Band 8a Highly Specialist Psychologist

We are seeking a passionate and committed clinical or counselling psychologist to join our Mental Health Integrated Network Team (MINT) in Hammersmith & Fulham. MINT is a multidisciplinary service providing holistic support and treatment to adults presenting with a range of mental health difficulties within a stepped-care framework. We have an established psychology team which is well integrated.

We are looking for an experienced psychologist, with a special interest in working with clients with complex mental health needs and those with difficulties related to underlying emotional dysregulation and a diagnosis of \’borderline/emotionally unstable personality disorder\’. A significant part of this post involves embedding trauma-informed principles and thinking within the work of the whole MDT team, therefore we require a candidate who thrives in a team environment and is enthusiastic about consultation and leadership.

This post also involves supporting the running of the DBT Programme in collaboration with the DBT Lead. The service delivers a comprehensive DBT programme, consisting of individual therapy, skills training groups, weekly consultation team meetings, and phone coaching. The post holder will be delivering therapy to a client group who struggle with self-harm and suicidal behaviours, so the work can be challenging but also deeply rewarding. The successful applicant will be joining our supportive psychology team and DBT consult team.

Main duties of the job

You will provide highly specialist assessments and treatment for individuals with complex mental health conditions who have experienced trauma and struggle with emotional regulation, both 1-1 and in groups.Therefore, post-qualification experience in this area is essential.

You will provide psychological consultation and guidance to the whole MDT and offer supervision and training for Band 7 psychologists, trainee and assistant psychologists.A desire to work within an MDT, promote psychological and trauma informed ways of working and develop your leadership skills is essential.

You will also contribute to the provision of a specialist DBT service to individuals with difficulties related to \’Borderline/Emotionally-Unstable Personality Disorder\’ diagnosis. Therefore, the post holder will have an interest in DBT and passion for working with clients who struggle to regulate their emotions, behaviours and relationships.

The successful candidate will be committed to working collaboratively with service users and colleagues to create a psychologically safe environment that enables the delivery of effective treatment.

The role will include working with people from varied cultural backgrounds, including those seeking asylum, using interpreters when necessary.A passion for creating and enabling equality of access to services for all and an understanding of the psychological needs.

Please see the attached Job Pack for full job description and person specification.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.

Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.

The Trust is rated as \’Good\’ overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as \’Outstanding\’.

The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Job responsibilities

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached

The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Doctorate in clinical or counselling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996 or those in lateral transfer) as accredited by the BPS.
• Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
• Training in clinical supervision for doctoral, and equivalent, trainees
• Evidence of training in DBT
• Evidence of post-doctoral training in psychological therapy techniques (i.e. EMDR, CBT for psychosis)
• Other related academic and post-graduate qualifications

Knowledge

• Advanced specialist knowledge, both theoretical and practical, of psychology applied to clinical practice with people presenting with complex mental health difficulties
• Specialist knowledge relevant to working with clients with Borderline / Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, including theoretical of DBT
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and its implications for work in relevant setting

Skills

• Able to provide and receive highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious information, where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills such as would be required when communicating in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere.
• Able to make judgements involving highly complex facts or situations, which require the evaluation of a range of options (e.g. the assessment of specialist clinical conditions and the determination of treatment options), Where expert opinions may differ
• Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other relevant professional groups.
• Able to plan, prioritise and organise own service user caseload, treatment programmes (individual or group) involving other staff, and other aspects of the work such as research activity
• Able to function in highly emotionally distressing circumstances on a frequent basis (e.g. in dealing with service users with serious mental illness, histories of homicide and serious violence, self-harm, sexual abuse)

Personal Qualities

• Knowledge of the professional code of conduct of the BPS
• Must be capable of being guided by precedent, clearly defined policies, procedures and codes of conduct
• 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.
• Able to reflect on own professional practice
• Willing to participate actively in CPD in line with BPS guidelines
• Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
• Record of having published in either peer reviewed or academic or professional journals and/or books

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.

£64,156 to £71,148 a yearper annum inclusive of 20% HCAS

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