Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist - Sickle Cell

Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist - Sickle Cell

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

An exciting opportunity has become available for an enthusiastic and experienced Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist within our Department of Haematology.

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is a designated specialist centre for patients with haemoglobinopathies caring for over 800 adults with sickle cell disease. The postholder will be part of the multidisciplinary team which includes consultant haematologists, specialist nurses (acute and community), a social worker, a team of junior doctors and a Band 7 practitioner psychologist. We provide inpatient, outpatient and day unit services.

This adult service works closely with the paediatric team, transitioning approximately 15 patients per year. There is collaboration with other specialities and a number of joint specialist sickle clinics are held regularly. The centre is part of the South Thames Sickle and Thalassaemia Network and patients are referred for tertiary care from across the region. Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant for adults with sickle cell disease has recently been commissioned at King's and so the postholder will have the opportunity to be involved in this exciting development.

Established support structures are in place with regular clinical supervision and close working relationships from across departments within King's College Hospital and peer support from a friendly and innovative group of psychologists and psychotherapists serving a diverse inner city population.

Main duties of the job

To provide a specialist psychology service to adults with sickle cell disease or thalassaemia including specialist assessment (including neuropsychological assessment if within the post holder's competencies), treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes, focusing on the identification and treatment of psychological issues which have negative impact on symptoms, adherence to treatment plans, and on more general physical and psychological well-being.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To provide operational line management and clinical supervision to the Band 7 psychologist.

To provide advice and consultation as appropriate.

To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.

To work as an autonomous professional within BPS and HCPC guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles, policies and procedures of the employing organisation (King's College Hospital), taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions with support of clinical supervisor.

About us

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

KR 1 Clinical and Client Care

To provide specialist psychological assessments (including neuropsychological assessments if this is within the post holders competencies), formulations and interventions for clients in the adult haemoglobinopathy service,including developing and delivering psychological interventions with support from clinical supervisor that are tailored to meet the needs of both inpatients and outpatients.

Produce detailed reports based upon the results of psychological assessment (and neuropsychology assessments where applicable).

To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.

To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.

KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning

To contribute to the effective working of the haemoglobinopathies team and the haematology service and to help contribute to the development and facilitation of a psychologically informed framework for the service.

To contribute to the team and services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.

To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services.

To advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of clients.

To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans.

KR 3 Policy and service development

To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes.

To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.

To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects.

KR 4 Care or management of resources

To take care of, and use carefully, the Trusts equipment and physical resources.

To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.

KR 5 Management and supervision

To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of a Band 7 psychologist, under supervision from a more senior psychologist.

To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Training Courses Supervision Training.

KR 6 Teaching and Training

To provide occasional specialist training in psychological approaches to care to other professions as appropriate.

To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.

KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance

To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.

To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.

KR 8 Research and development

To undertake regular complex service evaluation, audits or research relevant to service needs.

KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development

To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist according to HCPC and Trust guidelines.

To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the HCPC Standards for Continuing Professional Development.

To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.

To comply with the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Standards of Proficiency, and ensure professional development in line with these.

To adhere to the BPSs Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.

KR10 General

To travel to sites across the Trust and the area it serves as appropriate and when required.

To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow trust policies relating to its management.

To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations including those associated with critically unwell patients and those approaching end of life care andto support others involved in such situations where appropriate.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration
• Additional training in a specialised area of psychological practice through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses, or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma.
• Completed training course in clinical supervision.
• Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC

Knowledge and Experience

• Evidence of having worked with people with medical conditions as a clinical specialist under supervision.
• Experience of working in multidisciplinary teams with colleagues from a range of disciplines.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of complex psychological and physical health needs.
• Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists having completed the relevant training
• Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
• Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions including for those living with complex medical conditions.
• Experience in the provision of cognitive behavioural therapy and/or systemic approaches to therapy.
• Experience in the psychological management of haematological disorders, and/or chronic pain
• Experience of undertaking and interpreting neuropsychological assessments and writing reports based on the results.
• Experience in implementing service improvements.
• An understanding of models of health psychology in addition to models of psychopathology.

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.

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

£58,698 to £65,095 a yearpro rata per annum including HCA