Macmillan Cancer Psychologist

The Cancer Psychological Care Team became a permanently established service in 2022. We provide outpatient specialist psychological assessment and formulation-based interventions for patients accessing cancer treatment at King's College Hospital, as well as their family members and carers. The service adopts a compassion-based model of care, guiding how we support patients, MDT colleagues, and each other. There is a range of expertise in the service, including CFT, ACT, CBT, Narrative Therapy, and EMDR. Given the age of the service, we are engaged in a range of exciting service development projects, including EDI work, formulation-based practice, patient involvement, increasing access to psychological care, establishing psychoeducational workshops, training non-cancer specialist psychological therapists in primary care, and increasing the offer of staff psychological consultation for complex presentations.

The successful post holder will work alongside another full-time Band 7 Practitioner Psychologist colleague, three 8a Highly Specialist Practitioner Psychologist colleagues, an Assistant Psychologist, Trainee Clinical Psychologists, an 8b Principal Practitioner Psychologist (Service Lead), and a dedicated Medical Secretary. They will be joining a friendly, innovative, and supportive team, as well as the wider group of supportive psychologists and psychotherapists working across various medical specialities.

Main duties of the job

• This post-holder will initially spend one day per week at Princess Royal University Hospital, offering direct patient care and identifying service need, alongside the other band 7 Psychologist in the team and an 8A Psychologist overseeing this project.
• Providing timely access to specialist psychological assessment, and psychological therapy, tailored to the needs of patients, throughout and following their cancer treatment journey.
• Collaborating with colleagues with links to cancer tumour groups and specific MDMs in the hospital as well as rehabilitation services in secondary and primary care settings to provide high quality care.
• Maintain contacts with the community and pathways of referrals and care to ensure patients receive care in the most socially acceptable and supportive environment to them.
• Facilitate reflective practice groups for non-qualified staff and supervision groups for MDT colleagues.
• Provide training, advice and support for reflective practice, which meets the learning needs of staff throughout services who support people with cancer at King's.

About us

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Job responsibilities

• To travel to sites across the Trust, including Princes Royal University Hospital, Orpington, as appropriate and 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 including those associated with physically unwell patients approaching end of life care and to support others involved in such situations.
• The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.
• To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.
• To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.
• To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.

This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.

All employees must hold an 'nhs.net' email account which will be the Trust's formal route for email communication. Everyone is responsible for promoting inclusion no matter their role or team. At Kings, we want to create an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and welcomed.

Person Specification

Education and 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. (Doctoral trainees in their final months of gaining their qualification will also be considered).
• Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist.

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience of receiving clinical supervision across a range of client needs.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
• Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and/or lived experience.
• Experience of developing and carrying out research projects.
• Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment.
• Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities.
• Highly sophisticated knowledge of psychological research design and methodology and complex statistical analysis.
• Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
• To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
• Knowledge of the selection and administration of specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.

Desirable

• Experience of working in multidisciplinary teams with colleagues from a range of disciplines.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs specifically related to physical illness.
• An understanding of models of health psychology in addition to models of psychopathology.
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in cancer.
• Knowledge and experience of the theory and practice of cognitive behavioural therapy.

Skills and Competencies

• To communicate skilfully and sensitively (at both a written and oral level) complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues within and outside the NHS, and overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
• To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews.
• To plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists.
• To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials.
• Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data.
• Ability to work effectively within complex multi-disciplinary and multi-agency environments, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
• Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings.
• Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these.
• Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
• Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed towards self.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.