JOB OVERVIEW

This is an opportunity for someone who is keen to use their leadership and psychological skills in a fast paced MDT environment. The role is suitable to those who put patient care and recovery at the centre of their practice.
Taking the role as Principal Psychologist across two in-patient areas (Hallam Street Hospital and Penn Hospital), you will offer leadership support and clinical supervision to other psychologists who work in these two settings. You will also offer your own clinical skills into the wards to support MDT’s, direct psychological care with patients and work systemically with the ward based staff and wider urgent care psychology services.
You will join a wider team of dedicated urgent care psychologists (clinical, forensic and counselling) who work across in-patients, Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), Mental Health Liaison Teams (MHLS) and Crisis and Home Treatment Teams (CRHTT).

PERSON SPECIFICATIONQUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLSESSENTIAL CRITERIA

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in Applied Psychology (or its equivalent as accredited by the BPS including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
• HCPC registration
• Trained in clinical supervision and the supervision of doctoral trainees
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Working as a qualified applied psychologist within the designated service including a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and a range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings.
• Liaison and joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies
• Research and development experience
• Experience of training and teaching others
• Active participation in quality improvement and service governance initiatives
• Experienced in risk assessment and management
• Demonstrable evidence of Trust behaviours
• Demonstrable evidence of good communication skills

MAIN DUTIES OF THE JOB

Based at Hallam Street and Penn Hospital, this post will allow you to take a key role in further developing and enhancing the psychological offer within the in-patient setting. Your role will involve working on the wards and engaging in individual client work including psychological assessments, formulation, care planning, interventions and risk assessments and management within the context of MDT working. You will also work systemically with the MDT in facilitating reflective practice groups and the development and delivery of training packages. If successful in your application, you will oversee the Senior Psychologists, Assistant Psychologists and Trainee Psychologist within the service areas, offering opportunities to strengthen your own supervisory and leadership skills. You will be supported by the Consultant Psychologist for Urgent Care.
As a Principal Psychologist, there are also opportunities to get involved in organisational and service development work streams, encouraging you to look beyond your team and support the wider system.
We have links with the local universities across the clinical, forensic and counselling doctorate courses. We also connect into a national psychology group for Trauma Interventions in Acute Settings.

DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION AND MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

We are looking for an applied clinical/forensic/counselling psychologist who is keen to apply their knowledge and skills in an in-patient setting Good team working skills is essential.
Support to the post holder will come from within the urgent care psychology team which is well established, having existed in various iterations of the Trust since 1998. Beyond the urgent care psychology team lies a wider Mental Health Divisional team of community based psychological practitioners, Physical Health Psychologists and specialist services such as perinatal mental health and early intervention.