Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Pathway Psychologist

Job responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Clinical

• To provide specialist psychological and neuropsychological advice, guidance, consultation and supervision to other professionals and staff contributing to diagnosis, treatment plans and management of patients
• To carry out high-quality ASD assessments, including ADOS and feedback to parents, as part of the MDT. This will be face to face with children and young people, up to age 18 years, providing expert advice, leadership and education to junior colleagues working as part of the pathway
• To communicate assessment results and other complex and sensitive information orally and in written form in order to support the work of multidisciplinary colleagues
• To work with the Head of AHPs and Community Paediatricians to facilitate changes in practice across the service to improve clinical outcomes to meet the needs of patients and carers
• Demonstrate strong team leadership and provide co-ordination across professional boundaries working closely with other clinicians within the same area of practice and partner agencies

To communicate effectively with neurodiverse children, young people and adults, families, internal and external staff

To work as part of the multidisciplinary team to provide appropriate intervention and support in a person-centred and individualised way

• To manage own varied and complex caseload and to be responsible for completing clinical reports and correspondence in a timely manner in line with the record keeping policy and ASD SOP
• To work as part of the MDT to support efficient risk assessment and risk management
• To sensitively deal with distressing or emotional circumstances regarding patient care, and communicate information, sensitively, requiring empathy and reassurance, to patients and carers
• To have full knowledge of evidence-based practice and be able to demonstrate the highest level of expertise and clinical reasoning skills in this area
• To ensure ADOS-2 Reliability is kept up to date through attendance at annual workshops

2. General

To empower patients and their families through appropriate support and education

To motivate and persuade others through advanced communication skills and to be able to gain the co-operation for treatment/interventions where there may be significant barriers to understanding and to support the other members of the team to do likewise

To provide and receive information which is very sensitive, very complex and often contentious and unwelcome, involving a range of patients, carers, multidisciplinary colleagues, managers and Third Sector colleagues. The setting for communication will often be highly emotive and may be antagonistic, requiring a very high level of interpersonal and communication skill, both verbally and in written communication, explaining, educating and persuading in innovative ways where necessary

Communicate with both internal and external stakeholders, such as service users, carers, other teams, third sector and voluntary organisations, using tact and diplomacy in response to situations that may be complex and sensitive and may have resulted from conflict

Apply enhanced communication skills both oral and written. Communicate information within records and reports within their service area. This may also include the need to respond to and offer and reassurance to questions and concerns from a variety of groups, such as service users, carers and other staff/teams

Build relationships and work collaboratively across the sector, in order to promote best practice and improve patient outcomes

To utilise formal and informal reporting mechanisms, including electronic and handwritten reporting to ensure effective internal and external communications and to ensure all documentation is accurate and professional

To present information and reports as required relating to service area including formal presentations

Fully support the use of EMIS/EMIS (iPad) mobile and provide contemporaneous clinical records

To continuously challenge practice ensuring a sound evidence base thus meeting clinical governance requirements

Support the Service Lead and Operational Leads in delivering the ASD KPIs and in performance management of clinical issues and ensure that capacity is maintained and timelines managed at times of escalation

Supervise and support junior colleagues with development of clinical skills and understanding

Provide mentorship/clinical supervision to staff within the team supporting them in applying theory to practice

Represent Bromley Healthcare at, and actively participate in, relevant external and network meetings, in order to share learning and promote best practice

3. Audit and Research

To contribute to ongoing service development, reviewing service outcomes, designing and participating in audit, research and clinical governance initiatives, and reporting on the results. This will involve communication with a wide range of clinical and managerial colleagues, within and beyond Bromley Healthcare

To evaluate and audit the quality and effectiveness of the practice of self and others

To participate and lead on clinical audits as appropriate on work related research/evaluation projects and to be aware of current research relevant to the speciality

To review new policies and research and contribute to professional discussion about ways of implementing same in clinical practice

To participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of protocols, policies consistent with national standards and current research

4. Professional

Ensure that personal performance meets job requirements, Professional Codes and standards, Bromley Healthcare and post competency standards at all times.

To ensure own compliance with mandatory training programmes and own ongoing professional development and development of the advanced practitioner role.

To maintain a portfolio of advanced practice and personal development activities and evidence; planning, implementing and evaluating strategies to meet own Personal Development Plan.

To take an active part in own clinical supervision and support clinical supervision/ professional reflection of colleagues where appropriate.

To actively participate in Bromley Healthcares appraisal and review process identifying own learning needs.

Qualifications

Essential

• Degree in Psychology
• Post graduate Doctoral level qualification in Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology or Forensic Psychology
• Eligibility for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society (BPS)
• ADOS trained

Desirable

• Further qualifications and / or training in a range of therapy models/interventions
• ADI-R trained or 3Di trained Or DISCO trained
• Further training and/or qualifications in the delivery of clinical supervision

Professional registration

Essential

• HCPC registered as a Practitioner Psychologist

Specific skills

Essential

• Ability to work autonomously and function as a specialist practitioner with expert clinical skills
• Ability to demonstrate advanced skills in assessing children and young people with complex issues and comorbidities
• Knowledge of DSM-5 /ICD 11 diagnostic criteria and appropriate assessment tools for Autism and ADHD
• Knowledge of differential diagnosis
• Knowledge of research and audit methodology suitable to the job

Experience

Essential

• Assessed post-qualification experience of working as a qualified clinical psychologist., sufficient to have completed Band 7 preceptorship requirements
• Experience of working with a range of clients, presenting a range of clinical severity and maintenance of professionalism in challenging circumstances
• Experience in conducting diagnostic Neurodevelopmental/ Specialist developmental assessments with children and/or adults
• Experience working with children and/or adults with neurodevelopmental disorders or mental health difficulties in a clinical setting
• Evidence of experience of multidisciplinary and interagency working

Desirable

• Experience of embracing and implementing change to provide high quality patient outcomes
• Understanding 'Masking / Camouflaging' and its impact on presentation

IT

Essential

• Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Suite
• Proficient with mobile/remote working e.g. laptop, tablet, smartphone
• Proficient in use of electronic record keeping

Desirable

• Emis trained

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).