Job summary
This is the Consultant Psychologist/Psychological Practitioner post for Lakeside Mental Health Unit, the role involves both leadership of an adult inpatient psychology team and direct clinical work on acute ward. Lakeside Mental Health Unity is based in the borough of Hounslow, comprising of five acute mental health wards and a health based place of safety. Service users present in acute mental health crisis with a diverse range of psychological needs and risk concerns and are in need of intensive treatment with most service users detained under the Mental Health Act.
We are seeking a passionate and committed candidate to work in partnership with the Associate Director for psychological professions based in Acute Mental Health Services to provide clinical and strategic leadership to the inpatient psychology team. The team a clinical psychologist, counselling psychologist, clinical associate in psychology and an assistant psychologist. The team also provides placements to trainee clinical psychologists from the North Thames courses and students from the MSc in Early Intervention in Psychosis.
This role will include the delivery of a comprehensive psychology service to one of the acute wards delivering evidence based psychological interventions and proactively working with the MDT on a psychologically informed approach to care and management of risk concerns.
Main duties of the job
Lead on the provision and delivery of a comprehensive psychology service including direct and indirect psychological interventions, facilitate team formulation for MDT colleagues, facilitate reflective practice, consultation and provision of post incident support.
To supervise and line manage other qualified staff and oversee supervision and line management in the team. Where appropriate to provide clinical supervision to psychology colleagues in other Trust services and/or MDT colleagues.
Work in partnership with the Associate Director for Psychological Professions based in Acute Mental Health Services and senior management colleagues working on the unit.
Be responsible for the good clinical governance, quality and appropriateness of the work of the inpatient psychology team
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 over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
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
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology and/or accredited psychological practitioner with at extensive experience working as a band 8b
- Formal training in the supervision of psychological staff.
- Evidence of continuing professional development in accordance with professional registration requirements.
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
Experience
Essential
- Significant clinical experience, including a significant period of post-qualification experience within acute services.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of service user groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, in-patient and residential care settings including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
Desirable
- Experience of professional management of qualified psychologists/psychological practitioners and pre- qualified psychology staff.
- Experience of multi-professional management of teams or services within the designated specialty.
- Experience in the assessment and treatment of service users with interpersonal and relational difficulties
Knowledge/Skills
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology
- Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the patient group and mental health system.
- Knowledge of and a good understanding of the framework of government and national policy.
- A high level ability to communicate effectively at both a written and oral level complex, highly technical and highly sensitive clinical information or highly contentious information to service users, their families, carers, (where there are significant barriers to acceptance in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere), and a wide range of lay and professional persons within and outside the NHS. This includes communication to the Courts and Mental Health Tribunals as an expert witness.
Desirable
- Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for service users that have specific needs and are groups for which there are barriers to engagement.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology and/or accredited psychological practitioner with at extensive experience working as a band 8b
- Formal training in the supervision of psychological staff.
- Evidence of continuing professional development in accordance with professional registration requirements.
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
Experience
Essential
- Significant clinical experience, including a significant period of post-qualification experience within acute services.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of service user groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, in-patient and residential care settings including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for patients' psychological care
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision.
Desirable
- Experience of professional management of qualified psychologists/psychological practitioners and pre- qualified psychology staff.
- Experience of multi-professional management of teams or services within the designated specialty.
- Experience in the assessment and treatment of service users with interpersonal and relational difficulties
Knowledge/Skills
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology
- Knowledge of legislation and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the patient group and mental health system.
- Knowledge of and a good understanding of the framework of government and national policy.
- A high level ability to communicate effectively at both a written and oral level complex, highly technical and highly sensitive clinical information or highly contentious information to service users, their families, carers, (where there are significant barriers to acceptance in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere), and a wide range of lay and professional persons within and outside the NHS. This includes communication to the Courts and Mental Health Tribunals as an expert witness.
Desirable
- Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies for service users that have specific needs and are groups for which there are barriers to engagement.
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).
