Senior Applied Psychologist in Wolverhampton

This role is a 1.0 Full Time post within the Adult Mental Health division of BCHFT. As the largest clinical Division in the Trust, the MH Division houses community, urgent care, specialist and Physical Health Psychology.

Our community services have been transforming, in line with the NHS Long Term Plan, and you would be joining us at the point where our CMHTs are formed and fully functioning and psychology is well integrated into the MDT, giving lots of opportunity to be involved in supporting the development of psychological thinking across the MDT.

The successful applicant will join the local based team consisting of clinical and counselling psychologists, CBT psychotherapists, DBT practitioners and trainee clinical/counselling psychologists. The post holders will be supported and accountable to the team/service manager, and be professionally and clinically supervised within the psychology team.

The successful applicant will be keen to apply their knowledge and skills in a new setting and will be flexible and adaptable in their approaches to psychological work. Excellent team working skills and an ability to accommodate differing professional models is essential. The post holder will develop complex formulations working with individuals with complex presentations, offer supervision, consultancy, and training.

As a Senior Applied Psychologist you will work alongside the rest of the psychology team and the Consultant Clinical Psychologist to deliver the psychological provision for the Wolverhampton North CMHT, adopting a trauma informed approach. You will hold a caseload of clients presenting with secondary care level needs, including complex presentations and often risk. Alongside your direct caseload you will offer consultation, supervision, reflective practice and support to the wider MDT and input and support with the development of team formulations, team risk formulation and improving general psychological thinking and understanding across the MDT.

We are closely linked to local universities and provide placements for trainees, therefore there may be opportunities for supervising psychological trainees as well as Aston Psychology Degree Students on their placement year. Members of our wider psychology team have a range of therapeutic interests ranging from DBT, EMDR, psychodynamic, ACT, CFT and CBT. There is expertise in consultancy, supervision and training within the psychological professions in the Trust.

In BCHFT we are keen to promote cohesiveness and wellbeing in our psychology staff group. There are a number of Trust initiatives that support this, ranging from an annual event that brings all psychological professionals together to 'enhance our connectedness', to regular opportunities to engage, learn and share good practice through 'special interest groups'. We value our staff groups and, as a leadership team, work hard to ensure that people feel valued for both their effort and delivered outcomes, and that this is reflected in regular feedback. We are pleased to be able to offer CPD to our staff through establishment of a dedicated budget, and we also utilise all Regional or National opportunities for training when they arise. Current training initiatives within community services include the National PT-SMHP framework, which has allowed several of our staff to undertake post graduate diploma training in NICE based therapies.

Accountable for own professional practice in the delivery of highly specialist psychological care to adults with highly complex mental health difficulties which may include risk and challenges. To be compassionate in meeting the needs of clients, their carers and families. To promote at all times a positive image of mental health difficulties. To promote at all times a positive image of the service and the wider Trust. Exercise supervisory responsibility for other psychological therapists. Provide leadership in multi-disciplinary training and development. Provide leadership in service audit and development. Provide leadership in service evaluation and research. Ensure that a psychological perspective is brought to the wider MDT including service design and change.

Essential qualifications include post-graduate doctoral level training in applied Psychology (or its equivalent) as accredited by the BPS including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology. HCPC registration as An Applied Psychologist with Chartered Status. Experience in clinical supervision. Evidence of continuing professional development. Working as a qualified applied psychologist, working with a variety of client groups, and a range of clinical severity across a range of care settings. Experience of teaching, training, consultancy and clinical supervision. Experience of quality and service improvement and evaluation. Knowledge of Evidence-based practice relevant to the role, risk assessment and risk management, Clinical governance, Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health, Audit and research methodology. Able to communicate highly sensitive information to a wide range of people, work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, liaise with multiple agencies, demonstrate effective multimedia skills. Able to work in accordance with the Trust Values and Behaviours.

Desirable qualifications include BABCP Accreditation, experience of joint working with statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies, and formal Training in Clinical Supervision.