Clinical Psychologist
Job overview
We are looking for skilled, compassionate people to join our team in this exciting role.
The Clinical Psychologist will play an important part in providing a specialist psychology service to the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Service (London), including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation, and monitoring of outcomes.
The post can be full or part time, permanent or on secondment. Please tell us your preference in your supporting information.
The Cass Review recommended that gender service staff should maintain a broad clinical perspective by working across related NS services, so that the care of children and young people with gender-related distress is within the broader context of child and adolescent health.We encourage part time applications from staff already working in other NHS services. Alternatively, we will work with successful candidates applying for full time roles to agree a job plan that includes a mix of gender service activity and activity in another clinical area in one of the hub providers.
The service is delivered by a wide multi-disciplinary team. Children and young people receive an in-depth assessment of their needs, and a care plan is developed, offering them a range of care interventions. Our team also liaises with health professionals in local services nearer to the child or young person.
The Children and Young People’s Service (London) is delivered by a partnership of Evelina London Children’s Hospital (part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust), Great Ormond Street Hospital, and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
Main duties of the job
Successful candidates will have experience with psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature relevant to the needs of CYP with Gender Diversity.
The post holder will provide specialist psychology support to the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Service (London), including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation, and monitoring of outcomes and be a source of clinical expertise to the multi- disciplinary team.The post offers opportunities to take a key role in a number of exciting service development and research initiatives.
Working for our organisation
Following the recommendations of The Cass Review Interim Report, three new nationally networked services led by specialist children’s tertiary care providers have been established. Further regional centres will open soon. The London centre is delivered by a partnership of Evelina London Children’s Hospital (part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust), Great Ormond Street Hospital, and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.
We are committed to promoting an environment that embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. We would like all our families and staff to feel valued and respected because we try to understand and provide for their individual needs.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Children and young people will receive an in-depth assessment of their needs, and a care plan will be developed with them and, if needed, those supporting them. Children and young people may be offered a range of care interventions such as therapy, family therapy, physical health support, or mental health support for any identified difficulties they may want help with.The team will also liaise with health professionals in local services nearer to the child or young person.
It is expected that the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Service will continue to change and evolve as more learning, research and evidence is developed in this area, and therefore we would encourage applications from individuals with a passion for service improvement, audit and research.
Person specification
Academic/Professional qualification/Training
Essential criteria- • Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration.
- Clinical psychologist: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent;
- Counselling psychologist: Doctorate or MSc and PG Diploma in Counselling Psychology
- • Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist.
Experience/Knowledge
Essential criteria- • Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs
- • Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature relevant to the needs of CYP with Gender Diversity
- • Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience.
- • Experience of developing and carrying out research projects.
- • Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment of mental health conditions common in young people with gender diversity
- • Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics.
- • Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
- • Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis.
- • Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
- • The Trust encourages and welcomes applications from people with lived experience
Skills/Abilities
Essential criteria- • To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
- • To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
- • To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
- • To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews.
- • To plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists.
- • To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials.
- • Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data.
- • Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
- • Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
- • Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these.
- • Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
- • Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed at self.
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.