Job summary
Anexciting opportunity has arisenwithin Peartree Neurological Specialist Community Servicefor an enthusiastic Clinical Psychologist to join our highly developed inter-disciplinary community team on a part-time basis. This role is being offered as a Band 6 or 7. Thiswould be an ideal role for a newly qualified clinical psychologist who wouldlike to develop a career in neuropsychology.
PeartreeHouse is an independent specialist unit based in Southampton, dedicated toproviding assessment and rehabilitation to people with an acquired brain injuryor neurological condition, with the aim of reintegration into the community,family, social, education and work settings. The post-holder would haveopportunities to work with our community service. Thepost-holder will be supervised by our community manager andwork closely alongside our dynamic and supportive multi-disciplinary team,which includes Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and LanguageTherapy, and Nursing. The post-holder would be supported to pursue formal trainingin neuropsychology (QiCN) with protected study time and opportunities for theservice to contribute towards course fees.
The post benefits from sick pay and company pension scheme.
Main duties of the job
The post-holderwill help provide a neuropsychology service to Peartree House clients, whilstalso offering assessment/intervention to those who are supported within ourPeartree Community service. This may require some travel to see clients intheir own homes.
You willbe expected to work autonomously whilst providing a range of specialistcognitive, behavioural and emotional assessments and rehabilitation to clients.You will need to demonstrate the ability to communicate complex, sensitive andemotive information to a range of people, some of whom may have serious neurological,cognitive, and/or behavioural difficulties.
The roleextends to supervision of an Assistant Psychologist, working with families andsupport networks (where appropriate), key-working, liaison with other agencies,opportunities for running therapeutic groups, consultation, as well as training/provisionof support to other staff.
The postoffers a fantastic opportunity to work collaboratively within a highly-skilledand experienced multi-disciplinary team, promoting psychological approaches to assessmentand intervention within neurorehabilitation. All applicants must have HCPCregistration. Excellent teamworking, communication and organisational skillsare essential.
About us
Peartree community service is a forwarding thinking organisation with a large supportive therapy team. There is a strong emphasis on MDT and ICB collaboration, as well as the development and training of healthcare staff. Individuals working with us will benefit from ongoing professional development opportunities. There are opportunities to work across both our inpatient and community service, providing an excellent mix of clinical presentations and associated clinical work which will be ideal for those undertaking neuropsychology training.
We benefit from strong links with Southampton Universitys Clinical Psychology Doctoral Programme, affording opportunities for teaching, training and supervision of trainee clinical psychologist placements. We are also a research active service and can provide support for pursuing relevant research projects. Peartree community service fosters a learning environment and actively supports CPD for all staff. There is a keen interest in developing and sharing knowledge, with regular opportunities to complete in-service training and attendance at conferences/courses.
If you would like to find out more about this post, or to arrange a visit, please contact Caroline Watts, Community Manager on 07514500216.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To work as part of an interdisciplinary team, providing clinical psychology input within the Peartree Community service to service users with acquired brain injury, FND, anxiety and other neurological conditions. To liaise with internal and external professionals, family members and service users. To engage in relevant research and advise other professionals as appropriate.
Main Tasks andResponsibilities
CLINICAL
To provide specialist psychological assessment of adults with neurological conditions and clients experiencing anxiety within the community setting, utilising and interpreting information from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self report scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with service users, family members and others involved in the service users care.
To formulate and implement plans of specialist psychological treatment or management of service users neuropsychological and mental health problems based on a multi-factorial psychological understanding and current evidence-based best practice.
Toundertake a range of psychological therapeutic and rehabilitation interventions,drawing on a range of psychological models and employing a range of modalities(individual, family and group) adapted and tailored to the needs of theindividual and the context and ongoing evaluation of the outcomes of theintervention.
To exercise autonomous professional judgement and responsibility for the psychological management of service users on own case load.
To be responsible for providing a specialist psychological perspective in the multi-disciplinary assessment of service users and their families.
To contribute highly specialist psychological advice to the multi-disciplinary formulation of appropriate therapeutic approaches or intervention plans, and to be involved in, or oversee specialist psychological aspects of their implementation in collaborations with other staff.
To undertake psychologically based risk assessment and risk management for relevant service users and provide advice on the psychological aspects of risk to the multi-disciplinary team.
To consult with and provide specialist psychological guidance to carers and families of service users.
TEACHING/TRAINING/SUPERVISION/CONSULTATION
To provide training and presentations to other disciplines on the role and function of neuropsychology, and significantly contribute to the psychological skills development training programme for the service.
To consult with and advise colleagues from other professions on psychological assessment and treatment methods.
To teach, advise and consult with carers and appropriate others on psychological elements of brain injury related problems.
To participate in the specialist training of other psychologists as appropriate.
To supervise, appraise and participate in the management of assistant psychologists.
POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
To participate in multi-disciplinary meetings concerned with the delivery and development of clinical services and contribute a psychological perspective as appropriate.
To contribute as required to the planning and development of the operational policies and service delivery in the Clinical Neuropsychology Service through undertaking agreed project work.
To advise service management on areas of service where issues of psychological need should be addressed.
To develop and maintain good communication links with the NHS, Social Services and other agencies working in the area of neurorehabilitation.
To lead on the interpretation and implementation of national guidelines and policies relating to neuropsychology and Neurorehabilitation practice
EVALUATION/RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
To remain informed of and critically evaluate current research to support evidence-based practice in own professional work and to contribute this perspective in the multi-disciplinary team.
To contribute to project management of complex audit, assisting colleagues to develop service provision.
To coordinate administration of agreed outcome measures.
To initiate and conduct psychologically based research relevant to the care of adults with acquired brain injury, as agreed with the Managing Director.
To provide advice to members of other professions as required on research design and method.
PROFESSIONAL/ADMINISTRATIVE
To participate in regular clinical supervision and to negotiate further specialist supervision, development and training.
To work within the Code of Ethics and the relevant professional practice guidelines of the British Psychological Society and the professional guidance framework of the Organisation.
To work within the framework of the policies and procedures of the Organisation.
To be responsible for relevant data collection on work activities, as required, and to maintain a high standard of clinical record keeping.
To participate fully in supporting the activities of the Psychology profession within the Organisation, including attending relevant meetings.
To keep abreast of developments in Clinical Psychology, particularly in the field of neurorehabilitation.
To carry out such other duties as the Managing Director may reasonably request.
To plan and prioritise own clinical workload.
COMMUNICATION
To communicate effectively with service users andcarers including an awareness of alternative and augmentative communicationaids often required by ABI and complex needs clients and / or theirfamilies. ie: clients with visual,hearing, communication, mental health and learning disabilities.
To communicate highly confidential, personal andsensitive information obtained throughassessments, therapy and interventions to the service users themselves who mayhave limited understanding and maybe antagonistic and very distressed, andwhere appropriate, to their relatives and carers, other involved professionals,and referring agents.
Communication to be in a skilled and sensitivemanner, making informed clinical judgements concerning what information to report,how and when to convey it, in the best interests of the service user.
To provide detailed assessment reports withrecommendations in a format service user and family find readily accessible.
To participate in multi-disciplinary team goalsetting to assist in the development of service users rehabilitationprogrammes with the service.
Person Specification
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
1. In depth knowledge of the evidence base for specialist areas of clinical psychology with regards to assessment and rehabilitation
2. Ability to plan and organise individual and group therapy interventions at a high standard
3. Ability to interpret a range of national guidelines and policies to advise and co-ordinate the provision of psychological care in the service
4. Skills in the use of a range of psychological assessment and intervention strategies and the ability to integrate complex data from a variety of sources
5. Skills in the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing a variety of complex, technical and clinically sensitive information to a range of recipients ( clients, their families, carers and members of the multidisciplinary team and other professional colleagues both within and outside of the NHS)
6. Skills in providing supervision and consultation to other professionals and non-professionals within the service
7. The ability to employ strategies of clinical governance to support the development of good clinical practice
Desirable
8. Doctoral level knowledge of research design, methodology, and complex multivariate analysis in clinical psychology
9. Evidence of ability to conduct service evaluations and audit
Qualifications
Essential
10. Honours degree in Psychology ( or 1st Class)
11. Eligibility for membership of DCP of the British Psychological Society & Chartered Status
12. Post-graduate Doctoral level training in Clinical Psychology ( DClinPsy) or equivalent
13. Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the HCPC (Health & Care Professions Council)
14. Previous clinical experience within the field of neuropsychology, post qualification training in Clinical Neuropsychology ( PGDip or MSc) or completing training
15. Post qualification training in clinical supervision
Experience
Essential
16. Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients psychological care and treatment within the context of neuropsychology
17. Experience of working with people with a wide range of acquired neurological difficulties ( traumatic brain injury, stroke, degenerative disorders, tumours, epilepsy)
18. Experience of working with a variety of client groups, and with a variety of presenting problems including complex, highly emotive and distressing problems such as verbal abuse and the threat of physical violence
19. Experience of clinical supervision (junior psychologists, Assistant Psychologists and/or Trainee Psychologists)
20. Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of patients in a range of settings including in-patients, outpatients, community and group work
Desirable
21. Experience of teaching and training to doctoral trainees and/or healthcare staff