About this role
Job summary
The service will provide specialist assessment, formulation, therapeutic interventions (directly to individuals or through consultation) to a small number of autistic people with complex needs under the care of an existing SWLSTG service. The service supports autistic adults, without a co-occurring intellectual disability.
As a multi-disciplinary, community-based service, it works in partnership with other SWLSTG teams to support autistic people and their families/carers. A person-centred approach to care will be adopted, focusing upon maximising a person's quality of life and supporting people to live in their local community supported by local services.
The aim of the service is to reduce reliance on inpatient mental health care and improve the skills of SWLSTG clinicians in working with autistic adults. The service will be focused on interventions that:
Prevent crisis and associated presentations to Accident and Emergency departments and liaison and diversion services.
Prevent unnecessary hospital admission and reduce length of stay in inpatient services.
Improve the understanding and skills of SWLSTG clinicians in working therapeutically with autistic adults.
Main duties of the job
To be responsible for providing a specialist clinical psychology service to autistic adults with complex needs which places them at risk of an admission in the context of the Transforming Care Agenda, within a multidisciplinary team.
To provide specialist psychological assessment, formulation and intervention to clients and their care teams. This will involve undertaking direct assessment and intervention with the client or indirect assessment, monitoring and intervention with staff or carers. To offer psychological consultation, advice and expertise to non-psychologist colleagues and to care staff or family carers.
Work independently as an autonomous practitioner, taking full responsibility and accountability for complex clinical decisions. Practice within professional, safeguarding, team, and Trust guidelines, policies, and procedures, while adhering to British Psychological Society and Health and Care Professions Council standards, including requirements for ongoing clinical supervision.
The post holder will be required to contribute to the effective running of the Adult Autism Intensive Support Team, delivering, or advising on the delivery of, high quality care and ensuring consistently high standards of practice. They will be required to contribute to effective multidisciplinary team working ensuring that care is delivered in a holistic way which involves service users and carers.
About us
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.
We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.
This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.
We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.
We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.
About our location:
This post will be based at The Wilson Hospital
Unless expressly stated in the job advert this role is not subject to sponsorship, please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK.
Job description Job responsibilities
To provide specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the team. This is to include appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a range of sources including psychological and neurological tests, clinical questionnaires, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interview with clients, staff, family members and others involved in the clients care, all in the context of multi-disciplinary working.
To formulate, implement and evaluate plans for the specialised psychological intervention and/or management of a clients problems, based upon a thorough holistic assessment. The formulation should include consideration of the clients presenting difficulties, personal, social and developmental history, strengths and needs, environmental factors, intellectual ability and level of social support and independence. To consider, evaluate and decide upon a range of interventions and theoretical models across the full range of care settings, including consideration of evidence of efficacy, and to decide upon the most appropriate intervention in liaison with the client or staff or carer.
To provide expertise, consultation and specialist advice to professional colleagues on the psychological assessment and treatment of autistic people and to promote a psychological perspective of their needs. To provide access, advice and consultation on psychological knowledge, research and research methods to other professionals in the team.
To undertake risk assessment and risk management for relevant individual clients and to provide both general and specialist advice for psychologists and other professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment and management.
To provide professional and clinical supervision to trainee clinical psychologists and to assistant psychologists working in the service and to ensure that such supervision is available, effective and appropriate always. To provide research supervision to trainee clinical psychologists as needed.
To be responsible for developing a responsive, accessible, acceptable and effective psychology service for clients, their carers and families.
To support the development, evaluation and monitoring of the teams operational policies and services, through the deployment of professional skills in research, service evaluation and audit.
To be proficient in the use of IT for word processing, email, intranet and client management systems (such as RIO). To use email forums to liaise, build networks, communicate and share good practice with other psychologists and professionals.
To demonstrate highly developed communication and interpersonal skills and can provide and receive complex information in difficult, challenging and emotive situations.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in job applications
If you have used AI to support the preparation of your application, please briefly indicate how it was used within your supporting statement or application form.
Please remember, your application is your opportunity to tell us about your skills, experience and motivation for the role. We encourage applicants to complete their application and supporting statement in their own words wherever possible. We recognise that AI tools can be helpful in supporting accessibility, and for improving spelling, grammar and structure.
Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content can become generic and fail to accurately reflect an applicant's individual experience. Applications that clearly demonstrate your own voice, reflections and experiences are often the most effective and help us better understand your suitability for the role.
Please be aware that information provided in your application and supporting statement may be explored further during the selection process. It is important that all applications accurately represent your own knowledge, skills and experience.
Person Specification
Training & Qualifications Essential
Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, as accredited by the HCPC. Registered with the Health & Care Professions Council as a practitioner psychologist under the appropriate domain.
Desirable
Pre- or post- qualification training in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology. Additional training in a specialised area of psychological practice (e.g. systemic therapy) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses in a specialist area of clinical practice.
Experience Essential
Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of adults with learning disabilities Autism across a range of care settings, for example outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings. Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse. Experience of working with professional systems and families in a clinical context.
Desirable
Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision. Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
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 West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust
Address The Wilson Hospital
Cranmer Rd
London, Mitcham
CR4 4TP
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)