Specialist Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Job Summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a HCPC registered psychologist to work 0.5 WTE in our Older Adult Locality Mental Health Team in Hereford based at the Benet Building, Ruckhall Lane. We would support someone who has worked in a different specialty who has a passion to work with older people. Psychology is highly valued, both in terms of complex client work, neuropsychological assessment of dementia, as well as supporting teams in formulating care, delivering training and leading service development. We would also support flexible working. The psychology team is very supportive and has lots of development opportunities. Recently staff have undertaken training in EMDR, MBT and the QICN. To find out more please contact Dr. Andy Ashley (Andrew.ashley@nhs.net; Consultant Clinical Psychologist).

Main Duties of the Job

• Providing assessments and interventions for older people with complex health needs, including neuropsychological assessment. Interventions may involve family members and carers and include liaison and consultation.
• Active contribution to MDTs: providing case discussion and care planning with an emphasis on sharing formulations and evidence-based care.
• Developing an area of specialist expertise, as part of our programme of evidence-based therapies for older people. We have recently supported training and accreditation in EMDR, MBT, Narrative Therapy, and the QICN.
• Contributing to audit, research, and development work.
• Working towards providing formal and ad hoc supervision to other staff, including trainees as well as providing teaching and learning opportunities.
• Providing clinical expertise and developing leadership in the psychological needs of older people and their families and contributing to a culture of support and collaboration both in the service and with partner agencies.

About Us

At Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, we are working together to deliver outstanding care. We run community hospitals and community health services across Worcestershire and provide mental health and learning disability services across both Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Our people (all 4500+ of them) provide services for people of all ages, experiencing both physical and/or mental health conditions from over 100 sites.

We will support you to thrive; offer flexible working options for a great work-life balance, help you fulfill your ambitions, and empower you to make positive changes within your team or service. We value diversity and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, and ethnicities.

What We Offer

• 27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to 33 days with long service.
• Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when you work unsocial hours.
• Flexible and agile working opportunities.
• Great maternity, paternity, and adoption support.
• Wide range of supportive staff networks.
• Health and wellbeing opportunities.

Job Responsibilities

For full details of the duties and criteria for the role please refer to the job description and person specification attached.

Person Specification

Skills & Abilities

Desirable

• Able to think strategically; to consider the wider picture for developing specialist services long term and planning developments, which may impact across agencies.

Experience

Essential

• Experience required specific to the role and clinical area.
• A minimum of 2 years of experience working as a qualified Clinical/Counselling Psychologist within the relevant area.
• Sufficient training and experience to be recognised by the Division of Clinical/Counselling Psychology as a suitably qualified psychologist to offer clinical placements to trainee Clinical/Counselling Psychologists.
• Training and experience in the application of psychological knowledge within a number of different specialties.
• Experience of assessing and providing a wide range of psychological interventions to patients presenting with the full degree of clinical severity and across a range of clinical mental health presentations.
• Experience of conducting clinically relevant research.

Desirable

• Experience of strategic planning and service development.
• Experience of teaching and training psychologists in a Clinical/Counselling Psychology doctorate training course.
• Experience of providing clinical supervision to trainees, assistant psychologists, and/or other professionals.

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge required specific to the role and clinical area.
• Well-developed psychometric assessment skills.

Additional Criteria

Essential

• Able to meet the travel requirements of the post.

Desirable

• Previous publications in either peer-reviewed academic or professional journals and/or books.

Qualifications

Essential

• BSc/BA Honours degree at 2:1 or above in psychology.
• Post graduate Doctorate in Clinical/Counselling Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
• Post qualification training in specific, evidence-based techniques for use with clients with complex psychological presentations and/or physical health difficulties, across the age span.
• Evidence of regular further professional training and experience as required by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the BPS.
• Eligible for registration as a Chartered Psychologist (Clinical or Counselling) by the BPS.
• Eligible for registration as a Practitioner member of the BPS Division of Clinical/Counselling Psychology.
• Registered with HCPC as a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist.
• I understand that I will be asked to provide original certificates to verify my qualifications at the point of offer.

Desirable

• Related academic qualifications to masters or doctorate level.