Practitioner Psychologist

NHS; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job description

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

We are looking to recruit a Band 7 Practitioner Psychologist to work within a well-established and highly valued staff support service. The service provides both 1:1 support to staff, as well as team and organisational interventions. This post would suit someone who likes to work creatively and innovatively and consider the broad application of psychological models and theories to help promote staff wellbeing.

As a department, we value staff wellbeing and development and will work with the successful applicant to devise a plan for CPD and supervision which will help consolidate clinical skills.

As a Band 7 practitioner, you will be provided with line management and one-to-one clinical supervision by an experienced and senior psychologist within the department and have access to CPD and the support of the wider department. We work closely with University of Sunderland colleagues and so there are opportunities for research and service evaluations. Psychology is highly valued within STSFT and you will be supported to continue to develop within your career.

Main Duties of the Job

This role is well suited to someone who has an interest in working within staff support in a busy acute and community NHS trust.

The role of a Band 7 practitioner will be diverse and there are opportunities to not only develop and consolidate core therapeutic clinical skills but also develop skills and experience in devising and delivering training, providing consultation and supervision within the team.

There are opportunities to form part of Specialist Interest Groups both regionally and nationally, and the post holder will be supported to develop within their role.

There is flexibility with work patterns. We would advise anyone who is interested to contact the department to discuss the post in further depth.

About Us

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One Team One Trust - There are many reasons to work at our Trust. From our commitment to putting people first to our accessible services and award-winning teams. We have a passion for research, innovation and tackling inequalities. We are committed to respect, fairness and civility and promote a compassionate, caring and positive culture/working environment.

We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, and in particular those from under-represented groups. Looking after our workforce's health and wellbeing is a priority for STSFT. We also provide access to high-quality education, training, career progression, and support. Flexible working is supported via the Trust's Flexible Working Policy.

The Trust employs around 8,300 people and provides a range of hospital services to a local community of around 430,000 residents. We also provide a range of more specialised services outside this area, in some cases to a population as great as 860,000. We offer our staff outstanding benefits - Fitness Centre (SRH), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a Childcare Co-ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements. The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated.

Job Responsibilities

We are looking to appoint a Band 7 Practitioner Psychologist to join our well-established and valued staff support service at STSFT.

You will be expected to work autonomously in relation to managing your own caseload and be responsible for the planning and organisation of your clinics and the implementation of evidence-based psychological interventions in both group and individual settings to meet the clients' psychological needs. There will also be opportunities for the development and delivery of teaching and training.

There will be opportunities for research and clinical audit depending on service need and the interests of the post holder. Supervision and support will be provided by a senior clinical psychologist. As a wider Clinical Health Psychology service, we have a mix of professions working within our MDT services including a specialist nurse, specialist physiotherapists, and a specialist OT.

PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR FULL DUTIES OF THE ROLE.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience of working within the NHS.
• Experience of working within a multi-professional team.
• Experience of working with adults who have mental health difficulties.
• Experience of exercising clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care and treatment, within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan with appropriate supervision.
• Experience of teaching and training.
• Experience of staff support.
• Experience of application of psychology in different cultural settings.

Qualifications

• An upper second class honours degree or higher in Psychology with eligibility for Graduate Basis for Chartership with British Psychological Society (BPS).
• Post-graduate Applied Psychology training accredited by HCPC allowing registration as a Practitioner Psychologist (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 as accredited by the BPS).
• HCPC registered as a Practitioner Psychologist.
• Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
• High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.

Personal Qualities

• Excellent organisational skills to manage a range of clinical activities.
• Ability to create effective working relationships.
• Ability to work autonomously.
• Interest in a broad range of psychological phenomena, models of service delivery and an ability to articulate the value added by psychology services to wider teams.

Skills and Knowledge

• Models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology and two or more distinct psychological therapies including CBT.
• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• Ability to use the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills both verbal and written.
• To convey/receive highly complex/sensitive information effectively requiring empathy and reassurance in a highly emotive atmosphere.
• Ability to make clinical and service-related judgements involving complex facts requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for clinical practice.
• An understanding of the importance and function of personal boundaries and how to manage and maintain them.
• Knowledge of current issues in and opportunities for applying psychological interventions in a healthcare setting.
• Relevant additional clinical experience within staff support.
• Experience of NHS service planning/improvement/development.
• Knowledge of the relevance of psychological factors in physical health services.
• Interest in a broad range of psychological phenomena, an interest in models of service delivery.
• A commitment to the elevation and development of the service through audit.
• Willingness to provide a flexible and responsive service to meet the needs of a diverse and evolving service.
• A commitment to the evaluation of the service through audit.

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.

South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust