CBT Therapist/ Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Whittington NHS Trust; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 80,000

Job description

Covid-19 Vaccination

Getting vaccinated, and getting a booster, remains the best defence against COVID-19. We encourage and support staff to get COVID-19 vaccine and a booster dose as and when they are eligible.

Please note in order to progress your application, your data will be processed by our 3rd party recruitment providers - North London Partners Shared Service, who conduct recruitment activities on behalf of Whittington Health NHS Trust.

For our current apprenticeship vacancies, please go to https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship and use Keyword 'Whittington'

By applying for this role, you accept in the event you are successful that your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which is aimed at saving you time and improving efficiencies within the NHS when your employment transfers.

Job overview

Growing Together: Support for parents and young children is a unique early intervention, primary care mental health service, embedded in the Islington community. It is a partnership between Islington CAMHS and Islington Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression. Growing Together provides therapeutic support to parents and children aged 1-5 experiencing emotional distress and difficulties in relationships.

The Band 7 clinician will offer high-quality CBT, and other evidence-based clinical interventions to parents and carers experiencing mild to moderate depression, anxiety, and stress. The post holder will place high value on reaching out to service users in community settings, e.g. Children's Centres, Community Health Centres to ensure just and equitable access to services. Mentoring, further professional development, and learning will be provided to ensure the clinician can confidently offer therapy that attends to the emotional and mental health needs of both adults and children seen within the service.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of a highly innovative NHS service within a supportive and creative environment.

Main duties of the job

The post involves doing outreach work in the community and linking with partnership agencies to provide consultation and training. The clinician will link to some specific Children's Centres and need to build positive relationships with staff to facilitate joint working. This post would suit someone dynamic, confident, flexible and tenacious with interest in the mental health of adults as parents and the impact of their emotional difficulties on their children's wellbeing and development.

We especially welcome applications from candidates with Adult mental health experience within an IAPT service and an interest in developing expertise in working with young children.

Working for our organisation

Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.

At Whittington Health, we prioritise diversity, equity, and inclusion, supported by dedicated leaders who embody our values and the NHS Constitution. We believe that a truly inclusive workplace is essential for our staff to thrive and deliver the highest quality of care to our patients and service users. At Whittington Health, we believe that every staff member should feel a sense of belonging and have the opportunity to reach their goals. We are dedicated to creating a workplace free from racism and discrimination, where joy and laughter abound as we serve those in our care.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES

1. CLINICAL

1. To provide specialist, generic and discipline specific treatments for referred clients. For adults this could include Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Person-Centred Psychotherapy, Schema Focused Therapy. This work requires holding the child in mind throughout interventions, and the possibility of parent-child work.
2. To conduct risk assessments and manage clinical risk in line with service protocols.
3. To formulate, implement, and evaluate therapy programmes for clients, adapting interventions to meet individual needs.
4. To maintain accurate and timely clinical records in accordance with professional and service standards.
5. To facilitate CBT groups for adults/parents with mental health difficulties - (eg. Growing Together Mindskills group)
6. To provide psychoeducation and support to clients and their families/carers where appropriate.
7. To provide specialist mental health advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals/ agencies to assist in the formulation, diagnosis and treatment of clients.
8. To work autonomously providing treatment sessions based within the community.
9. To screen referrals within an allocated geographical area.
10. To collect and make use of Routine Outcome Measures for both parents and children, to monitor and evaluate clinical interventions.
11. To provide reports and communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner concerning the assessment, formulation, treatment plans and needs of clients.
12. To liaise with other health, social care and education staff, from a range of agencies, in the care provided to clients from each service.
13. To carry out clinical work in health and education settings, to best meet the clients' needs and in line with service practice.

2. TRAINING AND SUPERVISION

1. To participate in the delivery of training and workshops for staff and external stakeholders.
2. To provide advice and consultation where appropriate, to other health, social care, voluntary sector and education staff working with the client groups.
3. To ensure the development and maintenance of the highest personal standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the post holder's professional and service managers.

3. PROFESSIONAL

1. Ensure the maintenance of standards of practice according to the employer and any regulating, professional and accrediting bodies (eg e.g., BABCP, HCPC, UKCP , BPS), and keep up to date on new recommendations/guidelines set by the Department of Health (e.g NHS Plan, National Service Framework, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence).
2. Demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of work.
3. For CBT therapist applicants- be aware of, and keep up to date with advances in the spheres of CBT and CBT for LTC as appropriate.
4. Ensure clear professional objectives are identified, discussed and reviewed with senior therapists on a regular basis as part of continuing professional development.
5. Attend clinical/managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with Manager.

4. SERVICE DEVELOPMENT

1. To contribute to the ongoing development and evaluation of the service, including participation in audits, research, and service improvement initiatives.
2. To work collaboratively with colleagues to ensure the service meets its performance targets and delivers high-quality care.
3. To promote the service within the local community and build effective working relationships with other healthcare providers.
4. To contribute to the development, evaluation, implementation and monitoring of the operational policies of Growing Together.

5. GENERAL

1. To work flexibly and with initiative to meet the core aims of service delivery to clients.
2. To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with Service and Trust policies and procedures.
3. All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the General Data Protection Regulation - GDPR (2018) and trust security and confidentiality policies.

Person specification

Education /Qualifications

Essential criteria

• 1. Postgraduate qualification in Clinical Psychology (Doctorate level) accredited by the BPS, OR - Postgraduate qualification in Counselling Psychology accredited by the BPS, OR - Accreditation as a CBT Therapist with BABCP or in High Intensity (IAPT Pathway) or equivalent.
• 2. Registration: - Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist, OR - Accreditation with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP). Appropriate registration (e.g. HCP/ UKCP/ ACP).

Skills & Abilities

Essential criteria

• Knowledge and skills in the assessment and treatment of adult mental health difficulties.
• Knowledge and skills in effective communication, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Has received training in, and carried out, risk assessments within scope of practice.
• Ability to engage and develop good therapeutic relationships with clients and families.

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge and skills in the assessment and treatment of child mental health/relational difficulties.
• Knowledge and skills in collaborative consultation.
• Knowledge of models and practices relevant to parent-child mental health.

Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria

• Post-graduate experience of working in adult and/or child mental health services.
• Experience of providing direct clinical intervention, including assessment, formulation and treatment, to adults and/or parents with complex (IAPT+) mental health difficulties.
• Commitment to meet agreed/specified service targets through clinical outcomes.
• Knowledge and skills in effective communication, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
• Ability and experience of providing evidence based psychological interventions (in particular CBT).
• Experience of network working and liaising with other professionals involved with the care of the family to ensure a high standard of care.
• Demonstrates an understanding (and formal training) of anxiety and depression and how it may present in Primary Care.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to adult and child mental health, education, the Children Act and child protection.
• Knowledge of the relevant clinical research literature and ability to apply it to field of child and adult mental health.
• Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in Primary Care Services.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of psychological interventions and the role of early caregiver relationship in child development.
• Experience in teaching and offering consultations to other professionals.
• Experience to deliver workshop about wellbeing/mental health/parenting to the universal public.
• Knowledge and experience of child development, and formulation and treatment with under 5 year olds.
• Experience of using the patient management system, IAPTUS and RIO.

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria

• Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships.
• Interest and ability to contribute to service development.
• Experience of providing a culturally sensitive service while working with diverse communities and within a multi-cultural setting.
• High level of enthusiasm and motivation.
• Ability to use clinical supervision and personal development positively and effectively.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality.
• Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, in own personal and professional development and in supervision.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice.
• Experience of providing a culturally sensitive service while working with diverse communities and within a multi-cultural setting.
• Advanced communication skills.

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS

To comply with the Trust's Safeguarding Children and Adults policies, procedures and protocols. All individual members of staff (paid or unpaid) have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This will require you to:

• Ensure you are familiar with and comply with the London Child Protection Procedures and protocols for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people.
• Ensure you are familiar and comply with the London Multi Agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Pan London Procedures.
• Ensure you are familiar and comply with local protocols and systems for information sharing.
• Know the appropriate contact numbers and required reporting lines.
• Participate in required training and supervision.
• Comply with required professional boundaries and codes of conduct.

Whittington Health is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Your application form

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1. Provide only business email address for your referees - we are unable to request references from yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail accounts.
2. Make sure you to include all evidence of where you meet the essential requirement on the jobs description as this forms the base of our shortlisting criteria.

Our processes

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1. Closing dates are given as a guide; we are within our right to close adverts early so please ensure you submit your application as soon as possible to avoid delay.
2. If you do not hear from us up to 3 weeks after the closing date of the job unfortunately this means you have not been successfully shortlisted for interview. If your require feedback on your application please contact the appointing manager detailed in the body of the advert.
3. Please check your emails regularly as all correspondence from us will be via trac.systems - occasionally these emails will go into your Junk folder.
4. Employment at Whittington Health is offered subject to successful completion of a 6 month probationary period for all staff with the exception of GMC Registered Doctors.

Other important information

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• Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
• Applications are welcome from people wishing to job share or work flexible patterns. We are committed to equal opportunities.
• In submitting an application form, you authorise Whittington Health NHS Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process should you be appointed to the post.

If you are offered a role with one of the NLPSS partner trusts, as part of pre-employment checks your identity and right to work documentation will be verified remotely (in most circumstances), using a certified identity verification service provider TrustID. You will be asked to capture an image of the relevant documents as well as a "selfie" using your smartphone/tablet (if available) for facial matching. TrustID will also perform a digital address check using Trunarrative and Equifax, which is a soft check and does not leave a footprint on your credit rating. For more information, visit www.trustid.co.uk.

Please note that during the recruitment process your Identity Documentation (i.e. passport, driving licence, visa, etc.) will be scanned using a device which recognises UV, Infrared and Machine Readable Zone security features of the documents provided.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

We would welcome applications from individuals who are from underrepresented groups in the organisation.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• JD GT-CBT Therapist/Clinical and Counselling Psychologist (PDF, 392.4KB)
• Whittington Probationary Policy (PDF, 298.0KB)
• Whittington Employment Promise (PDF, 22.4KB)