CAMHS Specialist Clinical Psychologist (N&S TAD - PYCES Trial)

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job description

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 providing high-quality specialist care to our service users and are recognised for the care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission 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 an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.

As a Trust, we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

We are seeking a part-time Clinical Psychologist (Band 7) to work as a Trial Therapist on an ambitious project to evaluate a novel form of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) for young children aged 3-8 years old.

A major part of the role is the delivery of face-to-face TF-CBT to children and families as part of the trial, for which specialist training and supervision will be provided. The role will also include managing recruitment to the trial at the South London site; managing pre-, post-, and follow-up data collection; and close liaison with the project manager and chief investigator based in Cambridge.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to an innovative project in a fast-growing area. The post would suit a post-doctoral clinically qualified clinical psychologist who has skills and experience in working with young children and their families.

Main duties of the job

This post is funded by a grant from the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) scheme. The grant is to run a two-arm randomised controlled efficacy trial comparing TF-CBT to Care-As-Usual for young children with a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The trial will recruit from three sites (London, Cambridge, Norwich). The Chief Investigator is Prof Tim Dalgleish at the University of Cambridge. A project manager/trial therapist and an assistant psychologist will be based in Cambridge.

For this post, the postholder will be the trial therapist at the London site, responsible for delivering Trauma-Focused CBT to young children and families who are recruited in London. Specialist clinical training and ongoing clinical supervision throughout the trial will be provided by members of the research team.

In addition to the major role as trial therapist, the post holder will also lead on recruitment locally, take responsibility for managing assessments and ensuring data completeness, and will liaise closely with the project manager and other members of the research team.

Skills and experience in working clinically with young children and families will be required, and experience of working with children with PTSD would be beneficial. Previous experience of working on research trials would be helpful but is not a requirement.

Working for our organisation

This is an opportunity to join a friendly and supportive clinical-research team who have many years' experience working collaboratively on trauma-related research. The project lead is Prof Tim Dalgleish (Cambridge). The site lead at the University of East Anglia is Prof Richard Meiser-Stedman. The site lead in London is Prof Patrick Smith.

The postholder will join the Trauma Anxiety and Depression (TAD) Clinic, a national and specialist Tier 4 outpatient clinic, currently based at the Michael Rutter Centre on the Maudsley Hospital site in Camberwell. In 2025, we will move to a new state-of-the-art building, the Pears Maudsley Building on the same site.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The main core job functions and responsibilities are:

1. To provide Trauma-Focused CBT to young children (3-8 years old) as part of an NIHR-funded clinical trial.
2. To manage recruitment to the trial at the London site.
3. To ensure that assessments are conducted and all data stored in line with project procedures and approvals.
4. To carry out some baseline assessments.
5. To liaise closely with the project manager and members of the project team.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• To 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.
• Professional Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent (A/I).
• Registered with HCPC.

Desirable criteria

• Recognised post-qualification training in CBT.
• BABCP practitioner accreditation.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs. (A/I)
• Experience of assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature (A/I)
• Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and/or lived experience. (A/I)
• Significant post-qualification/graduation experience including experience of individual and group therapy with people with complex mental health needs.
• Experience of working with children and young people.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of delivering TF-CBT to children or young people.

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for CBT and TF-CBT (A/I/R).
• Knowledge of the theory of psychological therapy and its therapeutic application. Associated awareness of assessment and clinical psychometrics. (A/I/R)
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities. (A/I/R)
• Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care. (A/I/R)
• To deliver psychological/psychotherapeutic therapy across cultural and other differences. (A/I/R)

Skills

Essential criteria

• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers, and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information. (A/I/R)
• To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers (and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews where appropriate).
• To plan allocation of tasks to assistants/trainees as appropriate. (A/I/R)
• Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data. (A/I/R)

Abilities

Essential criteria

• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles. (A/I/R)
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate. (A/I/R)
• Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional, and academic meetings (A/I/R).
• Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments, and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these. (A/I)
• Ability 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. (A/I)

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect, and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice.
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment.
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers, and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect, and dignity.

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online.
• That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria.
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should a sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible.
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs.
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not been successful.
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees.
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process.
• That we are a smoke-free Trust.

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion, Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe.