Clinical Psychologist

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity to join the Acute Pathways within the Older People and Frailty Division at a time of expansion of the psychology workforce within the Division. Two posts are available; one aligned to the dementia acute pathway comprising the dementia inpatient ward and dementia home treatment team, and one post aligned to the mental health acute pathway comprising the mental health inpatient ward and mental health home treatment team. You will be supported by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist for Acute Pathways and will work alongside specialist multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) including Occupational Therapists, Psychiatric Nurses and Assistants, Advanced Clinical Practitioners, Consultant Psychiatrists, Pharmacists, and Service Managers. Both wards and home treatment teams are based at Witham Court, North Hykeham which is a hub for the Division. As such you will have close links with other services in the Division allowing for multi-disciplinary support, and there is also scope for some remote working.

We welcome applications from newly qualified Clinical Psychologists as well as Trainee Clinical Psychologists in their final year of doctoral training. Depending on experience, successful candidates will commence the post at either Band 7 in a developmental role for progression to Band 8a upon completion of a competency framework, or commence at Band 8a with existing experience and skills to match the person specification.

Main duties of the job

• Be part of specialist MDTs across the acute services, in either the mental health or dementia pathways.
• Provide a qualified clinical psychology service for older people within the acute pathways with either mental health or dementia presentations. This will include specialist assessment and formulation, and provision of brief interventions, as well as evaluation of the services provided.
• Contribute to multi-disciplinary decision making around service user progression through the pathway based on assessment and formulation, and risk assessment and safety planning.
• Be supported by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist to facilitate staff groups focused on formulation development and reflective practice.
• Provide psychological consultation and opinion to members of the MDT in the inpatient and home treatment teams. This will aid development of psychological formulation and understanding across the teams, and support with care planning.
• Undertake and contribute to risk assessment and safety planning for individual service users.
• Support implementation of evidence based practice, and utilise research skills for audit and service evaluations.
• Contribute to engagement with carers/families/relatives recognising their role in service user care.
• Contribute to service development around trauma informed care and inpatient transformation.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

In addition to the above, the post holder will:

• Complete evaluations of the service provided which may include completion of outcome measures and other forms of evaluation as appropriate, or contribute to the development of suitable measures if none currently exist.
• Contribute to engagement with carers/families/relatives through development and maintenance of trusting and supportive relationships.
• Contribute to delivery of teaching and training.
• Work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for clinical governance of own work according to Trust policies.
• Receive and participate in regular clinical and management supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.
• Plan and prioritise own clinical workload, service activities, supervision needs, and continuing professional development in the best interests of the service being provided.
• Contribute to professional leadership including provision of clinical supervision to Assistant Psychologists, Trainee Clinical Psychologists and other clinical staff, as required, with the possibility of providing managerial supervision to Assistant Psychologists.