSSG wards, primarily overseeing specialist later life ward care but also considering care for older people who are admitted to other acute mental health wards or psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs).

To use strong leadership skills to ensure that ongoing Inpatient Transformation projects relevant to psychology meet the needs of older people.

As agreed, to provide clinical/managerial supervision to later life inpatient psychologists and to provide specialist consultation to the wider system.

To collaborate in covering inpatient psychology management tasks, as delegated by the Divisional lead for Inpatient Psychological therapies.

To personally provide highly specialist clinical input through carrying a small caseload.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To promote service evaluation, audit, research and policy development.

Working for our organisation

We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.

We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached job description and key local information sheet for further information about this role.

• Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology qualification or equivalent qualification in Clinical Psychology.
• Registered by the HCPC.
• Relevant Specialist CPD training.

• Substantial post-qualification experience working with older people.
• Experience of Lecturing/Teaching/Training Psychologists and other professions.
• Supervision experience with Trainee Clinical Psychologists.
• Supervision experience with other professions.
• Care Co-ordination or equivalent role.
• R& D relevant to role.
• Service development/project leadership/ clinical leadership.

• Experience of working on wards or equivalent services supporting people in acute distress through a multidisciplinary approach.

• Extensive knowledge of specialist therapeutic interventions with client group.
• Specialist assessment and formulation skills.
• Expert in analysis and differential formulation of highly complex case information.
• Specialist training in clinical supervision.

• Ability to use computer spreadsheets for data analysis.
• Ability to use computer software to perform specialist / advanced data analysis of clinical data.

• Effective team player with good communication and liaison skills.
• Advanced skills at engaging with/communicating sensitively to clients who exhibit severe problems of interpersonal relating.
• Ability to cope with workload pressure/prioritise workload.
• Self-awareness and emotional resilience.
• Skills in personal supervision.
• Ability to cope with the stress of working with a difficult, potentially hostile, emotionally and behaviourally disturbed client group.

Person specification

Education nad Qualification

• Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology qualification or equivalent qualification in Clinical/Counselling Psychology.
• Registered by the HCPC.
• Relevant Specialist CPD training

Experience

• Substantial post qualification experience working with Older People
• Experience of Lecturing/Teaching/Training Psychologists and other professions.
• Supervision experience with Trainee Clinical Psychologists and other professions
• Service development/project leadership/ clinical leadership

Specialised knowledge

• Extensive knowledge of specialist therapeutic interventions with client group

This includes people with a variety of disabilities and neurodivergent conditions (for example autism, ADHD, sensory, physical and learning disabilities).

We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service users.

Click here to view our applicant guidance

Please apply to join us, we would love to hear from you. Any personal details you supply to us are kept safe in line with the General Data Protection Regulations.

Adverts normally close for application a few minutes before midnight on the closing date and we will let you know if we are offering you an interview by email via our recruitment system ‘TRAC’. We contact all applicants within 4 weeks after the closing date, so please check your emails regularly once you have submitted your application; you are welcome to contact us, via the TRAC system, if you have any queries about your application.

Please note the use of AI is monitored and if you have used it in your application you are required to declare this.