Job summary
We are currently recruiting for a ConsultantClinical Psychologist with experience working with people with Autism SpectrumConditions, to provide leadership and specialist clinical input in BeechwoodCollege. Beechwood is a specialist residential education service providing personcentred care and education for young people aged 16-25 with Autism SpectrumConditions, learning disabilities and complex behavioural presentations.
You will take a lead role in supporting and leadingthe MDT to deliver high quality services, through assessment and formulation tointervention and evaluation. As a senior clinician, you will also take a leadrole in coordinating the overall clinical provision across the site, whichvaries according to individual need and to commissioned requirements.
To be considered forthis post, you must have post-qualification experience working in Autism and/orlearning disability will have ideally receivedpost-qualification training in positive behavioural support, have substantialexperience and knowledge of multi-disciplinary clinical intervention for peoplewith an Autism Spectrum Condition, and be competent in the use of modifiedevidence based psychological therapies for people with ASC related needs.
Main duties of the job
Toprovide strategic and clinical leadership to the MDT within Beechwood Collegeand to ensure appropriate clinical governance of all clinical activities withinthe college, as delivered by all professional groups.
Toprovide strategic and clinical leadershipregarding psychological assessment and treatment delivery to psychologists andother members of the MDT who deliver psychological interventions at BeechwoodCollege and if required other ICG Learning Disability Services
Todevelop, implement and evaluate, along with other staff qualified in theprovision of Applied Behaviour Analysis/ positive behavioural support, a coherentand evidence based programme for the delivery of such interventions by theMDT.
Todevelop systems within the organisation to ensure that positive approaches tochallenging behaviour become embeddedinto the general functioning and culture of the organisation.
Toensure that clinical input is integrated with educational delivery and issupportive of identified learning outcomes for young people within theservice. To work closely with educationstaff to achieve this.
To providespecialised psychological assessment and therapy to young people and adults whichreflects relevant knowledge and understanding of Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
About us
Employing over 1,600 people, Iris Care Group is the largest independent health and social care provider across the Southwest of England and South Wales. We provide innovative, effective, and forward-thinking care for adults with specialist mental healthcare needs.
With over 90% of staff saying they enjoy their job; we are proud to have created environments where our staff feel rewarded and fulfilled.
With an extensive clinical and therapies team, Iris Care Group is proud of the innovative clinical care that it provides. Our bespoke recovery models have been shown to encourage better outcomes for the people that we support, and our highly regarded restraint reduction programme, which has been running for more than 7 years, has dramatically decreased restraint incidents.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Toprovide strategic and clinical leadership to the MDT within Beechwood Collegeand to ensure appropriate clinical governance of all clinical activities withinthe college, as delivered by all professional groups.
Toprovide strategic and clinical leadershipregarding psychological assessment and treatment delivery to psychologists andother members of the MDT who deliver psychological interventions at BeechwoodCollege and if required other ICG Learning Disability Services
Todevelop, implement and evaluate, along with other staff qualified in theprovision of Applied Behaviour Analysis/ positive behavioural support, a coherentand evidence based programme for the delivery of such interventions by theMDT.
Todevelop systems within the organisation to ensure that positive approaches tochallenging behaviour become embeddedinto the general functioning and culture of the organisation.
Toensure that clinical input is integrated with educational delivery and issupportive of identified learning outcomes for young people within theservice. To work closely with educationstaff to achieve this.
To provide practice leadership throughout theCollege and be responsive to clinical situations arising on site during workinghours
To ensure,alongside other members of the Senior Leadership Team, that the service remainscompliant with the Mental Capacity Act code of practice and that there is appropriateidentification and triage of capacity assessments requiring a clinical decisionmaker.
To providespecialised psychological assessment and therapy to young people and adults whichreflects relevant knowledge and understanding of Autistic Spectrum Disorders.
To provideexpert consultation and advice to ICG clinical staff on the appropriate managementand support of people with Autism Spectrum Condition in all ICG sites.
To workautonomously in accordance with The British Psychological Society Code of Conduct,Ethical Principles & Guidelines 2004 and the overall framework of the teamspolicies and procedures.
To workto the professional guidelines for clinicalpsychologists as directed by the Health and Care Professions council
Tocontribute to the development of local team policies and procedures in order tofacilitate improvements in service quality
To trainother professionals and contribute to the training of Trainee Clinical Psychologists
Toutilise specialised research skills for audit, policy and service development,and research.
Toliaise, as a senior clinician, with commissioners and other statutory bodies asappropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. Postgraduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
2. Specialist post doctoral training and experience in problems related to individuals with autism spectrum conditions, challenging behaviour and learning disabilities.
Desirable
3. Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
4. Formal Qualification in ABA / PBS
Experience
Essential
5. At least six years experience of working as a qualified psychologist within a clinical speciality providing significant clinical exposure to individuals with autism spectrum conditions and learning disabilities.
6. Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, in-patient and residential care settings including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
7. Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care co-ordinator and also within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan.
Desirable
8. Experience of professional management of qualified and pre-qualified clinical psychologists
9. Experience of multi-professional management of teams or services within the designated speciality.
10. Experience of representing the profession in local policy forums.
11. Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
12. Experience of co-ordinating input from other disciplines
13. Experience of working with Educational Psychology Colleagues
Other
Essential
14. Ability to identify provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours.
15. Ability to identify and employ, as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
16. Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
17. Ability to articulate and interpret clearly the role of the profession of clinical psychology based upon a good understanding of the framework of government and national professional policy.
Desirable
18. Experience of working within a multi-cultural framework.
19. Record of having published in either peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and / or books.