Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust provides child and adult mental health services, learning disability, wellbeing, older people's and eating disorder services across Norfolk and Suffolk.
At any one time, around 23,000 people in Norfolk and Suffolk are receiving care and attention from the Trust. We believe in whole life care - seeing people in the context of their whole lives, understanding the importance of good physical health, friends, family, spirituality, culture, home, work, education and a sense of purpose and achievement to experience good mental health.
Nearly 3,800 full and part-time practitioners care for our service users in hospitals, in the community and in their own homes, whilst an additional 1,400+ staff provide non-clinical support, including cleaning, catering, delivering supplies, ward administration, information technology, human resources and financial services.
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and want to reflect the diversity of our local communities within our teams. We welcome applications from all talented individuals with the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience.
We are committed to delivering quality driven mental health services. Every individual makes a valuable contribution. We are proud of our staff who have been commended for the care they provide. Do you value working positively, respectfully and together? If so, we’d love you to join us!
We will consider flexible working arrangements for our roles, please indicate in your application if this is something you require.
JOB DESCRIPTION/PERSON SPECIFICATION
Please read the job description/person specification carefully and ensure your application reflects the knowledge, skills and experience needed.
YOUR APPLICATION
It is important that you complete a formal application form as CV’s alone will not be accepted.
We can provide all our job application materials in alternative formats so that these are accessible to everyone. Should you require any documents within this job pack in an alternative format, please do not hesitate to contact us at recruitment@nsft.nhs.uk.
Job overview
We are looking for an assistant psychologist with a keen interest and experience of working with people with learning disabilities and or/ autism to join our passionate community team working across Suffolk, for a fixed term of 12 months.
This is an exciting opportunity to work with and learn from a range of experienced clinicians as you will be an integral part of a multidisciplinary team which includes nurses, psychiatrists, occupational therapists, assistant practitioners, art psychotherapists, clinical psychologists, and social care colleagues, who are committed to providing a high-quality service to people with learning disabilities and autism.
You will also be part of a friendly and supportive clinical psychology and psychological therapies team. We have close relationships with the training course at the University of East Anglia, offering placements and teaching on the course. We also have an excellent research department in the Trust.
Main duties of the job
This role will involve supporting the delivery of psychological services to people with learning disabilities and/or autism who present with a mental health difficulty or behaviour that challenges.
The main duties are to support the delivery of psychologically informed assessments, formulations, and interventions to service users alongside psychologists and other colleagues under the close supervision of an experienced Clinical Psychologist. The post holder will work with individuals, families, support services and a range of other professionals and good communication skills are essential.
The post holder will also have a role in contributing to service development projects. A good understanding of psychological models and their application, as well as data analysis and report writing skills is desirable.
Working for our organisation
Within NSFT, the way we care for people with Learning Disabilities in Suffolk is changing as we have recently benefitted from a £1.3 million investment in our Acute services and the role out of a new Learning Disability and Autism Specialist Service. The development is fully driven by the national Transforming Care Agenda.
The Learning Disability and Autism Specialist Service is not only being invested in financially, with a fresh approach to ideas and service delivery being supported by the Trust, we are confident our new model of care is the very best for the people we care for.
Benefits included with this role are:
* NHS pension
* a comprehensive in house & external training programmes
* career progression
* starting annual leave of 27 days per annum increasing to 33 days pa based on length of service (plus paid bank holidays)
* staff physio service
* NHS discounts and many more.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Main responsibilities to include:
* Psychological assessment, formulation, and intervention as appropriate under close supervision of a clinical psychologist
* Co-facilitating psychologically informed groups
* Contributing to the practice of psychologically informed interventions within the team via teaching and developing resources
* Contributing to service development projects
* Evaluating outcomes and writing reports
You will have:
* A BPS Accredited degree in Psychology
* Experience of working with people with learning disabilities and/or autism
Interview date yet to be confirmed. Emails may go to your SPAM, so please keep checking all your emails if applying.
Person specification
Skills
Essential criteria
* Skills using microcomputers for databases or data analysis, particularly SPSS for Windows
Desirable criteria
* Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients and colleagues
* Presentation skills
Qualifications
Essential criteria
* BPS Accredited degree in Psychology
Experience
Essential criteria
* Experience of quantitative research
Desirable criteria
* Experience of research within the NHS
Knowledge
Essential criteria
* Knowledge of mental health
* Knowledge of quantitative research
* High standard of report writing
* An understanding of psychology applied to health care.
Desirable criteria
* An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems or other disabilities.
* An ability to apply existing knowledge to a mental health context
Other
Desirable criteria
* An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines
* An ability to interact with clients with mental health problems.
* Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
* Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
* Ability to travel independently.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Apart from its legal duties in relation to equality and diversity, the Trust recognises and actively promotes the benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief.
As a part of the Disability Confident Employer Guaranteed Interview Scheme we interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job vacancy (outlined in the Person Specification). We encourage you to indicate your eligibility through TRAC jobs when applying.
DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE CHECK (formerly CRB)
FOR POSTS WITH DIRECT SERVICE USER CONTACT - Please be advised that due to recent changes in the DBS Service, organisations no longer receive copies of DBS Disclosures – these are sent directly to candidates only. Therefore, it will be your responsibility, if successful, to ensure that this is taken to the appointing officer as soon as you receive it.
The Trust has now introduced a DBS Update Service which is a contractual requirement. You need to subscribe when you have applied for your DBS clearance and there is a time limit to subscribe of 19 days after receipt of your DBS disclosure. Please ensure that this is completed within the set time scale.
This update service is an annual subscription at a cost of £13 to you. This will enable the Trust to have instant online access to your DBS record, with your consent, and so will remove the need for you to have to apply for this repeat check again.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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