Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist in Milton Keynes

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist to join our growing older people’s mental health teams in Milton Keynes. The service has two pathways:

• The Specialist Memory Service (SMS) offering diagnostic assessment to people with suspected dementia and post-diagnostic support to them and their families.
• The Healthy Ageing Team, offering mental health treatment and support to people aged over 70 years old or anyone with a diagnosis of dementia regardless of age.

The service is clinically led by psychology and psychological approaches are a valued and key aspect of the provision of both pathways. We are looking for someone who is dynamic and motivated who can work autonomously and as part of a team to continue to provide and develop the existing service. The role also involves supervising trainee and assistant psychologists, and contributing to teaching, service development, audit and quality improvement.

We are passionate about growing our team and this post would be suitable for a newly qualified clinical psychologist (Band 7 Preceptorship) who would be supported to develop to an 8A position.

Main duties of the job:

• To provide a highly specialist psychology service to the Specialist Memory Service and Healthy Ageing Teams 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, functioning as a lead specialist in psychological care of older people.
• To undertake service evaluation, audit and research.
• To work as an autonomous professional within BPS and HCPC guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.
• To agree outcomes/results with clinical/professional lead and to decide how they are best achieved.

Here at CNWL we encourage our psychological professions staff to pursue leadership opportunities in senior roles. Various prominent leadership roles within the Trust are currently held by Psychologists including: Director of Strategy and Integration, Chief Information Officer, 3 Clinical Directors. We try to facilitate the development of our psychological professions staff across all areas.

What we can offer you:

CNWL is recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ in line with our values, our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries. With us, you will get - As a Trust we are committed to investing in our staff through a range of initiatives, both profession-specific and organisation wide. Psychological professions staff are able to access a range of trust-wide CPD initiatives. We have partnered with Bespoke and Contextual Consulting to provide some of the profession specific CPD, alongside additional CPD sessions we commission as part of CNWL CPD programme for Psychological Professions. CNWL also has seven established staff networks supporting a range of individual needs.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

Please see full job description which is attached to the advert and gives information about main responsibilities.

Person specification:

Qualifications:

• Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration.
• Additional training in a specialised area of psychological practice, including training in psychometrics and neuropsychology through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses, or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice–based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma.
• Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC.

Experience:

• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in mental health services for older people and people living with dementia.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature in mental health services for older people and people living with dementia.

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for older people living with dementia and mental health problems.
• Advanced knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics and neuropsychological assessment.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

AI can be used as a support tool, not a replacement for the applicant’s own work. Applications must remain personal, accurate, and reflective of the candidate’s real experience. AI-generated content must not misrepresent skills, qualifications, or experience. Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.

Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible. Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. Before submitting your application and to avoid disappointment please check that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period. If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

You must have appropriate UK professional registration. This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.