About this role
Job summary
We are looking for an energetic and enthusiastic Practitioner Psychologist (band 7/8a or 8a). Our team works across each locality to more flexibly meet the needs of service users - and this also allows for greater peer support, and more opportunities to develop specialist skills and interests.
We have a 0.7wte post, with the current post holder moving on to a promotional post.
The successful applicant would work substantively in Hamadryad CMHT (an urban team covering a socially diverse part of South Cardiff), with a small amount protected 'clinic time' in a neighbouring CMHT. They would join a newly appointed psychologist, and the experienced 8b psychologist.
We can offer 7/8a developmental posts, or 8a posts. The 8a is an excellent opportunity for those looking to progress their career, and we can support you with making the move from band 7. It is also a great way for established 8as to develop their career, offering a chance to pursue special interests and contribute to service development.
We are keen to hear from applicants who are completing training this year: we have a well-established pathway for our 7/8a developmental posts. We offer a development programme giving the opportunity to consolidate training, further develop skills and competencies and to transition to 8a through successful completion.
Main duties of the job
Working in CMHTs offers a rich diversity of experiences. You will provide a range of psychological services to persons with a wide range of complex or enduring psychological distress (individual and group therapy; assessment, including cognitive and other specialist assessments; care planning etc). You will also work with your colleagues to offer advice, formulation, consultation, supervision and training.
Each CMHT has an established in-team psychologist and these posts will add to that provision. This is a rare chance to work alongside professional peers in truly multi-disciplinary teams.
The posts are managed by the service lead for CMHT Psychology, and report to a Locality Lead Psychologist.
We have a well-established framework for reflective, caseload and peer supervision, as well as access to model-specific supervision for people using EMDR, IPT or facilitating our DBT groups. We have accredited BABCP practitioners who can supervise and support people who are themselves looking for full CBT accreditation. There are good in-house opportunities for CPD, including substantive training in Interpersonal Therapy and Open Dialogue Approach.
It is an exciting time to be part of psychology provision in the Community Mental Health Teams for Cardiff & Vale UHB.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.
About us
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 17,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving over 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone, delivering excellent care and support.
Our mission is "Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together", and our vision is that every person's chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. Our 10-year transformation and improvement strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, is our chance to work collaboratively with the public and our workforce to make our health board more sustainable for the future.
Job description Job responsibilities
You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click "Apply now" to view in Trac
Person Specification
Special knowledge Essential
Practitioner Psychologist: Doctoral level knowledge of clinical/counselling psychology theory and practice, assessment, psychological therapies and their application. Practitioner Psychologist: Participation with CPD as recommended by the BPS.
Desirable
8a Practitioner Psychologist: Post-doctoral training in relevant specialist areas of psychological practice (e.g. assessment of autism; working with psychosis; specific psychosocial approaches).
Skills Essential
Ability to make clinical and service-related judgments involving complex facts requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of several options. Ability to contribute to the development of, and to implement, agreed policies and strategic long-term service developments. Ability to use the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills to convey and receive highly complex/sensitive information effectively, requiring empathy and reassurance, in a highly emotive atmosphere and the ability to overcome psychological resistance to potentially threatening information, whilst maintaining a high degree of professionalism at all times.
Desirable
Experience of the development and implementation of policies and strategic long-term service developments.
Experience Essential
Experience in applying clinical/counselling psychology in the NHS, including cognitive and structured assessment, formulation, intervention, research and service development. Experience of effective multi-disciplinary team working in NHS or equivalent. for band 8a: Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
Desirable
Experience of working with people with mental health/psychological problems in a medical setting; problems presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, in-patient and residential care settings and maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems. Experience of teaching/training and/or professional and clinical supervision. for band 7: Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
Qualifications Essential
Good Honours degree in Psychology with eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartership (GBC) with the BPS. Post-graduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology accredited by the HCPC (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 as accredited by the BPS) OR (for trainees) doctorate to be completed by end of 2024 HCPC registration as a practitioner psychologist OR (for trainees) eligible by October 2024
Desirable
8a Practitioner Psychologist: Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialist areas of psychological practice.
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 Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Address Community Mental Health Teams
Cardiff Royal Infirmary (administrative base)
Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan
CF24 0SZ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://cavuhb.nhs.wales/ (Opens in a new tab)