Principal Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Job summary

This is an exciting permanent post providing clinical input and leadership for Neonatal and Maternity services in Sheffield and across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw (SYB). The post holder will join a team of Psychologists working into Neonatal and Maternal Mental Health services across the region, supported by a Consultant Clinical Psychologist.

In our latest staff survey, 95% of DPS staff reported feeling valued and cared for and that their role makes a difference.

We aim to attract a committed, diverse, and talented workforce who are passionate about delivering psychological care within an acute hospital setting and adapting approaches to meet the needs of our services and service users. In return, we offer a supportive, dynamic work setting where you can link with colleagues and develop your career.

We welcome applications from HCPC registered Clinical/Counselling Psychologists with substantial post-qualification experience relevant to this context; support will be given for anyone returning to the workplace.

As a department, we recognise that diversity of workforce extends our skills, experiences, and ideas, thereby adding value and creativity to our services. The department has an active Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) group and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and the LGBTQ+ community.

Main duties of the job

This post will provide clinical input and leadership to three main areas:

Sheffield Neonatal Service – including managerial support for the Neonatal Psychology team

SYB Maternal Mental Health Service – trauma-focused interventions for women and birthing people who have experienced birth trauma

Regional Neonatal Services – indirect clinical support for the Neonatal Units in Doncaster & Bassetlaw, and Rotherham (mainly via training and consultation)

This post has confirmed funding for 0.6wte. We are awaiting confirmation as to whether funding for further hours may also be available.

About us

You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.

As a member of the department, you would be part of a substantial, experienced, and enthusiastic team; benefitting from inhouse professional development including clinical supervision, special interest groups and opportunities to engage in our wider projects. (Attached documents provide more information).

The department is committed to supporting our staff and have a well-supported Staff Engagement and Wellbeing Group. The Trust has a flexible working policy, allowing for a range of flexible / hybrid working options as appropriate to the service needs.

As a dynamic department, we have seen considerable growth in recent years and have a portfolio of new service developments. Continuing professional development is strongly supported, as appropriate to the individual\’s and organisation\’s requirements.

The department has strong links with Sheffield, Leeds and Hull DClinPsy courses, and local DCounsPsy courses.

Applicants can be considered for other potential vacancies if interested.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.

When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.

When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), as accredited by the HCPC, including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, as accredited by the British Psychological Society.
• Professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Eligible for Practitioner Full Membership of the BPS Divisions of Clinical or Counselling Psychology

Desirable

• Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working as a qualified clinical or counselling psychologist at a highly specialist level.
• Experience of working and communicating with a wide variety of patient groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across a range of care settings including inpatient, community, outpatient, residential, primary care
• Experience in the management of services, including the management of psychology staff groups.
• Experience in leading on the promotion and development of psychological approaches within health care settings.
• Experience of working clinically within health and medical settings.
• Experience of maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing psychological and physical health problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients\’ psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care co-ordinator and also within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan
• Experience of teaching, training, and professional and clinical supervision.

Desirable

• Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
• Experience in project management.

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of clinical/counselling psychology, including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
• Highly developed skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention , and management, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• A high-level ability to communicate effectively both in writing and orally complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and a wide range of lay and professional persons.
• Ability to exercise judgement when presented with highly complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation , and comparison of a range of options.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non – professional groups.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical or counselling psychology .
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
• Knowledge of legislation & policy in relation to DPS\’s patient groups and psychological, neurological and physical health/mental health.
• Formal training in supervision of other psychologists.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by HCPC and BPS.
• Skills in working with diversity

Desirable

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g., personality disorder, chronic or terminal illness, complex psychological or physical problems, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours.
• Ability to identify, and employ as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
• Positive attitude, sensitivity and commitment to working with relevant patient groups and their significant others.
• Experience in working with interpreters.

Desirable

• Ability to think creatively and flexibly about psychology as applied to designated services
• Ability to develop and use complex multi -media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.

Values and Behaviours (PROUD)

Essential

• Patients first – in all aspects of the working environment, including delivery of an excellent clinical service, and communication within the team.
• Respectful – to all patients, staff, colleagues (both internal and external contacts) through your behaviour and communication
• Ownership – Demonstrate ownership for own actions and areas of responsibility, including evaluation of own work and constant consideration of improvements in quality
• Unity – collaborating with colleagues within the service, DPS and STH, as well as external organisations.
• Delivery – proven track record of delivery against targets and objectives as agreed in appraisal and job plan

Person Specification
Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), as accredited by the HCPC, including models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, as accredited by the British Psychological Society.
• Professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
• Eligible for Practitioner Full Membership of the BPS Divisions of Clinical or Counselling Psychology

Desirable

• Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working as a qualified clinical or counselling psychologist at a highly specialist level.
• Experience of working and communicating with a wide variety of patient groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across a range of care settings including inpatient, community, outpatient, residential, primary care
• Experience in the management of services, including the management of psychology staff groups.
• Experience in leading on the promotion and development of psychological approaches within health care settings.
• Experience of working clinically within health and medical settings.
• Experience of maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing psychological and physical health problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients\’ psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care co-ordinator and also within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan
• Experience of teaching, training, and professional and clinical supervision.

Desirable

• Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
• Experience in project management.

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of clinical/counselling psychology, including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, and two or more distinct psychological therapies.
• Highly developed skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention , and management, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• A high-level ability to communicate effectively both in writing and orally complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to patients, their families, carers and a wide range of lay and professional persons.
• Ability to exercise judgement when presented with highly complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation , and comparison of a range of options.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non – professional groups.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical or counselling psychology .
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
• Knowledge of legislation & policy in relation to DPS\’s patient groups and psychological, neurological and physical health/mental health.
• Formal training in supervision of other psychologists.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by HCPC and BPS.
• Skills in working with diversity

Desirable

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g., personality disorder, chronic or terminal illness, complex psychological or physical problems, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc).

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours.
• Ability to identify, and employ as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
• Positive attitude, sensitivity and commitment to working with relevant patient groups and their significant others.
• Experience in working with interpreters.

Desirable

• Ability to think creatively and flexibly about psychology as applied to designated services
• Ability to develop and use complex multi -media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.

Values and Behaviours (PROUD)

Essential

• Patients first – in all aspects of the working environment, including delivery of an excellent clinical service, and communication within the team.
• Respectful – to all patients, staff, colleagues (both internal and external contacts) through your behaviour and communication
• Ownership – Demonstrate ownership for own actions and areas of responsibility, including evaluation of own work and constant consideration of improvements in quality
• Unity – collaborating with colleagues within the service, DPS and STH, as well as external organisations.
• Delivery – proven track record of delivery against targets and objectives as agreed in appraisal and job plan

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. For further information visit the .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. .
UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Additional information
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. For further information visit the .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. .
UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Employer details

Employer name

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals

Sheffield

S10 2JF

Employer\’s website #J-18808-Ljbffr