Clinical/Counselling Psychologist
As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.
We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £250m estates programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.
In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train.The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.
We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.
We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.
At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.
As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.
Job overview
We are seeking to recruit a Qualified Clinical/Counselling Psychologist for an exciting opportunity in Cancer Care at University Hospitals Dorset. We are looking to recruit an experienced qualified Clinical/Counselling Psychologist who is interested in an opportunity to develop leadership and project management skills, as well as work within a multidisciplinary environment to effect service change at Band 8a.We will also consider newly qualified candidates at a Band 7 who can demonstrate they have contributed to service development in a multidisciplinary physical healthcare environment.
You will lead two new projects to enhance psychosocial support for cancer patients in Dorset. These initiatives focus on reducing the psychological impact of treatment for Haematological Malignancy and addressing psychological barriers to cancer treatment across all tumour groups.You will collaborate with the Team Lead on project development and receive support from an Assistant Psychologist.
This is a full-time position, with options for part-time or job share. Funding is secured for 18 months, with potential to use project outcomes to expand psychologist provision, possibly extending the contract or making the role permanent.
Applicants who have less than 2 years experience as a qualified clinical psychologist may be offered a Band 7 role if appropriate.
Base Location: Forest Holme Hospice, Poole and Bournemouth Hospital
Main duties of the job
You will develop relationships with the Cancer MDTs and ward based clinicians to identify and support people affected by cancer, as well as provide opportunities for improving psychological screening and support provided by other healthcare professionals.The work will involve supporting the emotional impact of the work on healthcare clinicians where necessary, and influencing the treatment environment to
support trauma-informed care. You will provide a safe and effective evidence-based Level 4 psychological support service to individuals, couples and families who are affected by a diagnosis of cancer in line with NICE Guidance on Cancer Care Services, Improving Supportive and Palliative Care for Adults.You will work closely within our team comprised of Clinical Psychologist and Team Lead, Counsellors, Systemic Family Psychotherapist, and a Social Worker. We all work alongside multidisciplinary professionals providing nursing, medical and therapeutic care.
Working for our organisation
Our values define who we are as #TeamUHD. They underpin everything we do now and in the future. They define how we treat our patients, visitors, and each other, our valued teammates and colleagues.
UHD are investing in services across the Trust, with many being transformed and developed following merger and the New Hospital Programme.
This means that some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or long term. Recruiting Managers interviewing for this role will be happy to answer any specific questions that you have about this at interview.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To understand the role in more detail please read the full job description and person specification documents which are attached to this advert.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Post-graduate doctoral training in clinical or counselling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS
- HCPC registered practitioner psychologist
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice
Experience
Essential criteria- Assessed experience of working as a qualified clinical or counselling psychologist
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients’ psychological care and treatment
- Post-qualification experience of working in clinical health psychology, preferably including cancer and palliative care
- Experience of providing clinical supervision, teaching and training.
Technical Skills and Competencies
Essential criteria- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
- Ability to work across the lifespan, with individuals, couples and groups
Knowledge
Desirable criteria- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
Please note:
Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands.
This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received.
COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.
Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions.