Practitioner Psychologist (Renal)

NHS; London; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job description

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 7 HCPC registered Practitioner Psychologist who has a doctoral degree or equivalent in clinical, counselling or health psychology to join the Renal Psychology Service located at Guy's Hospital, London. We welcome applications from recently qualified psychologists or final year trainee psychologists who are anticipated to complete their training in Summer 2025.

Under supervision of the senior practitioner psychologist, the post-holder will contribute to the ongoing development and delivery of a high-quality Specialist Clinical Health Psychology Service for patients with kidney conditions and their families/carers. As a Practitioner Psychologist, you will offer psychological assessment and evidence-based treatment to patients and, if appropriate, families/carers presenting to the service.

The post holder is expected to collaborate with other members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) to achieve the service's aims and to contribute to service developments in the area of understanding, evaluating, and managing people with kidney conditions. The post involves frequent staff consultation and team formulation in the context of complex client working.

The post holder will work autonomously within clearly defined policies and procedures of the Renal Psychology Service and professional guidelines. They will contribute to the audit, policy, service development, and research of the service.

Main duties of the job

The post is within the Renal Psychology Service at Guy's Hospital. Professional support and supervision is provided by the 8a Lead Practitioner Psychologist and line management by the Matron for Transplant, Renal and Urology. The post holder will have key relationships with multiple professionals within the Directorate, which covers a wide geographical remit across London and the South East. This can include work within our satellite dialysis centres.

Main duties of the role include:

• To provide specialist assessment, formulation, and treatment to adults and young people (16 years upwards) with renal conditions, on an inpatient and outpatient basis.
• Providing support, teaching, and training to staff from other professional groups within the Directorate.
• To offer staff consultation and formulation with MDT members.

Job responsibilities

• To provide specialist expertise in the psychological care of kidney patients on an inpatient and outpatient basis.
• To provide specialist psychological and cognitive assessment to clients referred to the service based upon the appropriate use, interpretation, and integration of complex data from a variety of sources.
• To formulate and implement plans for the psychological treatment and/or management of clients presenting with a variety of complex problems based upon an appropriate conceptual framework.
• To implement a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, and families, adjusting and refining psychological formulations.
• To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models.
• Produce detailed reports based upon the results of psychological assessment.
• To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance, and consultation to other professionals.
• To contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework of understanding and care.
• To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients.
• To complete triage and screening of referrals and make appropriate clinical decisions.
• To liaise with referrers, GPs, and other professionals concerned with clients.
• To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation, and treatment plans of clients.
• To work flexibly, including providing psychological input to ward rounds, multidisciplinary outpatient clinics, and annual reviews.
• To respond to urgent referrals to support the management of challenging interactions.
• To make referrals for further work as appropriate.
• To undertake liaison work with educational teams and employers on behalf of patients.
• To work as an autonomous professional within the HCPC and BPS guidelines.
• To manage patients' challenging behaviour in a proactive and positive manner.
• To facilitate staff support and reflective practice groups.

Person Specification

Knowledge

• Doctoral level qualification or its equivalent in clinical or health or counselling psychology as accredited by BPS.
• Knowledge of psychological interventions, application, and supervision of others.
• HCPC Registration as Practitioner Psychologist.
• Specialist knowledge of the theory of specialised psychological therapies in specific areas of physical health.

Experience

• Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of adult patients with physical health problems.
• Experience of using evidence-based psychological interventions for a wide variety of psychological problems.
• Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of providing both group-based and individual psychological interventions.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience in the psychological management of patients with long term conditions.
• Experience of supervision of trainee/assistant psychologists/students.
• Experience of frequent management of 'behaviour that challenges' to a satisfactory and safe outcome.

Skills

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological, neuropsychological, and behavioural assessment and intervention.
• A strong ability to communicate at both a written and oral level, imparting complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information.
• Ability to undertake research according to needs of the service.

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.

Salary

£54,320 to £60,981 a year per annum inc HCA

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working