About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a band 8a Practitioner Psychologist or Psychotherapist to work with our STEP (Southwark Team for Early Psychosis). This is our Early Interventions for Psychosis (EIP) service, offering a psychological therapy service to patients and their networks. This is a fixed term temporary position for 12 months.
We currently have two part time vacancies (2 or 3 days per week) and welcome applications either from staff looking to work part time (one post) or fulltime (both posts). One position is covering a secondment and the other is a newly created position to help reduce waiting times and create a more response psychological therapy service.
We are looking for a motivated clinician who is passionate about working in an early intervention service with people with a diagnosis of psychosis and with their families and networks. The successful applicant will have good engagement skills, think creatively, work flexibly and have a range of skills in working collaboratively alongside others. Southwark is a racially and ethnically diverse borough and we are looking for a clinician who can work with cultural humility and will actively support our anti-racism agenda.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will contribute to the work of the STEP team providing direct and indirect psychological therapeutic interventions for patients, groups and families. Direct, evidence-based, interventions include CBT for psychosis, trauma-focussed CBT, EMDR, CBT-based family interventions, Open Dialogue, Systemic Family Therapy and Arts Therapies. Our longest waiting times are for CBT and trauma-focussed interventions - tf-CBT and EMDR, and we welcome applicants who are skilled in these approaches.
Within Southwark we offer psychological therapies on a stepped-care basis, therefore group work, and supporting the delivery of low intensity interventions, are also part of the role.
About us
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good'.We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.
Job description Job responsibilities
To provide a specialist psychological interventions for the STEP team including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.
To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a specialist for the STEP team.
To promote service evaluation, audit, research and policy development.
To work as an autonomous professional within registration body guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.
To agree outcomes/results with clinical/professional lead and to decide how they are best achieved.
To support staff support initiatives within their area, working with senior colleagues and, Corporate Psychology and Psychotherapy, where appropriate, to support colleagues and ensure staff in SLaM have access to evidence based support. To participate, as a recipient, in staff support work when appropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
oTo have undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions, e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, medicine, social work and occupational therapy OR to have equivalent relevant experience and demonstrable competence to work in the mental health field in the NHS. oEntry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration. (A/I) oAdditional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice (specify options required by the post) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a registered body and/or an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher. (A/I/R) oRegistered with professional body as appropriate to discipline HCPC/UKCP/BABCP(A/I)
Experience Essential
oEvidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in services for people with psychosis and other complex mental health difficulties oExperience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature including, but limited to, psychosis and substance misuse. oExperience of supervising assistants and trainees having completed the relevant training. oPost-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities
Knowledge Essential
oTheoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment - CBT for psychosis and the application of CBT to work with patients with other complex mental health difficulties and co-morbid substance misuse. oKnowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care. oAdvanced knowledge of the theory of psychological therapy and it's therapeutic application. oAssociated awareness of assessment and clinical psychometrics oKnowledge of a range of a range of therapeutic ideas/approaches systemic models in assessment and treatment relevant to discipline
Skills and abilities Essential
oAdministration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials oConsultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups and sensitively managing, a number of people's needs simultaneously within the context of therapeutic work/consultation oAbility to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour oAbility to manage highly complex situations involving multiple difficulties, and competing/conflicting views about those difficulties; and to help create contexts that develop systemic engagement, and harness the strengths and abilities of those involved in order to work towards solutions
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address St Giles CMHT
Camberwell Church Street
Camberwell
SE5 7UD
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)