Adult LD in Surrey

We are looking for a determined and experienced Band 8a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to join our client’s Learning Disabilities team within an NHS Client based in Morden, Surrey. This position will be available for the appointed candidate to start as soon as possible, offering full-time hours per week on a locum basis for a period of 5 months.

The post-holder will be required to have excellent skills in developing good relationships with partner organisations and agencies who interact with our service. The post-holder will be expected to lead and develop service initiatives and evaluations and, if appropriate, to evaluate these developments through use of suitable research methodology or data analysis. The post-holder will be expected to undertake mandatory and relevant training and development in order to meet council requirements and to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a Clinical Psychologist working in the specialist learning disability field.

The post-holder will be expected to develop their own personal/professional development to maintain and develop skills and knowledge appropriate to the needs of the service within the context of a regular appraisal system. They will also be expected to engage with and utilise regular clinical supervision provided by the Lead Clinical Psychologist. The post-holder must keep their membership of the HCPC up-to-date. The post also requires Enhanced DBS clearance. The post-holder is expected to maintain their own Continuing Professional Development (CPD) records and to adhere to council, professional and ethics standards.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To coordinate and clinically work within the Behaviour Support Service. This forms part of the psychology service within the wider multi-disciplinary team for people with learning disabilities. This service aims to meet the needs of those referred to MILD whose behaviour challenges services. The post-holder will be responsible for coordinating the input provided by this team and auditing the team's effectiveness.
• The post-holder will have a responsibility to prioritise and manage referrals of those requiring assessment and intervention from the BSS. This will be done via monthly BSS meetings attended by the post-holder and other BSS staff (currently a Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner and a Speech and Language Therapist). The post-holder will need to report back on referrals and case management to the Lead Clinical Psychologist.
• The post-holder will manage and provide supervision to the Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner working within BSS.
• The post-holder will also take on pieces of work from the LD Psychology caseload and will be integral in representing psychology within the MILD Team.
• The post-holder will be expected to liaise with a wide range of services both to support service users' health needs but also to maintain professional and care networks to benefit service users. These will include our local mental health services, employment services, schools and colleges, providers offering day opportunities, personal assistants and accommodation support.
• To be involved in developing and managing all the policies and protocols of the BSS team and auditing the team's effectiveness.
• The post-holder will manage and provide supervision for the Trainee Clinical Psychologists on placement with the team as needed. As the service develops there may be a need to manage and provide supervision to additional psychology staff.
• The post-holder will use their specialist psychological knowledge based on evidence-based practice to inform assessment and intervention at an individual level as well as multi-disciplinary input to managing complex cases. This will include using evidence-based assessments and interventions that incorporate cultural and systemic factors and are sensitive to individual needs, learning disability and co-occurring neurodiversity.
• The post-holder will need to communicate complex and sensitive information about their assessments and interventions clearly and, if appropriate, in an accessible format to the service user, their carers and networks. This communication will be in verbal and written formats as required. Reports will include psychological formulation, professional opinion and summaries of assessments, interventions and risk management.

If you are a patient and empathetic Inclusivity Practitioner with a keen interest in helping adults with a range of learning disabilities, please apply today or contact our team for more information.

Benefits of locum work:

• Daily payroll
• Variety of work opportunities in NHS and private sectors
• Expand your skill set more quickly
• Flexible hours of work

Why Pulse?

• Online interviews via HireVue
• First-class support and advice from our specialist consultant teams
• iPoint – Electronic Timesheet smartphone app
• Assistance with travel and finding accommodation
• Streamlined compliance process, utilising new online technology
• Access to high-quality voluntary training
• £300 Recommend a Friend bonus scheme*

*Terms and conditions

We are unable to support or accept applications from candidates who are residents within the Red or Amber list of the Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England, based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Workforce Support and Safeguard List.