Principal Psychologist

The post holder will be a key member of the Integrated Autism Service (IAS) Leadership Team, providing and overseeing highly specialist and complex diagnostic assessment of adults and supporting MDT clinical decision making and clinical governance. Working as a Principal Psychologist within the Integrated Autism Service providing highly specialist and complex assessment and diagnosis, post-diagnostic intervention, advice and consultation to other service providers and where possible and appropriate, highly specialist intervention.

Main duties of the job

• Act as the Clinical Lead for the Integrated Autism Service, with overarching clinical oversight of all assessments and interventions in the service.
• Provide highly specialist and complex assessments and when appropriate, intervention services to adults on the autism spectrum.
• Provide complex and highly sensitive reports in response to clinical duties.
• Provide consultation and liaison to other professionals.
• Provide specialist clinical supervision and consultation to qualified IAS Practitioners, Assistant Psychologists and Trainee Psychologists and where appropriate professionals from other disciplines.
• Clinical line management to all relevant IAS staff.
• Clinical oversight, development and delivery of all assessment clinics pan Powys and all MDT meetings within the service.
• Actively contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of the service.
• Work within the principles and guidance of the Autism Act, Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Criminal Justice Act and current multi-disciplinary policy and guidance.

About us

Being the smallest Heath Board in Wales means that you won't get lost in the crowd. Everybody at Powys Teaching Health Board is valued for the contribution they make to our varied and diverse portfolio of community-based services. Together, we can continue to make a real difference to our patients and build on our unrivalled reputation. As a supportive and progressive employer, we actively encourage you to carve out a career with us, through a range of development pathways. We're also lucky enough to be situated in one of the most beautiful rural counties in Britain, let alone Wales! Achieving a healthy 'life work' balance is essential, and something we recognise by prioritising your well-being.

Job responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.

We would particularly welcome applications from Welsh speakers; but even if you don't speak any Welsh, or want to develop your skills, don't worry: the health board will support you with training.

Person Specification

• Honours degree in Psychology (or other BPS recognised combined honours degree including Psychology).
• Post-graduate Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology or Counselling Psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
• Eligibility for Chartered status with the BPS and/or HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist.
• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist.
• Training in clinical supervision (or equivalent experience) and/or Training and qualification in leadership.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology.
• Familiarity with key strategy documents, policies, and procedures, together with knowledge of legislation in relation to Autism, Neurodivergence, and Mental Health in Adults in Wales.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS and HCPC.
• Aware of a wide range of therapeutic psychological models and an advanced understanding of at least two.
• Advanced knowledge in the assessment and diagnosis of autism and neurodivergence in adults, including knowledge and understanding of issues relating to late diagnosis and assessment and diagnosis in women.
• Highly developed knowledge of the range of psychological models in their application to complex presenting problems.
• Advanced knowledge of cognitive and sensory impairment, delayed development, biopsychosocial models and the interaction of health and social care model to inform formulation of issues.
• Experience of ADOS/ADIR assessment tools and other standardised assessment tools in the assessment and diagnosis of autism.
• Relevant post qualification experience in the assessment and diagnosis of autism in adults.
• Significant experience of working clinically as a qualified Clinical or Counselling Psychologist with adults with a diagnosis of autism and/or with neurodivergence.
• Advanced levels of clinical expertise in at least one area of clinical practice within the autism/neurodivergence field.
• Providing supervision and consultation to Clinical/Counselling Psychologists both qualified and in training; and to Assistant Psychologists and other professionals.
• Delivering teaching and training.
• Undertaking doctoral level research, service evaluations and ongoing audit activity in addition to advising and supervising others' research and audit activities.
• Advanced computing skills, working knowledge of statistical analysis packages, e.g. SPSS.

Skills and attributes

• Use a high level of interpersonal and communication skills to convey and receive highly complex/sensitive information effectively, requiring empathy and reassurance in highly emotive, sometimes hostile atmospheres.
• Undertake comprehensive psychological assessments, interpret highly complex material, construct psychological formulations, develop specialised individualised intervention plans, and monitor and evaluate the intervention appropriately.
• Communicate highly technical, sensitive material verbally and in writing to clients, their families, carers, and other professionals within and outside the NHS.
• Tolerate direct exposure to highly distressing/emotionally demanding situations and interactions.
• Work collaboratively in multidisciplinary settings.
• Create and maintain effective working relationships.
• Tolerate stress and anxiety that may be associated with service users' challenging, aggressive or risk-taking behaviour, whilst always maintaining a high level of professionalism.
• Make clinical and service-related judgements involving complex facts requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of several options.
• Critically evaluate, disseminate and apply research evidence relating to clinical effectiveness and service development.
• Formulate solutions, plan & organise a range of clinical/service-related activities & programmes which impact across services/agencies.
• Act based on own interpretation of clinical/professional/organisational/occupational policies which impact the Integrated Autism Service and other services, seeking advice as necessary.
• Responsibility for the development of specific service initiatives within the Integrated Autism Service.
• Computer literate with the ability to use standard and specialist software.
• Must be capable of working within organisational policies.
• Some ability to speak, read and/or write Welsh, or an eagerness to learn.
• Able to travel throughout Powys.

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.

Contract Details

Bronllys Hospital or Newtown Hospital (to be confirmed at interview)

£67,583 to £78,530 a year per annum pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Part-time

Reference number: 070-PST005-0426-A