We are looking for a clinical/counselling psychologist or CBT Therapist to join the Croydon Early Intervention Psychosis Service (COAST). COAST is a large multi-disciplinary team (care coordinators, psychiatrist and IPS) working with adults (18-65) experiencing a first episode psychosis and their families. You must be passionate about supporting people experiencing a first episode psychosis and understand the local demographic in Croydon.
You would join a supportive psychological therapy team (x3 8a psychologists, FI therapist, trainees DClin & CBT). Our main psychological approaches are CBT for psychosis (inc. ACT & CFT), and Family Interventions for Psychosis, plus Open Dialogue informed network meetings and Tree of Life groups.
The role involves assessment, intervention, group work and family interventions (subject to experience), plus, indirect consultation and support for the MDT. Further training and supervision opportunities will be supported.
You would join the Croydon Psychosis Psychological Therapies pathway which provides opportunities for shared training, development and leadership opportunities across the teams in Croydon.
We especially welcome applications from underrepresented groups.
This role would suit a DClinPsy trainee due to qualify in September - we will support you to transition into a qualified role.

The role is currently offered fixed term for 18 months, with scope to become permanent. There is an expectation to be onsite for four days a week.

• To provide a specialist psychology service to individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis with the COAST early intervention team, and their families, including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.
• To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
• To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate.
• To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.
• To work as an autonomous professional within BPS and HCPC/BABCP guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions with support of clinical supervisor.

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London and are part of King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre.
SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.
By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

KR 1 Clinical and Client Care

• To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients in COAST including individual CBTp, FIp, facilitating groups and workshops as needed.
• To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
• To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.

KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning

• To contribute to the effective working of the COAST team and to a psychologically informed framework for the service.
• To contribute to the team or service’s delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.
• To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services.
• To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans.

KR 3 Policy and service development

• To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes.
• To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.
• To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects.

KR 4 Care or management of resources

• To take care of, and use carefully, the Trust’s equipment and physical resources.
• To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.

KR 5 Management and supervision

• To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of an assistant psychologist if required, under supervision from a more senior psychologist.
• To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Training Course’s Supervision Training.

KR 6 Teaching and Training

• To provide occasional specialist training in psychological approaches to care to other professions as appropriate.
• To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.

KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance

• To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
• To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.

KR 8 Research and development

• To undertake regular complex service evaluation, audits or research relevant to service needs.

KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development

• To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist according to HCPC and Trust guidelines.
• To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the HCPC ‘Standards for Continuing Professional Development’.
• To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.
• To comply with the HCPC ‘Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics’ and ‘Standards of Proficiency’, and ensure professional development in line with these.
• To adhere to the BPS’s Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.

KR10 General

• To travel to home visits, community placements, psychology meetings as appropriate and across the Trust when required.
• To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow trust policies relating to its management.
• To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations and to support others involved in such situations.
• To work flexibly which may include offering some regular commitment to late clinics or Saturday working, within the overall Job Plan. (NB we do not currently offer late clinics or Saturday working)

The role is currently offered fixed term for 18 months, with scope to become permanent. There is an expectation to be onsite for four days a week.

• To provide a specialist psychology service to individuals experiencing a first episode of psychosis with the COAST early intervention team, and their families, including specialist assessment, treatment, planning, implementation and monitoring of outcomes.
• To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
• To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate.
• To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.
• To work as an autonomous professional within BPS and HCPC/BABCP guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions with support of clinical supervisor