Clinical Psychologist and Psychology Lead (Reading)

Synthesis Clinic is a specialist-led practice blending contemporary precision medicine with evidence-based nutrition, lifestyle support, psycho-emotional wellbeing, and complementary therapies. Founded by Dr. Nina Fuller-Shavel, the clinic has an award-winning approach to women's health and integrative cancer care, emphasizing empowerment, expertise, and empathy. Based in Berkshire, the clinic serves clients nationwide via both in-person and online services, offering personalized and innovative healthcare solutions. Synthesis Clinic is committed to holistic, patient-centered care that integrates cutting-edge medical science with whole-person wellness.

We are looking for an experienced clinical psychologist with an interest in psycho-oncology and trauma-competent holistic cancer care to join our multidisciplinary team on a part-time basis. Please note that we are specifically looking for HCPC-registered UK-based candidates who have full rights to work within the UK.

Reporting to: Practice Manager & Clinic Director

Salary: 0.2-0.4FTE of full-time salary 55-65,000 per annum (DOE)

Weekly hours: 1-2 days a week (any day Monday to Friday with Wednesday preferred, 0.2-0.4FTE)

Candidate overview:

• Work creatively and sensitively to provide psychological assessment and evidence-based interventions for patients experiencing a wide range of problems and high levels of emotional and psychological/physical distress and disturbance with a particular focus on psycho-oncology.
• Undertake specialist psychological assessments and based upon the appropriate use, interpretation, and integration of complex data from a variety of sources.
• Use assessment information to evaluate need and inform decisions about clinical provision.
• Collaboratively formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or psychologically informed approach to the patients' difficulties.
• Expected clinical competence in application of CBT, CFT and ACT approaches with EMDR and AF-EMDR highly desirable.
• Training and delivery experience for group approaches, such as MBSR and MBCT, is highly desirable.
• Evaluate and make decisions about suitability and treatment options, considering therapeutic models and highly complex factors (such as historical, developmental, systemic, physical, cognitive and neurological, and sociocultural processes) that have shaped the individual, family or group.
• Develop and implement evidence-based psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families, and groups, and adjust these to maximise clinical efficacy and deliver efficiencies where relevant.
• Manage a clinical caseload and support the implementation of intervention plans with patients and families.
• Undertake risk assessments and safety planning, including by providing risk and safeguarding information to other professionals and system partners and to multi-agency collaboration where required.
• Advise and support colleagues to manage risk when required, including close collaboration with our medical and nursing staff and other emotional wellbeing professionals, such as yoga therapists.
• Exercise professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of patients from the psychology services and liaising with the team to integrate psychological perspectives into multidisciplinary care plans, including regular MDT attendance and collaboration as much as possible.
• Communicate and aid others to communicate - in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning assessment, formulation and treatment plans, enabling multi-professional care.
• Be responsible for the communication of clinical views, decisions and recommendations with patients, referrers, the multidisciplinary team, system partners and service leads, ensuring communications are clearly understood and that channels to communicate are effective.
• Collaborate effectively and negotiate complex situations where clinical information and opinion may differ and proposals for intervention may produce disagreement and conflicts within families and/or staff groups involved.
• Deliver and maintain high quality and compassionate care that is accessible, inclusive and respectful of all patients. Champion and recognise the importance of diversity, ethnicity, culture, belief and the individual capacities of patients, their families and carers.
• Identify individuals who are likely to require transition to another service and/or crisis management in a timely manner and ensure care is coordinated to facilitate a safe and effective transition to ensure continuity.

Location for provision of services: Online services for the majority of service provision. Additional face-to-face time at 6 Castle End Business Park, Castle End Road, Reading RG10 9XQ or South/South West London locations may be needed, and the candidate is expected to allow for travel flexibility.

Full practice systems training and a work laptop will be provided. We also support all our staff members in learning more about integrative cancer care/integrative oncology for effective clinical care and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Confidentiality: In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately. In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential and will remain so during and beyond contract duration.

Equality and diversity: The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognises the importance of people's rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation.
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of clients, carers and colleagues.
• Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional development: The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, with such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work.

Quality: The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk.
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team's performance.
• Effectively manage own time, workload, and resources.

Communication: The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members.
• Communicate effectively with clients and carers.
• Recognise people's needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Contribution to the implementation of services: The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards, and guidance.
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work.
• Participate in audits where appropriate.

Qualifications: Expertise in Psychology, Counseling Psychology, and Mental Health services. Experience conducting Psychological Testing to assess and diagnose mental, emotional, or behavioural disorders. Proficiency in Clinical Supervision to guide and support other professionals in a clinical setting. Strong interpersonal and communication skills to deliver empathetic psychological support and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams. Dedication to evidence-based practice and a patient-centred approach to care. Educational background: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and HCPC registration. Working knowledge of CBT, CFT and ACT approaches with EMDR and AF-EMDR highly desirable. Experience or interest in integrative or holistic health is a valuable asset. Commitment to continued professional development and contributing to innovative care practices.