Job summary
We are looking for a dedicated counselling psychologist to provide a qualified clinical psychology service to clients of the Community Team for People with Learning Disabilities, across all sectors of care; providing highly specialist psychological assessment and therapy at the same time as offering advice and consultation on clients' psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues and to other, nonprofessional carers, working autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the team's policies and procedures. To utilise research skills for audit, policy and service development and research within the area served by the team/service.
Main duties of the job
- To provide specialist psychological assessments of service users referred to the team and formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a service user's presenting problem
- To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic model
- To communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of service users under their care and to monitor and evaluate progress during the course of both uni- and multi-disciplinary care.
- To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of service users whose problems are managed by psychologically based standard care plans
- To provide specialist psychological advice, guidelines and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to service users' formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.
- To contribute directly and indirectly to a psychologically based framework for understanding and care of users of the service, across all settings and agencies serving the client group
- To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual service users and to provide general advice to other professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment and management.
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 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
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 description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the team based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex psychological data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with service carers, family members and others involved in the service users care
- To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses
- To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
For further information about the role and responsibilities, please refer to the attached JD and PS.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the team based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex psychological data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with service carers, family members and others involved in the service users care
- To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses
- To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
For further information about the role and responsibilities, please refer to the attached JD and PS.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good honours degree (2:1 minimum) in Psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of BPS
- Post-graduate 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.
Desirable
- Evidence of training in Positive Behaviour Support principles/ systemic therapy/ CBT
- Training in clinical supervision for doctoral, and equivalent, trainees
- Other related academic and postgraduate qualifications
Experience & Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings.
- Experience of working across the whole life span, with presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of administration, scoring and written interpretation of psychometric / neuropsychological tests
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with Autistic Spectrum conditions
- Experience of working in a multiagency setting
- Knowledge of relevant learning disability legislation and its application in this setting.
- Experience of having facilitated/co-facilitated psychological therapy groups
- Specialist theoretical and practical knowledge of the assessment and treatment of complex behaviour problems
Skills
Essential
- The ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- 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 use database, word processing and test administration/scoring software
- Working knowledge of SPSS
- Able to concentrate for lengthy periods of time while demonstrating active listening skills
- Able to function in emotionally distressing circumstances on a frequent basis (e.g. in supporting service users with behaviours that challenge, have mental illness, self - harm, sexual abuse)
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience in co-production with people with learning disabilities.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Knowledge of the professional code of conduct of the BPS
- Able to reflect on own professional practice
- Willing to participate actively in CPD in line with HCPC/ BPS guidelines
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice.
Desirable
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good honours degree (2:1 minimum) in Psychology.
- Eligibility for graduate membership of BPS
- Post-graduate 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.
Desirable
- Evidence of training in Positive Behaviour Support principles/ systemic therapy/ CBT
- Training in clinical supervision for doctoral, and equivalent, trainees
- Other related academic and postgraduate qualifications
Experience & Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings.
- Experience of working across the whole life span, with presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Experience of administration, scoring and written interpretation of psychometric / neuropsychological tests
Desirable
- Experience of working with people with Autistic Spectrum conditions
- Experience of working in a multiagency setting
- Knowledge of relevant learning disability legislation and its application in this setting.
- Experience of having facilitated/co-facilitated psychological therapy groups
- Specialist theoretical and practical knowledge of the assessment and treatment of complex behaviour problems
Skills
Essential
- The ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, clinically sensitive information to service users, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- 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 use database, word processing and test administration/scoring software
- Working knowledge of SPSS
- Able to concentrate for lengthy periods of time while demonstrating active listening skills
- Able to function in emotionally distressing circumstances on a frequent basis (e.g. in supporting service users with behaviours that challenge, have mental illness, self - harm, sexual abuse)
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience in co-production with people with learning disabilities.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Knowledge of the professional code of conduct of the BPS
- Able to reflect on own professional practice
- Willing to participate actively in CPD in line with HCPC/ BPS guidelines
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice.
Desirable
- Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
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.
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).
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.
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).
