Are you someone looking to start a career in one of the UK's most respected mental health trusts?
Would you like to be part of a dedicated team committed to those with mental health problems enjoying a better future?
Would you like to do a job that makes a difference every day?
We are looking for an Assistant Psychologist to join the Inpatient Psychology team based at Dewnans Centre, Langdon Hospital, Dawlish.
This role represents an exciting opportunity to join our innovative psychology department at one of the country's most respected providers of secure Mental Health Services.
At Langdon Hospital, psychology is a core and valued profession within our multidisciplinary teams. The Psychology Department is at the heart of developing an innovative multidisciplinary care pathway and therapeutic learning culture for people who work or live here.
The psychology team at Langdon includes experienced and enthusiastic clinical, forensic, counselling psychologists, and arts therapists and assistant psychologists, one each for our 5 wards across the Medium and Low Secure estate.
Forensic mental health settings provide an enviable clinical environment in which to pursue clinical interests and develop specialism in areas such as risk assessment, offence-focused work, individual and group work. The work can involve a range of assessment and therapeutic approaches, modalities, and timeframes.
Main duties of the job
As a Band 4 Assistant Psychologist for the Secure Services Directorate with Devon Partnership NHS Trust, you will be working as part of a psychology team who provide specialist psychological work to people who work or live at Langdon Hospital and developing your clinical and forensic assessment and therapy skills.
As a Band 4 Assistant Psychologist, you will be using your experience of forensic mental health settings to support your development and work alongside the assistant and psychologists in the team. The assistant psychologist role at Langdon involves a significant amount of risk assessment work alongside other opportunities, such as embedding ward mindfulness across the site for staff and patients, 1:1 and group work, audit, and involvement in service development.
About us
We provide mental health, learning disability, and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south-west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high-quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.
We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trust's core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.
We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part-time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity, or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.
Job responsibilities
Job Purpose
The principal purpose of the role is to improve the psychological health & wellbeing of people with mental health difficulties at Langdon Hospital.
This will be achieved in this post by:
1. Providing a Psychology and Psychological Therapies service to the forensic psychiatric service in Langdon Hospital as a key component of integrated mental health and wellbeing services to Devon Partnership Trust.
2. Implementing specific assessment and clinical care packages and providing advice and consultancy to patients, family members, carers, and professionals within standing operating procedures under the supervision and management of a nominated psychologist.
3. The post holder will be supported by their supervisor and line manager and also by senior colleagues within the psychology department. The post holder will be expected to make good use of the expertise of others within the service to further develop their clinical knowledge and skills relevant to a clinical and staff population in a forensic mental health service.
4. To work within professional guidelines and Devon Partnership Trust procedures and protocols.
5. The post holder will receive regular professional and clinical supervision in accordance with Trust policy and to Professional Practice Guidelines set out by the British Psychological Society or appropriate designated Professional Body.
Duties and Responsibilities
Communication & Working Relationships
* Clients, family, and carers: To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner with clients who may have specific difficulties in understanding and/or communicating and who may be distressed.
* Multidisciplinary team colleagues: To work closely with colleagues in the multiprofessional integrated mental health and wellbeing service on a day-to-day basis.
* Health & social care staff: To communicate with a wide range of health & social care staff in hospital and in community settings in a skilled and sensitive manner, complex and sensitive information concerning the assessment, formulation, and treatment plans of clients under the service's care. Under supervision to provide support, training & guidance in the application of psychological principles and techniques, and to foster reflective practice.
* Senior managers & professional staff: To maintain and build good working relationships with senior professional staff and managers in the Secure Services Directorate and in DPT, to foster a positive approach to the integrated mental health and wellbeing service and to enable effective negotiation.
Planning & Organisation
* The psychology and psychological therapies service: With the identified supervisor, to plan and prioritise workload and schedule in accordance with departmental needs. To regularly maintain and review caseload record as part of supervisions.
* The multidisciplinary service: To provide knowledge to the multi-professional planning, development, delivery, and marketing of Secure Services.
Responsibility for Patient/Client Care, Treatment & Therapy
* Assessment & intervention: To make assessments, provide formulations and reports and deliver treatment interventions within a supervised context for individuals, carers, families, and groups, and to demonstrate awareness of diversity issues.
* Consultation & guidance: To provide advice, guidance, and consultation on psychological aspects of patient care to colleagues, other service providers, patients, supporters, and families.
Policy, Service, Research & Development Responsibility
* The post holder is responsible for their own actions, acting within Trust policies and procedures and Professional Practice Guidelines, working within clearly defined occupational procedures and structures.
* Policy & service: To follow policy guidance in own role and to comment on proposed policy changes and service developments.
* R & D: To undertake service-relevant research and development activity agreed within the Secure Services Directorate, and to organise personal or service-led R & D, surveys, and related activities as required.
Responsibility for Finance, Equipment & Other Resources
* Careful use of equipment, including psychometric tests within the psychology department and wider Directorate.
Responsibility for Supervision, Leadership & Management
* Leadership & supervision: To adhere to professional and local guidelines on supervision and management. To assist the work of less experienced assistants &/or trainees as required. To role model and provide support and consultation to health and social care colleagues when agreed.
Information Resources & Administrative Duties
* To maintain accurate records in accordance with professional and local guidelines and policies.
* To be responsible for using an email account to generate, monitor, and respond to the e-mail traffic by which the Trust conducts much of its internal communication.
* To support administrative processes within the psychology department associated with the operation and delivery of the clinical service.
Any Other Specific Tasks Required
* To ensure all clinical care and treatment provided by psychologists is carried out under appropriate supervision and leadership.
* To ensure that all psychologists continuously update the skills and techniques relevant to their clinical work.
Review of this Job Description
This job description is intended as an outline indicator of general areas of activity and will be amended in the light of changing service needs. This job description is to be reviewed in conjunction with the post holder on an annual basis.
General Information
Confidentiality
The post holder will maintain appropriate confidentiality of information relating to the Trust, individuals, and Patient information. The post holder will be expected to comply with all aspects of the Data Protection Act.
Equality & Diversity
Devon Partnership NHS Trust is committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all staff and for those who access services. You must work in accordance with equal opportunity policies/procedures and promote the equality and diversity agenda of the Devon Partnership Trust.
Risk Management / Health and Safety
Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, ensure that agreed safety procedures are carried out and maintain a safe environment for employees, patients, and visitors.
Records Management
The post holder has responsibility for the timely and accurate creation, maintenance, and storage of records in accordance with Trust policy, including email documents and with regard to the Data Protection Act, The Freedom of Information Act, and any other relevant statutory requirements.
Clinical Governance
The post holder will be expected to participate in clinical governance activities to assist the Trust to provide high-quality services.
Person Specification
Other
* Ability and motivation to work independently within defined occupational procedures and use initiative within a forensic mental health service.
* Ability to work as a member of a clinical team and to work collaboratively, flexibly, and supportively.
* Ability to tolerate ambiguity, and maintain own morale and motivation in challenging service delivery contexts.
* Ability and experience of reflecting on practice and to understand, to respond and to be receptive to the process of professional development.
* Understanding that clinical supervisors and line management may change and that this role is not restricted to one ward area within the Forensic Service at Langdon Hospital.
* A willingness to receive training in patient restraint if required, and to support the clinical team in a manner appropriate to the role of assistant psychologist.
Knowledge and skills
* Excellent verbal, nonverbal, and written communication skills.
* Ability to integrate complex data; make evaluations, formulations, and decisions.
* Organisation and time management skills.
* Small-scale project management.
Experience
* Experience of working with a vulnerable client group either in a paid or unpaid capacity.
* Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality.
* Experience gained during supervised training of working in applied psychology.
* Experience of teaching, training, and/or supervision.
* Experience that can enrich the role and delivery of a psychological service.
Qualifications
* BA or BSc in Psychology eligible recognized by the British Psychological Society.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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