Assistant Psychologist - Older Adult

at  Powys Teaching Health Board

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a full-time Assistant Psychologist to work in the Older Adult Clinical Psychology Service in North Powys.
The successful applicant will join a small, friendly and enthusiastic psychology team which is managed and led by the Consultant Clinical Psychologist. The assistant will be involved in the development of the Older Adult Clinical Psychology service and in the delivery of psychological interventions. This will include co-facilitating some group programmes with MDT colleagues as well as assisting in the development and delivery of additional evidence-based therapeutic interventions. . The post holder will also work with the Memory Assessment Service.
Deal with people over the telephone and via video conferencing as well as face to face sessions. The post will also require experience of managing routine outcome data, including analysing and interpreting such data to inform service evaluation and development.
The successful candidate can expect weekly clinical supervision with a qualified clinical psychologist and opportunities to develop knowledge, clinical sills and competence through additional training and CPD. This may include training on working with people living with dementia.
Experience of working with older adults who have complex mental health conditions is desirable as is experience of facilitating groups and administering neuropsychological assessments. Experience of MDT working is also essential.
The post requires attention to detail, enthusiasm, flexibility and resilience to work with a developing service. The ability to communicate effectively, and build rapport and effective relationships at all levels is essential. The post holder will ideally have worked in the NHS previously.
The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.
Being the smallest Heath Board in Wales means that you won’t get lost in the crowd. Everybody at Powys Teaching Health Board is valued for the contribution they make to our varied and diverse portfolio of community-based services. Together, we can continue to make a real difference to our patients and build on our unrivalled reputation.
As a supportive and progressive employer, we actively encourage you to carve out a career with us, through a range of development pathways. We’re also lucky enough to be situated in one of the most beautiful rural counties in Britain, let alone Wales! Achieving a healthy ’life work’ balance is essential, and something we recognise by prioritising your well-being.
To start your journey with us, and to learn more about what we can offer you please visit: https://pthb.nhs.wales/working-for-us/ . There you will find information about our benefits and values, read staff experiences and more about what our beautiful county has to offer.

THE POST HOLDER WILL: -

• Be required to undertake clinical interviews with service users, carers and relatives on a very frequent basis often in a hostile and highly emotive atmosphere. During such interviews the post holder will be expected to display good attention, listening and communication skills via both verbal and non-verbal means. This will involve sitting for extended periods of time (up to 2 hours) on a frequent basis, will involve prolonged and intense concentration, a high degree of professionalism and regular use of de-escalation skills.
• In the context of clinical work, be exposed to frequent experiences of highly distressing emotional material including histories of severe abuse, family breakdown and mental illness coupled with likely exposure to some verbal aggression and some risk of physical aggression.
• Work across a range of physical environments which may present different kinds of demands, e.g. out-patient hospital clinics, inpatient wards, residential services, service user’s homes etc. This may require carrying test materials and other equipment when required.
• Require proficiency in using a keyboard and in operating a personal computer which will be used on a daily basis.
• Be expected to have a driving licence to travel within the community.
• Conduct initial assessments of new referrals to the service. This may involve semi-structured interviews with service users and carers, direct observations of service users and reviews of medical and of psychological records.
• Administer standardised neuropsychological tests and standardised assessments. To score the tests, carry out the initial analysis of results and prepare a report of the findings.
• Assist in the implementation, planning and monitoring of systemic psychological interventions, once formulations have been completed.
• Carry out prescribed based psychological interventions under supervision.
• Communicate condition related information to clients, relatives and in an atmosphere, which may be highly emotive.
• Liaise, where appropriate, with private and voluntary organisations.
• Attend team meetings and other multi-disciplinary, clinical meetings about individual service users where appropriate.
• Be responsible for the planning and implementation of individual or group therapeutic sessions with service users (following discussion with supervising psychologist), and managing the clinical contact.
• May be required to demonstrate own duties to new/less experienced Assistant Psychologists.
• Assist in the preparation of appropriate training materials and with the presentation of such materials using a range of equipment including PowerPoint.
• Complete written clinical reports based on analysis of the information gathered during the initial assessment process.
• Maintain written records of work to the standard set by the Health Board.
• Ensure confidentiality in all aspects of the service provision, including service users’ records.
• Develop a knowledge of and to follow the relevant legislation, the relevant local and national policies and the relevant codes of professional conduct.
• Have knowledge and skills in the use of a range of computer packages

e.g.: PowerPoint, Excel, SPSS, Word for Windows, Access, etc.

• Be competent in the use of email for professional communication and in the use of a variety of on-line research databases and in the use of elibrary.
• Be responsible for providing information about all clinical and non-clinical appointments at least one week in advance.
• Be responsible for maintaining accurate records of individual clinical work and will provide relevant data for the departmental and NHS Powys Teaching Health Board Information systems.
• Be responsible for cataloguing departmental resources and for ensuring that stocks are maintained.
• Maintain a record of own CPD activities.
• Assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.
• Undertake data collection, analysis, the production of reports and summaries, using IT and statistical programmes.
• Undertake literature searches (including reading specific articles) to assist all the qualified Clinical Psychologists with evidence-based practice for their clinical work.

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click “Apply now” to view in Tra

JOB SUMMARY / PURPOSE:

To support and enhance the professional psychological care of clients within the Older Adult Psychology Service to include CMHT, and the Memory service providing psychological assessment and psychological interventions, working independently according to a plan agreed with a qualified Psychologist and within the overall framework of the policies and procedures for the service. To assist in clinically related administration, conduct of audits, collection of statistics, and development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.
Assisting a qualified Clinical Psychologist, the Assistant Psychologist will be responsible for the psychological aspects of the multi-disciplinary/multi-agency care provided for older adults.