Assistant Psychologist

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Psycho-oncology Support Team provides specialised psychological care to individuals affected by cancer and receiving on-going medical care across Guy's Cancer (including Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals and Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup). The service is delivered to individuals as inpatient and outpatients, as well as their carers.

Clinical

1. To triage referrals to the service, assess risk under supervision of triage leads/practitioner psychologists, book appointments, communicate via email, letter and/or phone with referrers, MDTs and GPs.

2. To assist in the organisation and facilitation of CBT/third wave psychoeducation programmes.

3. To work within a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to

enhance the quality of care to individuals, carers and families affected by cancer

and other haematological disorders.

4. To attend and contribute as appropriate to multi-disciplinary meetings,

specifically to the weekly team meeting at Dimbleby.

5. To help develop clinical resources for use by individuals seen within the service.

6. To contribute to project work and audit of existing service delivery

Teaching, Training and Supervision

1. To attend and contribute to regular peer supervision with other pre-qualified members of staff.

2. To contribute to the training and support of other staff providing psychological care

including preparation of teaching resources and other materials and co delivery of information sessions/teaching.

3. To receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.

4. To gain an experience of professional psychology within the NHS through

attendance at training workshops/meetings, departmental psychology meetings and

by attending regional assistant psychology meetings.

5. To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.

Management, Recruitment and Service Development

1. To assist in the implementation of service development projects within the service

as required.

2. To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.

Research and Service Evaluation

1. To assist in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.

2. To undertake data collection, entry and analysis and assist in the presentation of

reports and summaries, using IT and computerised statistical programmes.

3. To undertake evidence-based literature searches and research to assist qualified

Psychological practitioners in evidence based practice in individual work and work with

other team members.

Professional Development

1. To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional

standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD

training and development programmes, in consultation with the Consultant Clinical

Psychologist in DCC.

2. To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping (in both medical notes

and psychology case notes) and report writing in accordance with professional

codes of practice of the BPS and Trust policies and procedures

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology. Eligibility for graduate membership of the British Psychological Society/ HCPC

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in CBT and/or research design and analysis

Experience

Essential

• Work with individuals affected by physical ill health and/or medical conditions/disability
• Experience of using computers for databases or data analysis, especially Excel and SPSS for Windows.
• RISK: Assessing, documenting and taking appropriate action when someone presents with risk to self or others
• Experience of working as an assistant psychologist or similar
• Experience of providing (under supervision) an evidence-based psychological approach to managing health related distress such as CBT
• Experience of undertaking health-care service related research or audit

Desirable

• Experience of paid work in direct care provision.
• Experience of working in health (Hospital/acute health) setting
• Experience of delivering evidence-based therapeutic group work
• Experience of telephone-based assessments of patient risk and need

Skills, Knowledge and Ability

Essential

• Knowledge of the impact of illness / disability on individuals
• Sound knowledge of psychological research methodology & statistical analysis
• Good communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to engage & interact with individuals with health problems.
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to families, carers and colleagues and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive and may include risk.
• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to an applied health context.
• Ability to identify & employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to maintain the highest quality standards in clinical practice.
• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning.
• An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines in a health-care setting and with individuals from a range of backgrounds
• Well developed IT skills including using a variety of multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
• Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals.
• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.

Desirable

• Understanding and respect of issues of power, discrimination, and cultural and ethnic diversity
• Knowledge of standardised psychological assessment measures (e.g., PHQ-9, GAD-7, GHQ-28)
• Skills in facilitating/leading group meetings, staff meetings (preparing meeting agenda, taking minutes)
• Skills in communicating with people who have cognitive or sensory impairments
• An interest in working with individuals and families affected by illness and disability
• A desire to explore a career in Clinical, Health or Counselling Psychology
• An awareness of the needs of people under the care of palliative care, & oncology.

Additional Information

Essential

• Willingness to work with people who are dying or bereaved.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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

Employer details

Employer name

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Guy's Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital (cross sites)

Great Maze Pond

London

SE1 9RT

Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)