Assistant Psychological Therapy Practitioner in Cardiff

Are you seeking an opportunity to join a highly skilled multidisciplinary team who are passionate about promoting formulation driven care? We are looking to recruit an Assistant Psychological Therapy Practitioner with a keen interest in trauma informed approaches and with the enthusiasm and passion to help promote effective, compassionate care for a population that remain vulnerable to stigmatisation and rejection.

The Cynnwys service is a specialist, tertiary service for individuals with primary difficulties in managing emotions and relationships, often in the context of repeated experiences of trauma and adversity. The team provides direct, psychologically driven input for individuals with care needs that cannot be safely and appropriately met by secondary services alone, as well as delivering consultation, training and support to staff teams across Cardiff and Vale. The post will involve enhancing clinical governance within the service, through gathering feedback from service users and carers, conducting service evaluation and audit, and supporting the therapies programme.

Main duties of the job

• The successful applicant will assist with evaluation of clinical outcomes through clinical interviews, administration and interpretation of outcome measures, and analysis of other health outcome data.
• The team has an established Dialectical Behaviour Therapy programme and, in addition to supporting evaluation of the programme, the successful applicant will have opportunities to develop their understanding and skills in this therapeutic approach via co-facilitation of therapeutic groups.
• The team also has two dedicated CAMHS Transition Practitioners who support high-risk young people as they navigate the move from child to adult mental health services.
• The post holder will support in gathering information on transition experiences between CAMHS and Adult Mental Health services, to support in improving care pathways.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Qualifications

• Eligibility for Graduate Membership of BPS or Relevant degree/diploma e.g., social science, counselling, teaching or training.
• Has attended training in delivery of low intensity psychological therapies.

Experience

• Demonstrates high standard in written communication.
• Able to write clear reports and letters.
• Experience of working with therapeutic groups.
• Experience of working with people who have complex emotional needs.
• Evidence involvement in service evaluations or clinical audits where effective data management has been key.
• Experience of care work.
• Experience of working with service users with a diagnosis of Personality Disorder.

Skills

• Able to develop good therapeutic relationships with clients.
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to clients, carers, and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including telephone skills.
• Competent in risk assessment.
• An ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.

Special knowledge

• Demonstrates an understanding of people with complex emotional needs and the evidence base for when psychological interventions may be appropriately applied.
• Demonstrates an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post.
• Good understanding of the Mental Health Act, Matrics Cymru and the Psychological Therapies Plan.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the main psychological therapy models.
• Familiarity with key documents and policies such as NICE guidance for Borderline Personality Disorder, NICE guidance for Management of Self-harm.

Personal Qualities

• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to use own initiative.
• Ability to work within a team and foster good working relationships.
• Ability to be self-reflective, whilst working with service users, in own personal and professional development and in supervision.
• Regard for others and respect for individual rights of autonomy and confidentiality.
• Strong resolve to meet targets in adverse situations.

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.

Salary: £28,819 to £31,626 a year per annum pro rata.