Job summary
We are seeking dynamic and motivated Assistant Psychologists who are enthusiastic about working with and improving the quality of life of adults with intellectual disability to join our multi-disciplinary teams (MDT). One post is within the Community Learning Disabilities Team (CLDT) based in Warrington (Wakefield House), and the other at Prescot (Willis House). The successful applicants will work under the supervision of clinical psychologists within the respective teams.
These roles will involve supporting the work of the multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) alongside self-advocates, their families and/or carers, as appropriate. Our MDTs are holistically minded in respect to care, understanding, and support provided. We have an active group of Assistant Psychologists within our Community Learning Disability Services who meet regularly. We also meet regularly as a broader pan borough team of psychologists working within this specialism. There are opportunities for professional skills development and engagement in service-related projects.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate's role will involve supporting and enhancing the psychological care of clients within the service, proactively addressing psychological needs. The role comprises psychological assessment, formulation and intervention, audit and service evaluation, and administrative support as required.
The successful candidate will receive excellent support and regular supervision from a qualified Clinical Psychologist and training opportunities for continuing professional development. The team have good links with the Liverpool, Lancaster, and Manchester Doctoral Programmes. Applicants should hold a good honours degree, which confers Graduate Basis for Registration of the British Psychological Society. The ability means and willingness to travel between multiple sites in the course of performing duties is essential in this post. The role will involve regular travel across multiple sites in the Mersey Care mid-Mersey catchment area. Therefore, the post holder must be able to meet the travel requirements of this post. Please indicate on your application how you meet this requirement.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful candidates role will involve supporting and enhancing the psychological care of clients within the service, proactively addressing psychological needs. The role comprises psychological assessment, formulation and intervention, audit and service evaluation, and administrative support as required.
The successful candidate will receive excellent support and regular supervision from a qualified Clinical Psychologist and training opportunities for continuing professional development. The team have good links with the Liverpool, Lancaster, and Manchester Doctoral Programmes. Applicants should hold a good honours degree, which confers Graduate Basis for Registration of the British Psychological Society. The ability means and willingness to travel between multiple sites in the course of performing duties is essential in this post. The role will involve regular travel across multiple sites in the Mersey Care mid-Mersey catchment area. Therefore, the post holder must be able to meet the travel requirements of this post. Please indicate on your application how you meet this requirement.
Clinical
To support Clinical Psychologists undertaking psychological assessments of clients applying psychologically based psychometric tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.
To assist in the formulation and delivery of interventions involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems, under the supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist, in a community setting, as appropriate.
Having received instruction through supervision, to provide one-to-one consultations with service users, working autonomously within the limits of this instruction and within personal competence.
To use a degree of initiative and work independently with service users on planned work, and to exercise judgement based on good practice (NICE) and local operating procedures.
To work with potentially distressing material in relation to service users personal histories and presentation, including risk to self and others.
Preparing agreed assessment reports accurately in the accepted format.
Where required, to assist in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.
In common with all professional psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.
To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties through engagement with CPD opportunities and self-guided learning
To contribute to the training and support of other staff.
To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.
To attend MDT meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.
To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.
To undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
To undertake searches of evidence-based literature and research to assist qualified professional psychologists in evidence based practice in individual work and work with other professionals.
To contribute to the development and maintenance of high professional standards of practice, through active participation in training and development programmes, in consultation with the supervisor.
To maintain clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice of the British Psychological Society and Trust policies and procedures.
To prepare test materials and visual aids as required.
To undertake specific administrative duties as required.
The post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients, staff and other Trust business in accordance professional codes of conduct and relevant legislation such as the Data Protection Act.
Promote the concepts of equality of opportunity and managing diversity Trust wide.
Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed upon them under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, paying due regard to health and safety in the workplace and management of risk to maintain a safe working environment for patients, visitors and employees.
Maintain consistent high professional standards and act in accordance with the relevant code of professional conduct (if applicable). Employees are expected to participate in the performance review process.
Support the development of performance standards within the Service/Department to ensure the service is responsive to and meeting the needs of its customers.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. A First or Upper Second honours degree in psychology OR a lower class with a post-graduate qualification. (, Masters degree)
2. Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (GBR)
3. ECDL or demonstrable proficiency with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Publisher and SPSS
Desirable
4. Degree included study of psychopathology/clinical/forensic issues.
5. Further training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice, positive behaviour support, autism, personality disorder and/or research design and analysis.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
6. Knowledge of psychological approaches to working with people with learning disability who have mental health needs or behaviours that challenge (, Positive Behaviour Support, Trauma Informed Care, Person Centred Care etc)
7. Good written and spoken English
8. Good keyboard skills
9. Good inter-personal skills
10. Good organisational skills
11. Ability to carry out instructions, use own initiative but recognise own limits and can utilise and tolerate supervision effectively
Desirable
12. Has experience of face-to-face work within psychology, mental health and/or with clients with behaviours that challenge
13. Has experience of working in a hospital or learning disability setting, such as supported accommodation or residential home
14. Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team/ experience of working alongside staff from other disciplines
15. Has worked with clinical psychologists and/or mental health professionals and has an awareness of professional standards/issues
16. Experience of research methods, audit or other service evaluation techniques
Values
Essential
17. Continuous Improvement Engaging leadership style
18. Accountability
19. Respectfulness
20. Enthusiasm
21. Support
22. High professional standards
23. Responsive to service users
24. Strong customer service belief
25. Transparency and honesty
26. Discreet
27. Change oriented
Skills
Essential
28. High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive
29. An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and/or behaviours that challenge
30. An understanding of psychology applied to health care
31. Able to use library effectively, conduct literature searches, etc
32. Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively
33. Recognises the limits of own competence and need for supervision
34. Ability and willingness to travel for work
Desirable
35. Experience using computers for databases or data-analysis, especially SPSS for Windows
36. An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a learning disability context
37. High standard of report writing