Job summary
What is the role?
We are looking for an enthusiastic Band 6 Clinical Associate Psychologist (CAP) to join our friendly multi-disciplinary team. This role will involve hybrid working, providing virtual support from the comfort of your own home and face-to-face support within clinics held across Somerset. The ideal candidate will therefore own their own car and be willing to travel within the beautiful rural county of Somerset.
Who are you?
- Are you a qualified Clinical Associate Psychologist?
- Do you enjoy working as part of a small and supportive team?
- Are you keen to access further career professional development opportunities?
- Would you like to gain additional assessment and intervention experience working in an applied health setting?
- Do you want to get involved in an innovative service that welcomes research & development initiatives?
- Are you willing and able to work from home and travel to different clinic locations across Somerset?
No experience in Pain Management? No problem!
This post would suit newly qualified Clinical Associate Psychologists, or those wishing to develop additional skills & expertise in this specialist area. A full induction programme and self-directed learning package will be provided, alongside monthly supervision from a Practitioner Psychologist.
Main duties of the job
A key part of this role will involve providing specialist evidence-based psychological assessments & interventions, for adults with complex psychological presentations. You will have the opportunity to work alongside multidisciplinary colleagues, in co-facilitating our 3 group programmes and contributing to their development.
The role will also involve providing consultation, training, education and support, to colleagues within the multidisciplinary team and related primary & secondary healthcare professionals. We have a good working relationship with local training courses and provide regular placements and research opportunities for Trainee Clinical Psychologists and MSc Health Psychology students. The post holder will therefore take an active role in helping to supervise and support psychology students and Assistant Psychologists, where appropriate.
What other information might help me to decide if this is the right role for me?
This is a 12-month fixed-term contract, so an ideal opportunity to gain experience in this clinical area of work. It is a full-time role, and these hours can be worked flexibly (subject to agreement), for example, working a mixture of shorter/longer days. The ideal candidate would be someone that is willing and able to work flexibly, offering both remote and face-to-face support. However, we would also consider applications from people who wish to work purely remotely, job share or work part-time hours only.
We would welcome informal conversations and visits.
About us
Who are we?
The Somerset Community Pain Management Service is based at Dene Barton Community Hospital in Taunton & the aim of our service is to empower people living with persistent pain, to develop their understanding, skills and confidence, to live a full and meaningful life. For more information about our service, please visit our website: https://www.somersetpain.co.uk/
As an organisation, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust offers employees a wide range of benefits including flexible working, NHS pension scheme, generous annual leave allowance and a commitment to career development.You will be eligible for our Blue Light Card and a wide range of NHS exclusive shopping & leisure discounts.We are proud of our skilled, diverse workforce and as an inclusive employer we welcome applications from all backgrounds.Working in Somerset enables you to enjoy the idyllic countryside, areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable.Somerset offers the countryside and the cosmopolitan -- there is truly something for everyone!
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job description for full breakdown of the job and also included Person Specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job description for full breakdown of the job and also included Person Specification.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A professional qualification as a Clinical Associate Psychologist in Applied Psychology accredited by the BPS.
- Successful completion of the end point assessment for a CAP Apprenticeship
- Current membership of the British Psychological Society and individual accreditation as a CAP, once national accreditation schemes are available.
- Full driving license and access to own car with appropriate business insurance.
Desirable
- Further training in a specific model of psychological Intervention.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a trainee, apprentice or qualified Clinical Associate Psychologist within a specific clinical area of practice (e.g. Community Adult Mental Health services, inpatient urgent care etc.).
- Experience of working with patients with complex physical and emotional health needs.
- Experience of working effectively under supervision from a registered Practitioner Psychologist.
Desirable
- Experience of providing supervision to junior members of staff.
- Experience of delivering teaching and training and providing consultation.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- KNOWLEDGE
- Knowledge and familiarity of psychological practice in health settings and/or in working with persistent pain.
- Skills & ABILITIES
- Excellent organisational skills and an ability to work in the context of multiple competing priorities.
- Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
- Professional, mature and client-centred approach.
- An ability to deal sensitively with distress, disturbance and unpredictability.
- Evidence of ability to recognise and manage challenging situations in a calm and professional manner.
- Ability to analyse data and use a range of audit and service improvement methodologies and tools.
- Evidence of reflective approach and use of supervision to support this.
- Evidence of an ability to liaise effectively with other professionals and agencies.
- COMMUNICATION SKILLS
- Excellent communication skills, both verbally, non-verbally and in written form, including the ability to engage with clients experiencing a wide range of health difficulties.
- Ability to communicate sensitively, empathetically and non-judgmentally.
- PERSONAL QUALITIES
- Personal resilience to frequently work with the distress of others and potentially upsetting subject matters.
- Compassionate and open minded, with the ability to treat colleagues, patients, carers and relatives with dignity and respect.
- Acts in ways that support equality and diversity and non- discriminatory practice.
- Demonstrates commitment to anti-racist practice.
- Flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of patients.
- Able to use initiative and work independently.
- Ability to recognise limits of competence and seek support when needed.
- Skilled in continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge, skills and practice.
- PHYSICAL SKILLS
- Clean, smart appearance.
- Clear telephone voice.
- Calm, methodical approach.
- Warm, empathic and non-judgmental manner.
Desirable
- KNOWLEDGE
- Familiarity with the biopsychosocial approach and its clinical application.
- Understanding of the importance of a self-management approach.
- OTHER
- Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
- Ability to tolerate ambiguity and change, whilst maintaining own morale, motivation and resiliency, in challenging service delivery contexts.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A professional qualification as a Clinical Associate Psychologist in Applied Psychology accredited by the BPS.
- Successful completion of the end point assessment for a CAP Apprenticeship
- Current membership of the British Psychological Society and individual accreditation as a CAP, once national accreditation schemes are available.
- Full driving license and access to own car with appropriate business insurance.
Desirable
- Further training in a specific model of psychological Intervention.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a trainee, apprentice or qualified Clinical Associate Psychologist within a specific clinical area of practice (e.g. Community Adult Mental Health services, inpatient urgent care etc.).
- Experience of working with patients with complex physical and emotional health needs.
- Experience of working effectively under supervision from a registered Practitioner Psychologist.
Desirable
- Experience of providing supervision to junior members of staff.
- Experience of delivering teaching and training and providing consultation.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- KNOWLEDGE
- Knowledge and familiarity of psychological practice in health settings and/or in working with persistent pain.
- Skills & ABILITIES
- Excellent organisational skills and an ability to work in the context of multiple competing priorities.
- Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
- Professional, mature and client-centred approach.
- An ability to deal sensitively with distress, disturbance and unpredictability.
- Evidence of ability to recognise and manage challenging situations in a calm and professional manner.
- Ability to analyse data and use a range of audit and service improvement methodologies and tools.
- Evidence of reflective approach and use of supervision to support this.
- Evidence of an ability to liaise effectively with other professionals and agencies.
- COMMUNICATION SKILLS
- Excellent communication skills, both verbally, non-verbally and in written form, including the ability to engage with clients experiencing a wide range of health difficulties.
- Ability to communicate sensitively, empathetically and non-judgmentally.
- PERSONAL QUALITIES
- Personal resilience to frequently work with the distress of others and potentially upsetting subject matters.
- Compassionate and open minded, with the ability to treat colleagues, patients, carers and relatives with dignity and respect.
- Acts in ways that support equality and diversity and non- discriminatory practice.
- Demonstrates commitment to anti-racist practice.
- Flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of patients.
- Able to use initiative and work independently.
- Ability to recognise limits of competence and seek support when needed.
- Skilled in continuous self-reflection, seeking and responding to support and feedback to develop professional knowledge, skills and practice.
- PHYSICAL SKILLS
- Clean, smart appearance.
- Clear telephone voice.
- Calm, methodical approach.
- Warm, empathic and non-judgmental manner.
Desirable
- KNOWLEDGE
- Familiarity with the biopsychosocial approach and its clinical application.
- Understanding of the importance of a self-management approach.
- OTHER
- Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
- Ability to tolerate ambiguity and change, whilst maintaining own morale, motivation and resiliency, in challenging service delivery contexts.
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).
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
