Assistant Psychologist

Job description

Job responsibilities

To support and enhance the psychological care of inpatients within the Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries; providing psychological assessment and low level psychological interventions under the supervision of a qualified Clinical Psychologist. To assist in clinically related administration, conduct audits, collection of statistics, development of audit and/or research projects, teaching and project work.

Duties & Responsibilities:

The post holder may be required to undertake any of the duties specified in the key result areas noted below. The relative priority and time allocated to each of the duties/key result areas will be determined by reference to service needs and may vary in the light of prevailing service priorities and requirements.

Clinical:1. Under the clinical supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist, contributes to the psychological assessment of individuals admitted to MCSI. This will include completion of psychological screening measures with patients.

2. Under the clinical supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist, assists in the formulation of the clients needs and in the planning and delivery of psychological care.

3. Under the clinical supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist, delivers low level psychological interventions such as supporting clients with orientation, soothing activities or other agreed interventions.

4. Under the clinical supervision of a qualified psychologist, assists in the delivery of psycho-educational groups for patients and families.

5. Acts as a key-worker for specific clients. This role will involve completion of the Needs Assessment Checklist at the beginning and end of rehabilitation. It will also involve taking a lead in the running of regular Goal Planning Meetings for the client with multi-disciplinary team.

6. When completing clinical duties, receives, obtains and communicates complex and sensitive clinical and personal information, sometimes in circumstances where there may be constraints on the motivation, cooperation, understanding or acceptance of the service users involved or their families.

7. Assists in the promotion of a psychologically informed approach to the understanding and management of the problems and needs of all clients within the service area covered.

Teaching, Training, Supervisory, Consultative/advisory:1. Supports qualified psychologists in the development and provision of programmes of staff training /support for members of the MDT, assisting in the planning and organisation of sessions, in the preparation of teaching content, teaching materials (including handouts) and teaching aids (including computer assisted), in the direct delivery of teaching sessions (providing presentations as required) and in the evaluation of teaching initiatives.

2. Under the clinical supervision of a qualified clinical psychologist, provides support and advice to other members of the MDT using psychologically informed framework.

Research and Service Evaluation:1. Under the supervision of a qualified psychologist, regularly undertakes R&D activity in support of innovative and evaluative research programmes relevant to the needs of the service.

2. Undertakes literature searches and reviews, particularly in respect of relevant clinical evidence, and provides summaries and reports that help clinical psychologists develop and deliver evidence-based practice in their individual work and in their work with other team members.

3. Assists qualified psychologists in the design and implementation of audit and research projects.

4. Collects research data using methods and procedures specified in relevant protocols.

5. Analyses data and produces/assists in the production of audit and research reports and summaries, using statistical procedures, statistical software (e.g SPSS) and other information technology and software (including word processing, spreadsheet and databases) as appropriate.

Information Technology Responsibilities1. Uses information technology to record client contact information, to prepare reports (including written, graphical and visual material) and to communicate via email. Uses word processing, spreadsheet, data base, statistical, presentational software.

Professional Development and Practice:1. Observes Trust policies and procedures and terms and conditions of employment. Develops an awareness of professional guidelines for Clinical Psychologists as set out by the British Psychological Society (BPS), Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC),

2. Responsible for working within limits appropriate to qualifications, competences and experience.

3. Receives regular clinical supervision from a qualified Clinical Psychologist.

4. Participates in personal development/appraisal reviews as required with psychology line manager.

5. Gains wider experience of professional psychological practice, and develops skills and competencies that assist in the performance of current duties, through attendance at training events, reading relevant research and practice literature, visits to other service settings, etc.

6. Maintains the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing in accordance with professional codes of practice and Trust policies and procedures.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health and/or research
• Counselling or other therapy qualifications.

Experience

Essential

• Some experience of disability or mental health difficulties.

Desirable

• Experience of working with people with disability or mental health difficulties.
• Experience of working as part of a team.

Skills

Essential

• High level of interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to work and effectively communicate information in a highly emotive setting, involving significant personal distress.
• An ability to communicate at different levels with patients, carers and colleagues.
• An awareness of the potential needs of people with disability.
• An awareness of boundary issues between professionals and between clients and psychologists.

Desirable

• Experience of qualitative and quantitative research
• An ability to write articulate and comprehensible reports, letters and other correspondence.

Knowledge

Essential

• To have a good knowledge of computer skills including Microsoft Office Suite, with the ability to master new applications.
• An ability to link and apply psychological models to applied practice within a healthcare setting.

Desirable

• Knowledge of spinal cord injury

Personal qualities

Essential

• An ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines.
• An ability to interact and build relationships with people who may be emotionally distressed.
• Under the day-to -day direction of a qualified Clinical Psychologist, has the ability to work independently, reliably, consistently and with initiative (seeking guidance when necessary).
• Adaptable and able to work flexibly when required (e.g. in the light of changing service priorities).
• Capacity for tolerating frustration, change and high levels of demand with an ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Capacity to frequently sit/stand in constrained position for client assessment and therapy.
• Capacity to attend to and concentrate on clinical information on a frequent basis (e.g. when undertaking clinical assessments).
• An interest in working with people with disability or mental health difficulties.
• An ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.

Desirable

• A desire to explore a career in professional psychology

Trust values

Essential

• To exemplify the Trust Values

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust

Oswestry

SY10 7AG

Employer's website

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