Job summary
AWP is looking for an experienced, passionate and enthusiastic Clinical Psychologist, Counselling Psychologist or fully accredited Psychotherapist to join us in the role of Associate Director for Psychological Services and Allied Health Professionals, (AHP's). The post is offered as a job share with the current post holder, the hours available are between - hours per week depending on the successful applicants preferences.
The post holder will play a key role in achieving our four strategic aims to provide outstanding care, to be a great place to work, to provide sustainable services and to deliver in partnership.
Main duties of the job
The Associate Director of Psychological Services and AHP's sits as part of the senior leadership of the Trust Nursing and Quality Directorate, reporting directly to the Executive Director of Nursing and Quality. The post holder will provide professional leadership for all psychological professions and AHP's across the Trust, and is responsible for leading on and supporting strategic service and policy development in respect of psychological professions and AHP's to deliver the best outcomes for service users.
The Trust covers a wide geographical area, covering 2 Integrated Care Boards, the role also works closely with the NHSE regional Workforce, Education and Training Team.
About us
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Duties/Key Results Areas:
Professional leadership of Psychological and AHP Services
Accountable for the professional leadership of psychological professions, services and therapies across the Trust. Exercises responsibility for professional leadership of the psychological resources available to the Trust, whether in the form of registered, qualified and pre-qualification psychological professionals, or in the form of psychological materials employed in the assessment and treatment of patients.
Responsible for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the Trust, including professional aspects of recruitment and retention, induction, CPD, performance management, incidents, complaints and research.
Provides direct professional oversight to the senior psychologists / therapists holding lead roles in the Divisions.
Clinical Quality and Safety
Accountable for the development of the Psychological Service and AHP Strategy in line with the Trusts Clinical Strategy and its delivery, review, implementation and evaluation.
Accountable for reviewing, analysing, and reporting on the impact of Psychological therapies and AHP practice.
Accountable for the delivery of robust arrangements for therapies staff clinical supervision, mentoring and continuing professional development relevant to their profession.
Leading and inputting to aspects of our Improvement strategy including the development of clinical pathways and clinical leadership programmes. Lead the development and implementation of therapies research and service improvement.
Service User Experience
Ensure that co-production with experts by experience is at the heart of all developments within the sphere of influence.
Responsible for wider understanding and reporting of the service user and carer experience of the delivery of Psychological Therapies and AHP interventions.
Working directly with service users and carers to resolve complex complaints or service delivery issues.
Workforce and Continuing Professional Development
Responsible for workforce and continuing professional development standards for all Psychological Therapies and AHPs.
Contribute to the recruitment and retention activities of Psychological Professions and AHPs.
Engaging effectively with staff side organisations particularly the ones most associated with Psychological therapists and AHPs.
To assure the development of the Professional Development Programme including CPD, consultancy and external courses.
Lead on engagement and negotiation of the CPD and training standards and provision for Psychological Therapies and AHPs with regional and national bodies, including NHSE and HEIs.
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for more details on this post.
Person Specification
Education & Qualification
Essential
1. Post Graduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology or equivalent qualification for UKCP registered Psychotherapy
2. Registration with the Health Care Professions' Council as a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist or UKCP as a Psychotherapist.
3. Evidence of CPD through specialist training or a combination of specialist short courses, and an evidenced portfolio of extensive supervised clinical practice.
Desirable
4. Formal training in leadership skills and/or management.
5. PhD or equivalent Research Doctorate in a clinically related area
Skills and Abilities
Essential
6. Significant experience of leading a Psychological Service at a senior level
7. Current Board/Sub Board level leadership in a health care environment in a Clinical Directorate.
8. Experience of leading and implementing significant strategic change projects at corporate levels including across organisations
9. Experience and involvement in clinical research, experience of leading and initiating research programmes.
10. Significant record of publishing original research and/or service evaluation in peer reviewed journals and/or contributing to national/professional policy development.
11. Significant supervised clinical experience working as a highly specialist clinical psychologist.
12. Experience of professional management of qualified and pre-qualified clinical psychologists and/or multi-professional management within a relevant specialty.
13. Extensive experience of working with AHP colleagues and an awareness of key strategic and clinical issues for them
14. Demonstrated ability to attain grants for service development and/or research
15. Able to negotiate and influence at organisational level and externally with a range of stakeholders.
16. Evidence of continuing professional development
17. Knowledge and understanding of the wider professional, legal, service and political context as relevant to clinical practice, professional management and workforce development
Desirable
18. Experience in the education agenda for Clinical Psychologists, IAPT staff and non medical psychotherapists
19. Experience of the application of psychological therapies in different context