[ref. f72061622] Clinical Psychologist - University College London

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Job overview

Band 7 Clinical Psychologist (15 hrs per week)

The paediatric and adolescent psychological service at University College Hospitals is looking for a Clinical Psychologist with a specialist interest in paediatrics to work in the team, on a fixed term basis until 08-01-2026. You will be part of a lively and experienced team with a strong commitment to research and creative ways of working.

The post holder will have an opportunity to attend systemic seminars, monthly in-house CPD and to be part of a range of multi-disciplinary teams.

Main duties of the job

The role is to provide specialist assessment and therapy with children and young people affected by a range of chronic health conditions, with a specific focus on oncology.

There will also be opportunities for group work, training and consultation to other professionals. We are not able to offer visits to the department however we welcome discussions with potential candidates.

Working for our organisation

Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.

We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:

• University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
• National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
• University College Hospital Grafton Way Building
• Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
• University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
• University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street

We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women’s health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.

We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*

• In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England – for the second year in a row.

UCLH top trust to work at in England – for the second year running! University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Once again, UCLH has received the highest score of all general acute and acute/community NHS trusts in England for staff that would recommend us as a place to work.

To discover more about what makes UCLH a great place to work, visit: Why Choose UCLH?

Person specification

Knowledge and Qualifications

• Honours degree in psychology or related disciplines, and a Doctorate and/or PhD level in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) (acquired as part of the clinical training).
• Registered Practitioner Psychologist by the HPC. High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies, including Narrative Therapy.
• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management, including neuropsychological assessments.
• Knowledge of specialised assessment and therapeutic approaches in a Specialist Paediatric Service.
• Ability to make diagnostic decisions, give second opinions and make differential diagnoses as part of multidisciplinary assessments.
• Knowledge of research methodology, research design and data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.

• Completed a training course in narrative group work, e.g. Tree of Life or Beads of Life.

Experience

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including community, primary care, outpatient and inpatient settings.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
• Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
• Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
• Ability to work with interpreters.
• Experience of working with and promoting diversity.

• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Experience of running narrative groups, including beading groups

Skills and Abilities

• Previous experience of research indicating the ability to conduct research autonomously, with supervision as required.
• Ability to critique and evaluate scientific data and best practice clinical guidelines.
• Advanced IT skills (including video editing, word processing, spreadsheets, statistical packages).

Communication

• A high level of interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrates professional and effective verbal and written communication skills including excellent negotiation skills with patients, carers and other health professional staff in service delivery.
• Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS where information may be highly sensitive and there may be barriers to acceptance.
• Evidence of working well in multidisciplinary teams.
• Evidence of effective clinical reasoning in the assessment and management of young people living in complex systems.

Personal and People Development

• Skills in supervising other staff.

Responsibilities towards promoting Equality Diversity and Inclusion

• All posts to include Demonstratable understanding of the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and/or Knowledge of the NHS obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duties.

Ensure the risk of infection to self, colleagues, patients, relatives and visitors is minimised by:

• Being familiar with, and adhering to Trust policies and guidance on infection prevention and control.
• Completing all required training and education (both via e-learning and face to face) on infection prevention and control.
• Including infection prevention and control as an integral part of your continuous personal/professional development and included in your annual appraisal
• Taking personal responsibility so far as is reasonably practicable, in helping ensure that effective prevention and control of health care associated infections is embedded into everyday practice and applied consistently.

Specific Requirements

• Must be able to cope with highly emotive and psychologically challenging demands of working with children/young people with disability and for long periods of time.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people in a sensitive, caring and non-judgemental manner.

At UCLH, we have a real ‘One Team’ ethos, and our values – safety, kindness, teamwork and improving, are central to the way we work. This is supported by our staff, who voted us as the #1 NHS Acute Trust to work for in the whole of England.

Applications are encouraged from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives to support our world class research, innovation and creativity.

UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff and has a dedicated policy which allows staff to apply for flexible working right from the beginning of employment. For more information please go to: https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/work-with-us/why-choose-uclh/flexible-working.

We offer our permanent staff an interest free season ticket loan for travel, all our staff have access to free independent and confidential support, large retail discounts, a staff discount platform, cycle to work scheme and on-site accommodation to name a few.

Additionally, UCLH Arts and Heritage’s staff wellbeing programme, Creative Comfort, offers a variety of ways to engage with the arts as a member of UCLH staff. You can try out the weekly choir, weekly art club and join the Culture Club for exclusive access to free and discounted tickets for opera, exhibitions, theatre and more.

We recognise, reward and thank colleagues by nominating them for our annual Celebrating Excellence Awards, which are funded by UCLH Charity.

We are also members of www.mytrustbenefits.co.uk/ which offers discounts on high street retail stores, offers on travel deals, and also to take advantage of cash back schemes.

This vacancy may close before the current listed closing date. You are advised not to delay submitting your completed application.

Please note that all correspondence regarding your application will be via email. The emails will be sent to you via TRAC.jobs and not via NHS Jobs, we encourage you to check your inbox regularly.

Please note that if you are at present in a training position on the 2016 new junior doctor’s contract and are applying for a Trust doctor role your salary will not be pay protected.

You will be placed on the appropriate point of the Trust Doctor pay scale based on your previous experience.

Please note that if you have not heard from us within 3 weeks of the closing date of the advert to assume that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.