7/8a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist - Inpatient Psychological Services

About Us

EPUT provides community health, mental health and learning disability services to support more than 3.2 million people living across Bedfordshire, Essex and Suffolk. Also:

• We are among the largest employers in the East of England region, with more than 10,000 staff working across more than 200 sites.
• We run the COVID-19 vaccination programme across mid and south Essex and Suffolk and north east Essex.

EPUT was formed on 1 April 2017 following the merger of North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT). A new leadership team was established at the Trust in 2020.
Our vision and values

Our Vision

"To be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care".

Our Purpose

"We care for people every day. What we do together, matters".

Our Values

• We Care
• We Learn
• We Empower

Our strategic objectives

• We will deliver safe, high quality integrated care services.
• We will enable each other to be the best that we can.
• We will work together with our partners to make our services better.
• We will help our communities to thrive.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for 1 WTE band 7/8a Preceptorship Clinical/Counselling Psychologists to join our Adult Inpatient Psychological Services Team in EPUT.

The successful candidate will offer specialist clinical skills into our Rehabilitation Unit and one of our Adult Inpatient Wards, and support the supervision and training of Inpatient CAP Apprentices as part of our award winning CAPs apprenticeship scheme. This is a unique and exciting role due to the broad range of opportunities it offers. Next to specialist assessments, this includes brief interventions with clients presenting in crisis, as well as longer-term work, often required within our rehab context. We are keen to support staff in developing specialist skills or areas of interest and aim to tailor interventions to suit the clients' specific needs. This may involve working integratively and creatively, including joint working with colleagues from other disciplines. We also hold the whole ward team in mind and are looking for someone who cares equally strongly about staff wellbeing and training needs of the wider team, to enable them to deliver compassionate and trauma-informed care.

We invest in our staff. Many of our Consultant Psychologists have been promoted within EPUT. We value staff well-being and understand the importance of flexible working to maintain a work/home life balance and offer different configurations, including a combination of remote and on-site working. Part time and job-share applications are welcome for discussion. Registration with Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) is essential and eligibility for registration with a professional body (BPS).

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will have the fantastic opportunity to join two adult inpatient teams, working autonomously within professional guidelines to provide a high quality Inpatient Psychological Service, assisting or leading service development as agreed, working with the local leads to ensure that the service provided is current, evidence-based and in line with best practice and Trust standards. They will also be able to contribute to our well-established, award winning, Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP) apprenticeship scheme for our adult inpatient psychological services settings in EPUT, offering supervision and 'on the job' training to Trainee CAPs.

Excellent assessment, formulation and intervention skills to work both short-term with Service Users who present in crisis based at the Linden Centre, Chelmsford, and longer term with those who have identified rehabilitation needs, based at the Ipswich Road Rehabilitation Unit, Colchester, are essential. The ability to make professional recommendations and risk informed decisions alongside the ward teams is also key, as well as a passion for partnership and MDT working. Duties also cover indirect working (e.g. attending MDTs) and staff support initiatives (e.g. reflective practice). The post sits within the Inpatient and Urgent Care Unit to help shape and deliver trauma informed services.

Working for our organisation

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who share our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

• Season Ticket Loans
• NHS discounts for staff
• Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
• Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
• The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
• Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
• Day One Flexible Employer

The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

We are looking for someone with experience of a range of presentations who can formulate complexity and risk and work well within an MDT. Experience of in-patient settings is desirable but not essential - if you have experience of working with complex needs and trauma and enjoy the benefits and challenges of working in an MDT, please get in touch. Applications from newly qualified clinical/counselling psychologists or those about to complete training are welcomed under a preceptorship arrangement.

The post holder will join a team of Psychological Practitioners, including CPs, CBT therapists, APs, CAPs, and Arts Therapists. Excellent assessment, formulation and intervention skills are essential, as are an ability to work short-term with service users in crisis as well as longer-term with those who have identified rehabilitation needs. Indirect duties include: supervisory responsibilities, representation at meetings, leading/ supporting with service development and staff support initiatives (e.g. reflective practice and staff training).

Person specification

Education /Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Doctoral level training in Clinical/Counselling Psychology OR equivalent Psychological Therapy training (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
• HCPC Registration and eligibility for BPS accreditation
• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.

Desirable criteria

• Post accreditation training in additional specialised areas of psychological practice e.g. CBT, CBTp, EMDR, DBT, CAT or other
• Formal training in supervision of other psychologists/psychological therapists

Skills/Experience

Essential criteria

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
• Ability to devise comprehensive care plans that incorporate effective, individualised and evidence based interventions.
• Ability and experience to critically analyse and review research findings and reports.
• Able to demonstrate a level of flexibility, innovation and creativity in the working environment as well as frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in inpatient services.

Please note - staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered 'suitable alternative employment' to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.

Equal Opportunities Employer

Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply.