Consultant Practitioner Psychologist Acute Care - West Sussex

Welcome from our Chief Executive

This involves helping us achieve our strategy to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve through People, Prevention and Partnerships.

So what can we offer you in return?

We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

As a Trust we are committed in making a difference. Your development is important to us, so don't forget to ask us during interview what opportunities we can offer. We can offer fully funded lifelong learning opportunities such as an apprenticeship from GCSE to Masters level.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Job overview

Consultant Practitioner Psychologist (Clinical or counselling) Adult Mental Health Acute and Urgent care services, West Sussex.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an HCPC registered Consultant (Band 8c) Clinical or Counselling psychologist to take a leadership role in urgent and acute care pathway in West Sussex. We have 5 adult wards over 3 locations, 3 CRHT's, 3 MHLT's and associated Havens.

There will be a strong emphasis on providing good leadership and strategy around referral pathways; workforce; and outcome data.

Those applying will have experience in an acute setting, and examples of strong leadership in previous acute or urgent care roles. The candidate will have demonstrated experience and skills in supporting service users presenting with high risk and complexity.

The trust has a number of workstreams currently around the development of therapeutic wards, and have signed up to the national "culture of care" programme. It is an exciting time to join colleagues and teams as we progress this work.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will work as part of the multi-disciplinary acute and urgent care leadership team.

We are looking for a candidate who is committed to working in partnership with service users, their family/carers, staff, the local ICB and service providers across the health and social care system to provide high quality, innovative and joined-up care for people with mental health problems and their families.

West Sussex acute services has some exciting development work both locally and nationally. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to become involved in this work. This includes the recent PPN South East crisis team work, which has been led by the Professional lead in the area; the development of a structured care pathway in CEN; and the use of data and QI projects to ascertain and roll out best practice.

Working for our organisation

The successful applicant will join a friendly, highly-skilled and enthusiastic community of applied psychologists within West Sussex and a broader, highly experienced Psychology leadership network across Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

You will be encouraged to contribute to the Psychology strategies and developments in West Sussex including our Diversity and Inclusion strategy and Staff Wellbeing strategy.

If it works for you and works for the role, we'll do our best to make it happen.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health, forensic and learning disability services in and across Sussex. The Trust has teaching status and is developing into one of the country’s leading teaching mental health trusts. Psychological therapies are highly valued in Sussex Partnership and Psychological therapists occupy a range of senior positions across the Trust, it is a great Trust to work in as a Psychologist.

We would welcome informal visits and / or a telephone call to tell you more about our service and this post. The Trust has been rated by the CQC as Good overall and Outstanding for care.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained before 1996 or outside the UK] as approved by the HCPC, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
• Post-graduate doctoral level training in a recognised psychological therapy [or equivalent postgraduate level qualification with further experience and/or training], leading to recognised professional accreditation in Systemic Family Therapy (AFT), Child Psychotherapy (ACP or UKCP), Art Therapy (HCPC), Play Therapy (BAPT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (BABCP), or Psychotherapeutic Counselling (BACP or UKCP).
• Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology
• Accredited / registered with professional body / regulator as detailed above

Knowledge/Experience

• Doctoral level knowledge of applied psychology and psychological therapy including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology
• Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological practice
• Assessed extensive experience of working as a qualified or registered Practioner psychologist, Psychotherapist or psychological therapist, including significant post-qualification experience within the Specific Care Group/Service
• Demonstrable knowledge of the theory and practice of leadership and management in mental health services
• Extensive experience of providing successful clinical leadership within a multidisciplinary mental health provider context
• High level knowledge of national policy frameworks and initiatives and the mental health economy within which the Trust services are provided

Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.

We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.

It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.

Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.