Senior Clinical Psychologist for Camden Vanguard

Senior Clinical Psychologist for Camden Vanguard

Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust

We are seeking an energetic, innovative, and skilled Psychologist with a passion for community psychology approaches to lead the Camden Vanguard for a 12-month fixed term maternity cover. Camden Vanguard is an innovative project aimed at supporting young people and their families who have been affected by community-based violence in Camden and it is part of the wider NCL Vanguard Pilot. Built on a strong legacy of community co-production and partnership working in Camden, Camden Vanguard partners Health, Local Authority, and the Voluntary Sector in an innovative approach to supporting young people (18-25) affected by violence and crime. Informed by Project 10/10 and earlier pioneering work by MAC UK, the model fuses youth work principles with community psychology theory and trauma-informed working practices to reach young people impacted by community-based violence. The post holder will work with young people and their families directly, as well as providing clinical supervision to the staff team. The project also aims to work with the systems around these young people to influence and lobby for systemic change; stepping beyond the individual focus.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will play a vital role in leading and developing the project over the third year of the pilot. Working closely with neighbouring Vanguard teams and also similar teams in Camden (Project 10/10, Camden YPS), the post holder will be responsible for helping to strengthen and develop these partnerships in meeting the needs of this complex and vulnerable group of young people. The post holder will hold a caseload, working with young adults impacted by community-based violence and, at times, their parent/s or family member. This role also prioritises affecting systems change by working with non-clinical professionals and services to develop trauma-informed strategies and/or provide an experience of reflective practice/clinical supervision. This is a senior psychologist post, and as such there is opportunity to influence and design pieces of work that interest you and align to the overall aims of the Vanguard, whilst also co-creating this approach with the young people, which is a core principle for how we work.

About us

The partnership betweenBarnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust (BEH)andCamden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust (C&I)is going from strength to strength since it was originally established in 2021 forming theNorth London Mental Health Partnership.

Why choose to join the Partnership?

• We believe that by working together, our two Trusts can achieve more for the residents of North Central London and our patients than we can by working apart.
• Deliver the best care using the most up-to-date practise in supporting those with mental health illnesses.
• Transforming and creating a positive environment for our service users, staff and visitors.
• Creating and working together to become a great place to work for all our staff.
• We offer flexible working, a wide range of health and wellbeing initiatives, NHS Pension and so much more.
• Generous Annual Leave Allowance
• NHS Discounts in a large variety of retail stores and services.
• We have excellent internal staff network support groups.

The postholder will need to be comfortable working in an environment of complex matrix management arrangements and will at all times behave and align with our Trusts' values and cultural pillars:

• We are kind
• We are respectful
• We work together
• We keep things simple
• We are proudly diverse

Job responsibilities

2.1 Clinical and Managerial

Provide a comprehensive psychology service as the lead for the Camden Vanguard

Provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations, consultations and interventions to young people aged 18-25 y/o

Alongside the Camden Vanguard team and young people, work together to design and develop activities/opportunities in line with the overall aims of the project e.g. empowering young people to be part of the conversation regarding safety in their community.

With support from the Operational Lead for YP services, manage the day to day safety of the Vanguard team, in particular on matters of clinical governance and safeguarding.

Work closely with health, local authority, and VCS partners to consider the strategic development of Camden Vanguard with regards to its effectiveness in supporting young people in the area.

Work with partners and other relevant agencies in Camden (e.g. youth provisions, probation, police, MH teams) providing consultation, training, and teaching specific to making professional services more accessible to young people.

Provide advice and support to MH teams on working with young adults who have been stepped down from secondary care / intensive community mental health services and who may have some experience of community-based violence

Support GPs and practice staff in their management and treatment of service users through case discussions, joint consultations and bespoke training

Work within the service to triage potential and new referrals sent to the team, providing consultation, information and advice to young people and partners as well as allocation of new work in the service to appropriate MDT colleagues. This includes signposting new referrals to and liaising as appropriate with other primary care services, IAPT, voluntary sector and secondary mental health services.

Maintain effective communication with GP, primary care staff, service users and their carers;

Provide clinical input, where necessary, to multi-disciplinary case conferencing around complex presentations being managed solely in primary care within the team and as part of the wider integrated health and care networks.

Engage with local service user participation models.

• Provide clinical and professional leadership and to participate in management activities and governance processes related to the post or the wider service in which it is embedded.
• Play an integral role in the performance of the team, the further development of the service, and the development of clinical pathways and priorities of the service line
• Work within the MDT promoting respect for all professional groups and focusing upon coherent and integrated teamwork.
• Provide reports and communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment offered and undertaken with service users/young people.
• Manage and supervise youth workers, assistant psychologists, clinical associates, apprentices and other staff as appropriate, including more junior clinical / counselling psychologists
• Other management/clinical supporting activity (to be negotiated as required by the Trust.)

Job description

Job responsibilities

2.1 Clinical and Managerial

Provide a comprehensive psychology service as the lead for the Camden Vanguard

Provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations, consultations and interventions to young people aged 18-25 y/o

Alongside the Camden Vanguard team and young people, work together to design and develop activities/opportunities in line with the overall aims of the project e.g. empowering young people to be part of the conversation regarding safety in their community.

With support from the Operational Lead for YP services, manage the day to day safety of the Vanguard team, in particular on matters of clinical governance and safeguarding.

Work closely with health, local authority, and VCS partners to consider the strategic development of Camden Vanguard with regards to its effectiveness in supporting young people in the area.

Work with partners and other relevant agencies in Camden (e.g. youth provisions, probation, police, MH teams) providing consultation, training, and teaching specific to making professional services more accessible to young people.

Provide advice and support to MH teams on working with young adults who have been stepped down from secondary care / intensive community mental health services and who may have some experience of community-based violence

Support GPs and practice staff in their management and treatment of service users through case discussions, joint consultations and bespoke training

Work within the service to triage potential and new referrals sent to the team, providing consultation, information and advice to young people and partners as well as allocation of new work in the service to appropriate MDT colleagues. This includes signposting new referrals to and liaising as appropriate with other primary care services, IAPT, voluntary sector and secondary mental health services.

Maintain effective communication with GP, primary care staff, service users and their carers;

Provide clinical input, where necessary, to multi-disciplinary case conferencing around complex presentations being managed solely in primary care within the team and as part of the wider integrated health and care networks.

Engage with local service user participation models.

• Provide clinical and professional leadership and to participate in management activities and governance processes related to the post or the wider service in which it is embedded.

• Play an integral role in the performance of the team, the further development of the service, and the development of clinical pathways and priorities of the service line

• Work within the MDT promoting respect for all professional groups and focusing upon coherent and integrated teamwork.

• Provide reports and communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment offered and undertaken with service users/young people.

• Manage and supervise youth workers, assistant psychologists, clinical associates, apprentices and other staff as appropriate, including more junior clinical / counselling psychologists

• Other management/clinical supporting activity (to be negotiated as required by the Trust.)

2.2 Teaching, training, and supervision

Provide professional and clinical supervision of other members of the multi-disciplinary team, of trainee clinical and counselling psychologists, and, where required, of assistant psychologists and clinical associate psychologists, on psychological interventions.

To provide advice, consultation, training and supervision, where appropriate, to other health and social care staff working with service users

2.3 Research, audit and service evaluation

Utilise evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual, family and group work and work with other team members.

Undertake appropriate research and provide research support to other staff undertaking research.

Participate in and contribute to clinical audit and service evaluation with colleagues within the service, to help evaluate and improve service provision, proposing changes to working practice and procedures for own work area as required.

3.0 General Receive regular clinical professional supervision from a senior clinical or counselling psychologist and, where appropriate, other senior professional colleagues as indicated and negotiated with line manager.

• Participate in an agreed programme of training and continuing professional development and maintain an active engagement with current developments in psychological practice in areas related to the post.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues of relevance to the service and service user group.

• Undertake such other duties and responsibilities, appropriate to the grade of the post, as may be agreed with the Consultant Psychologist Lead for the Community Mental Health Division

Person Specification

Qualifications/Registration

• oDoctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology oPost-graduate doctoral level qualification in clinical or counselling psychology as accredited by the British Psychological Society, or British Psychological Society Statement of Equivalence. oCurrent registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as a clinical psychologist or a counselling psychologist oCompletion of further post-qualification specialist training in an area relevant to the post

Skills/Experience

• oSkills in the use of a range of methods of psychological assessment (including psychometric tests), intervention and management for the full range of problems of severity and complexity presented in adult mental health oAbility to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS oSkills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups. oAbility to form good working relationships with others in a multidisciplinary setting oAbility to teach and train others, using a variety of multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings oAbility to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice oInterest and ability to contribute to service development
• oSkills in providing Psychological assessment, intervention, consultation and supervision in non-traditional settings oSkills in engaging young people who have had negative experiences with professionals in the past and who might not have faith in mandatory services as a result. oSkills in working in close partnership with young people and their families in order to co-create a service, and projects within that service, that are meaningful and relevant to the young people who access them.

Experience/Knowledge

• oExperience of psychological assessment and treatment of service users with a wide range of presentations in a specialist community mental health service oExperience of working in a Primary Care Setting oExperience of working with young adults and/or children who find mainstream offers of support to be hard to access., oSignificant post-qualification experience working with service users with complex mental health oExperience of teaching, training and offering effective consultation and supervision services oExperience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts oDoctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and data analysis as practised within the clinical fields of psychology oWell-developed knowledge of the clinical area where the post has designated special responsibilities oKnowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health oEvidence of continuing professional development as required by the Health and Care Professions Council and British Psychological Society
• oExperience/knowledge of community psychology approaches such as AMBIT, The Integrate Model, Liberation Psychology and how these approaches can help inform and develop community based psychology services. oExperience/knowledge of the Youth Justice System/Criminal Justice System and the lived experience of young people who are negotiating this pathway. oExperience/knowledge of how serious youth violence can impact on young people in society today oExperience/knowledge of working with other professional groups such as the police, probation, or prison officers, and the potential complexities of their systems and work cultures.

Personal Qualities

• oAbility to work both independently and cooperatively as part of a diverse team oExcellent interpersonal, written and verbal skills oDemonstrable resourcefulness oAbility to contain work with organisational stress and ability to hold the stress of others oAbility to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour oAbility to work with complex and seemingly contradictory clinical material and help others manage this oPositive attitude to change oAbility to carry out travel around the designated area of work and to work flexible and sometimes antisocial hours oA genuine commitment to an ethos of partnership working across sectors and agencies oAbility to work in both a flexible and disciplined way oAble to build and develop relationships with a wide range of people, both colleagues, partners, young people and their families like. oAn ability to work collaboratively and creatively with people and have the patience to allow new approaches to emerge from the relationships with our key stakeholders oAbility to stay calm and focused under often stressful and intense conditions.

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.

Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust

Operational Lead for Young Peoples Services

£61,927 to £68,676 a yearper annum Inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time,Flexible working,Compressed hours