About this role
Job summary
As Joint Link Psychologist for Halswell Ward, the postholder will share responsibility for psychological input to a 15-bed male medium-secure ward, working closely with the established Link Psychologist and multidisciplinary team. The role involves contributing psychological expertise to ward rounds and CPA meetings, supporting evidence-based assessment and intervention planning to meet service users' needs. While the Link Psychologist typically completes psychological assessments, allocation of therapeutic work is agreed within Psychology and Psychotherapies referral meetings based on clinical need and team capacity.
The postholder will provide consultation and training to MDT colleagues and the nursing team, to guide the development of a compassionate, safe and psychologically-informed male forensic ward; addressing the specific needs of the inpatients, including trauma-based models of care, systemic work with friends and family members.
Depending on experience, the postholder will be able to supervise trainees, assistants and students to help deliver psychological work on the ward and across the service.
Main duties of the job
To provide specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the team based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological (and neuropsychological) tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involved in the client's care.
To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams, employed individually and in combination, adjusting and reformulating the therapeutic models as appropriate on the basis of feedback and follow up, drawing on a number of different explanatory theoretical models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.
To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide specialist advice to other professionals in the NHS on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management, as well as to other external agencies concerned with Public Protection, such as Social Services, Probation, Multi Agency Public Protection Panels (MAPPPs).
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 Springfield 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 communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care and to monitor progress during the course of multi-disciplinary care.
To receive regular clinical professional supervision from the Lead for Psychology and Psychotherapies (forensics) and/or the established Link Psychologist for Halswell Ward (depending upon banding) and other senior professional colleagues via peer supervision. If supervision specific to the therapeutic approach of the postholder is not available within the forensic service, then this will be sought from within/outside of the Trust.
To continue to develop skills in the area of professional post-graduate teaching, training and clinical supervision and to provide supervision of other MDT staffs psychological work as appropriate.
To provide professional and clinical supervision of trainee and assistant clinical psychologists, ensuring that trainees acquire the necessary skills, competencies and experience to contribute effectively to good mental health care and to contribute to the assessment and evaluation of such competencies.
To advise both service and professional management on those aspects of the service where psychological and/or organizational matters need addressing.
To contribute towards the development of changes of practice across the Forensic Service and the writing of policies to formally reflect this.
To contribute to recruitment and selection of MDT members of staff and/or Psychology and Psychotherapies staff members.
To utilize theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and the development of psychoeducational and psychotherapeutic groups and work with other team members.
To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holders professional and service manager(s).
To contribute to the development and articulation of best practice in psychology across the service, by continuing to develop the skills of a reflective scientist practitioner, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of clinical and forensic psychology and related disciplines.
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
Doctorate level training in clinical, forensic or counselling psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and two or more distinct psychological therapies as accredited by the BPS Registered with the HCPC under the appropriate domain specific title Trained in the theory and practice of clinical supervision of psychological therapy practice
Desirable
Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis. Leadership and professional management training Advanced supervision training in a therapeutic model (e.g. psychodynamic, systemic, CBT, MBT or DBT).
Experience Essential
Assessed experience of working as a qualified applied psychologist for a substantive period. Experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of people with mental health problems, personality disorder and offending behaviour problems. Experience of working within a multicultural framework. Experience of providing supervision to others.
Desirable
Experience of working in forensic and/or substance misuse services. Experience of leading on areas of service development. Experience of leading a research project
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 Springfield University Hospital
15 Springfield Drive
Tooting, London
SW17 0YF
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)