Clinical / Counselling Psychologist

Job description

Job responsibilities

CLINICAL RESPONSIBILTIES

1. To manage the psychology waiting list and the psychology provision at one of the Havens sites, which offers medical care and other follow up services including counselling and psychology, to those who have been raped and sexually assaulted. 2. To provide specialist psychological assessments of patients referred to the Havens, based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with patients and other professionals involved in the patients care.3. To formulate plans for psychological treatment and/or management, drawing upon an appropriate conceptual framework and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy and including CBT models of PTSD and complex trauma. Adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses.4. To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals as appropriate for problems such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, impulsive behaviour, relationship difficulties, sexual dysfunction and other psychological sequelae of sexual assault. Therapy approaches will include specialised PTSD therapies, cognitive behavioural therapy, EMDR, systemic approaches, psychosexual therapy, communication skills training in the context of reducing vulnerability and risk. 5. To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of patients from the Havens CYP Therapies Service, ensuring appropriate assessment, formulation and interventions, communicating with the referral agent and others involved with the patients care including the MPS and CPS on a regular basis.6. When necessary, provide crisis intervention for those suffering severe emotional and psychological reactions to sexual assault and those who are expressing suicidal thoughts or harm related to others or themselves. Providing appropriate psychological therapy and support to cold case clients referred by the Sapphire Team.7. To undertake risk identification and management for relevant individual patients and to provide both general and specialist advice on psychological aspects of risk identification and management to the clinical team8. To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of patients and to monitor and evaluate progress.9. To provide an environment that is non-judgemental, sensitive and confidential and to ensure the integrity of the psychologist/client relationship by being a member of a professional organisation e.g. HCPC abiding by their Code of Ethics.10. To attend regular clinical supervision.

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITES:1. To ensure the highest standards of clinical record keeping, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice of the relevant professional body, e.g. HCPC and Trust policies andprocedures.2. The post holder must maintain the confidentiality about clients, staff and other health service business in accordance with the Code of Confidentiality or Personal Health Data, the professional body Code of Conduct and Trust Policy.3. To maintain accurate statistics and record action in the clients medical record.4. To contribute to the maintenance and update of Haven protocols, where appropriate.

TEACHING, TRAINING AND SUPERVISION:1. To receive regular clinical professional supervision from a senior clinical/counselling psychologist.2. To continue to gain wide post-qualification experience of clinical/counselling psychology including specialist experience and skills relevant to sexual assault,sexual health, risk and trauma, as agreed with the Lead Clinical Psychologist. 3. To participate in the teaching of other health professionals, students and new members of staff. To participate in public education, e.g. GPs, medical students,postgraduate doctors, universities, community based groups and other professional groups or bodies requesting teaching and training.4. To provide professional and clinical supervision of trainee and assistantpsychologists and as appropriate, to contribute to the supervision of individual cases for trainee clinical psychologists.5. To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues relation to the specific client group.6. To ensure the development and articulation of best practice in psychology within the service area and contribute across the service by exercising the skills of areflexive and reflective practitioner and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of psychology and related disciplines.

OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITES 1. To ensure Havens and Kings policies are adhered to at all times.2. To carry out the role in accordance with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) Code of Ethics.

GENERAL 1. To ensure the development, maintenance and dissemination of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal andexternal CPD training and development programmes.2. To ensure the development and articulation of best practice in psychology within the service area and contribute across the service by exercising the skills of areflexive and reflective scientist practitioner, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with currentdevelopments in the field of clinical/ counselling psychology and related disciplines. 3.To ensure the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional selfgovernance in accordance with professional codes of practice of the BPS, HCPC and Trust policies and procedures. 4. To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific patient groups, clinical psychology and mentalhealth.5. The post holder must maintain the confidentiality about patients, staff and other health service business in accordance with the Code of Confidentiality or Personal

Health Data, the BPS Code of Conduct, the DCP Guidelines for Professional Practice and Trust policy.

1. The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, inaddition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.2. To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of King's College Hospital NHS Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.3. To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.4. To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.5. The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements ofthis role. These requirements are set out in the National Code of Practice on Infection Control and in local policies and procedures which will be made clearduring your induction and subsequent refresher training. These standards must be strictly complied with at all times.

FORENSIC INTEGRITY STANDARDS As a member of staff at the Havens the post holder also has a responsibility for and contribution to make towards ensuring the highest standards of forensic integrity and specifically to ensure that forensic DNA decontamination standards are met at all times and must therefore be familiar with the forensic and DNA decontaminationstandards of the service. The post holder may also be required to provide a DNA elimination sample in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure for upkeepand maintenance of the Havens Contamination Elimination Database (CED).This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties willchange over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• For Practitioner Psychologists Doctoral level training in clinical/counselling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the HCPC/BPS or expect to have registration by commencement of the post.
• Training in evidence-based assessment and intervention for trauma
• Professionally registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) or with BABCP

Desirable

• Training in evidence-based risk assessment and management.
• Training in evidence-based assessment and intervention for child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation
• Training in childhood disorders which impact on communication (e.g. neurodevelopmental disorder, developmental disorders, learning disability, speech and language impairment or other communication difficulties

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Experience of developing and carrying out service audit and research projects including entry and analysis of research data.
• Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis.
• Experience of using structured risk assessment protocols and measures.

Desirable

• Experience of providing specialist psychological assessment and intervention for clients presenting following child sexual abuse / assault and exploitation.
• Experience of clinically interviewing children and adolescents who have experienced child sexual abuse / assault or exploitation, or trauma, including adapting communication style and method to facilitate engagement and communication.

Skills and Competencies

Essential

• Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
• A high level ability to communicate effectively at both a written and oral level complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and a wide range of lay and professional persons within and outside the NHS.
• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
• Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings.
• Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these.
• Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group and mental health.
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS/HCPC/BABCP.
• Skills in the application of evidence-based assessment and intervention for trauma and/or child sexual abuse, i.e. TF-CBT or EMDR
• Therapeutic skills relevant to the evidence-based management of complex trauma including CBT for PTSD

Desirable

• Skills in application of psychological assessments and interventions in a specialist area relevant to children and adolescents who have experienced child sexual abuse / assault or exploitation.
• Ability to plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists

Other requirements

Essential

• Enthusiasm for a broad range of psychological phenomena, an interest in models of service delivery, and an ability to articulate the value added by clinical/counselling psychology services within the context of multi-disciplinary mental health services.
• Ability to contain and work with organisational stress and ability to 'hold' the stress of others.
• Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours.
• Ability to identify, and employ, as appropriate, clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
• Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.
• Well-developed IT skills.
• Enthusiasm for a broad range of psychological phenomena, an interest in models of service delivery, and an ability to articulate the value added by clinical/counselling psychology services within the context of multi-disciplinary mental health services.

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

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

The Havens Pan London - Camberwell, Ladbroke Grove, Whitechapel

London

SE5 9RS

Employer's website

https://www.kch.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)