Clinical / Counselling Psychologist

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

If you are an enthusiastic and motivated HCPC registered Clinical / Counselling Psychologist interested in working with adults with learning disabilities, we look forward to you joining our well-established service. A full-time permanent Band 7 position has arisen in NELFT Learning Disabilities Psychological Services, based in the multi-disciplinary Barking and Dagenham Community Learning Disability Team (CLDT) who work in an integrated approach with our client group. The post holder will be supported by the Senior Psychologist, Principal Psychologist and Professional Lead of the service.

Our service comprises clinical psychologists, behaviour specialists, art therapists, systemic/family therapists, assistant psychologists, clinical associate in psychology (CAP) and trainees from the Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling training courses based in London. The post-holder will work closely with the local Talking Therapies service to support access to mainstream services for our clients. We focus on trauma informed and culturally sensitive care for people with learning disabilities and their families.

We have excellent opportunities for enhancing clinical skills through CPD, peer support and service development and have regular Trust wide forums to meet as Learning Disabilities Psychological Professionals, including specialist systemic and EMDR supervision. We have a vibrant and active R&D department.

Main duties of the job

1. To provide a qualified, high-quality specialist Learning Disability Psychology Professional service to individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across the Community Learning Disability Team (CLDT) and support the Talking Therapies (TT) service towards the needs of people with learning disabilities referred to the service in line with best, evidence-based practice and trust care pathways.
2. To be responsible for holding and managing a clinical caseload to clients referred to the Community Learning Disability Teams, and utilising planning and organisational skills, to exercise autonomous assessment, treatment and discharge of clients, within the parameters of the service operational policy and professional responsibility for the planning and prioritising of own workload.
3. To employ analytical and judgment skills and be responsible for taking clinical management decisions in complex clinical issues.
4. To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a senior clinical/counselling psychologist and, where appropriate, other senior professional colleagues specialising in specific disorders or therapeutic modalities.

About us

Starting with NELFT NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focusing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Probationary Period This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

High Cost Area Supplement - London This post attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (minimum payment of £4,551 and a maximum payment of £5,735 per annum pro rata).

Certificates of Sponsorship Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points based system.

Job responsibilities

1. To provide specialist clinical/counselling psychology service to clients referred to the Community Learning Disability Teams.
2. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management.
3. Under supervision, to employ analytical and judgment skills and be responsible for taking clinical management decisions in complex clinical issues.
4. To, when appropriate, manage assistant psychologists and allocated Trainee Psychologists working in Learning Disabilities Psychological Professions.
5. To utilise research skills to undertake service evaluation and clinically relevant research as agreed under the supervision of the professional lead and to disseminate the results across the Learning Disabilities service, NELFT and where appropriate, nationally.
6. To plan, organise and provide teaching, training, consultation and as appropriate, clinical supervision to other professionals and disciplines within the CLDT in the psychological aspects of their work.
7. Teaching and training for TT practitioners, developing reasonable adjustments to enable access for people with learning disabilities to TT, providing consultation and advice to TT practitioners working with people with learning disabilities to assist assessment and treatment within TT services.

North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) requires the highest standards of personal and professional conduct from all of its employees. All employees must comply with the Code of Professional Conduct appropriate to their professional governing body.

As an NHS employee, you are required to observe the following principles:

1. Make the care and safety of patients my first concern and act to protect them from risk.
2. Respect the public, patients, relatives, carers, NHS staff and partners in other agencies.
3. Be honest and act with integrity.
4. Accept responsibility for my own work and the proper performance of the people I manage.
5. Show my commitment to working as a team member of working with all my colleagues in the NHS and the wider community.
6. Take responsibility for my own and continuous learning and development.

Use of AI Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Doctoral level training or equivalent in clinical /counselling psychology

Experience

• HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist
• Experience of working with people with learning disabilities and / or mental health
• Experience of application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts

Knowledge

• Skills in using complex methods of psychological assessments and interventions

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.

NELFT North East London Foundation Trust

£46,148 to £52,809 a year plus HCAS per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working, Compressed hours