Specialist / Highly Specialist Applied Psychologist

We are seeking a HCPC registered psychologist to work in the Secure Outreach and Transition Team (SOTT). This post is advertised as an 8a post, although we are willing to consider applications from Psychologists who do not yet meet the essential criteria for a Band 8a, but who would be interested in undertaking the post at a Band 7 initially, with a supportive plan for development and progression in due course.

We welcome applications from staff who are currently coming to the end of their training in Clinical or counselling psychology that on successful completion will achieve the required qualification and registration with HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist. Trainee counselling psychologists are eligible to apply for and to be shortlisted for interview and to be offered qualified posts when they are in their 3rd year of the doctoral training and have the following confirmed as completed by the university:

• All clinical competencies.
• 80% of the 450 supervised clinical practice hours (360 hours).

Trainee clinical psychologists are eligible to apply for and to be shortlisted for interview and to be offered qualified posts when they are in their third year of training, as they will have completed their core clinical competencies by this stage of the course.

Main duties of the job:

This post is based at Roseberry Park Hospital and working across Teesside, Redcar & Cleveland and Durham & Darlington. The SOTT is a regional service which provides care and treatment for adults (both male and female) who have learning disabilities and/or autism and a history of offending and/or pose a risk to others. Our service users have come into contact with the criminal justice system and have been within the secure in-patient pathway, and we provide personalised care for these patients upon discharge. The team also provides scaffolding and risk advice to other mental health services.

We are seeking a creative and flexible psychological professional to help improve access to psychological therapies and deliver interventions. Patients will be working towards discharge from secure services and may also be in the community, working alongside community mental health teams. You will be expected to have the necessary skills, training and experience to undertake direct clinical work, offer clinical supervision to others, including a higher assistant psychologist, and consultation to the wider MDT. Candidates should have excellent interdisciplinary working skills and be interested in contributing to the development of an innovative service. We will support training in a governed psychological therapy. The Psychology team meet for fortnightly huddles and have regular away days to ensure connectedness, standard working, and effectiveness.

About us:

We are the Mental Health & Learning Disability NHS Trust for County Durham and Darlington, Teesside, North Yorkshire, York and Selby. From education and prevention, to crisis and specialist care -- our talented and compassionate teams work in partnership with our patients, communities and partners to help the people of our region feel safe, understood, believed in and cared for. We nurture the recovery journey of anyone in need of our help. In Our Trust, everyone has a say in how they are supported and treated because we listen to every person in our care until they feel understood. Our patients, their families and carers work together with us towards better mental health. We're committed to new thinking that improves the wellbeing of our region. We connect with our communities and partners to get mental health care right, in areas that really need it. We won't rest until everyone in our region has the mental health care they need, to lead their best possible life.

Job responsibilities:

Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for further detailed information to ensure that you meet the role criteria before applying. Psychologists & Psychological Therapists provide key leadership roles within the Trust. To support this we have developed leadership profiles for each psychology band and the profile card associated with this post is attached. This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. However, sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements, therefore, we recommend that you assess your eligibility before applying for this position.

Person Specification:

Qualifications:

• Post-graduate training (doctoral level equivalent) in clinical / counselling / forensic psychology (or its equivalent prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS.
• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist.
• Trained in clinical supervision (within agreed timescale).
• Trained in care co-ordination (within agreed timescale).
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Post-graduate qualification showing evidence of supervised practice in an evidence-based psychological therapeutic model.

Experience:

• Must have experience/interest in working with mental health/learning disability clients (depending on designated service area).
• Multi-disciplinary team working.
• Experience of research and audit.
• Experience of CBT, DBT, Psychodynamics, systematic therapy.

Knowledge:

• Doctoral level 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.
• Social Inclusion agenda.

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.