Principal Clinical/Forensic/Counselling Psychologist
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
This is an opportunity for someone who is keen to use their leadership and psychological skills in a fast-paced MDT environment. The role is suitable for those who put patient care and recovery at the centre of their practice.
As the Principal Psychologist across two in-patient areas (Hallam Street Hospital and Penn Hospital), you will offer leadership support and clinical supervision to other psychologists working in these settings. You will also provide your clinical skills to support MDTs, direct psychological care with patients, and work systemically with ward-based staff and wider urgent care psychology services.
You will join a wider team of dedicated urgent care psychologists (clinical, forensic, and counselling) who work across in-patients, Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Mental Health Liaison Teams (MHLS), and Crisis and Home Treatment Teams (CRHTT).
BCHFT is committed to investment in our Psychology staff, providing access to a psychology-specific dedicated CPD budget to support your professional growth.
Main duties of the job
This post will allow you to take a key role in further developing and enhancing the psychological offer within the in-patient setting. Your role will involve working on the wards and engaging in individual client work including psychological assessments, formulation, care planning, interventions, and risk assessments and management within the context of MDT working. You will also work systemically with the MDT in facilitating reflective practice groups and developing and delivering training packages. If successful, you will oversee Senior Psychologists, Assistant Psychologists, and Trainee Psychologists within the service areas, providing opportunities to strengthen your supervisory and leadership skills. You will be supported by the Consultant Psychologist for Urgent Care.
As a Principal Psychologist, there are also opportunities to get involved in organisational and service development work streams, encouraging you to look beyond your team and support the wider system.
About us
BCHFT is a relatively new organisation formed in 2020 from two legacy Trusts (Black Country Partnership and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Trusts). Across the organisation, there is a strong leadership structure for psychology supported by Divisional Leads for Psychology and the Director of Therapies. We have a robust trust-wide Consultant Psychology leadership team who support strategic developments across the organisation, as well as offering support to the family of psychological professional staff.
We are highly regarded by colleagues of all professions within our services and are the 'go-to' people for complex problems and creative ideas to make a difference to staff, patients, and carers.
Job responsibilities
We are looking for an applied clinical/forensic/counselling psychologist who is keen to apply their knowledge and skills in an in-patient setting. Good team working skills are essential.
Support to the post holder will come from within the well-established urgent care psychology team, which has existed in various iterations of the Trust since 1998. Beyond the urgent care psychology team lies a wider Mental Health Divisional team of community-based psychological practitioners, Physical Health Psychologists, and specialist services such as perinatal mental health and early intervention.
Person Specification
Qualifications, knowledge and skills
* Post-graduate doctoral level training in Applied Psychology (or its equivalent as accredited by the BPS including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies, and lifespan developmental psychology)
* HCPC registration
* Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees
* Evidence of continuing professional development
* Experience working as a qualified applied psychologist within the designated service, including a wide variety of client groups across the whole life course and a range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings.
* Liaison and joint working with statutory, voluntary, and private sector agencies
* Research and development experience
* Experience of training and teaching others
* Active participation in quality improvement and service governance initiatives
* Experience in risk assessment and management
* Demonstrable evidence of Trust behaviours
* Demonstrable evidence of good communication skills
* BPS / ACP membership
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, and 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.
Job Locations
Hallam Street Hospital and Penn Hospital
Part-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours
Reference number
285-5977-MH
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