Job summary
Band 8b Principal Clinical Psychologist, part time, 3 days per week - Bucks Adult Autism Diagnostic and Intervention Service
We are seeking to recruit an experienced Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to work in the Bucks Adult Autism Diagnostic and Intervention Service (2 days per week) and the Bucks Adult ADHD Service (1 day per week). The services are located together within Specialist Psychological Services for Adults and Older Adults. The service also includes Bucks Autism Reasonable Adjustments, a small team providing support to clinicians in the directorate to improve their work with autistic people. You will be based at The Whiteleaf Centre in Aylesbury and possibly Saffron House in High Wycombe, with the potential for some remote working.
Main duties of the job
Your role will involve providing triage, diagnostic assessments, consultations and interventions in line with NICE guidance and best practice. You will liaise and undertake joint work with members of the autism and ADHD MDT (including psychiatry, OT, nursing and SALT), Psychological Therapies colleagues, AMHT and inpatient ward colleagues, and other Trust staff. There will also be opportunities to provide training, clinical and line management supervision and consultation in line with your interests and capacity.
You should be a suitably qualified clinical or counselling psychologist with HCPC registration. You will have an interest and track record in working with adults with ASD and/or ADHD and a desire to work towards the best outcomes for autistic patients. You will also have a background in autism and ADHD diagnosis, but training in formal assessments can be provided if needed (e.g. the ADOS-2 and ADI-r).
About us
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust provides physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset.
Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible
Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive:"Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"
Our values are:"Caring, safe and excellent"
At Oxford Health we offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:
- Excellent opportunities for career progression
- Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and development
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous service
- NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailers
- Competitive pension scheme
- Lease car scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Mental Health First Aiders
- Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists may apply)
- Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team
Job description
Job responsibilities
To ensure the systematic provision of a high quality highly specialist clinical psychology service to adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder across Buckinghamshire.
To provide highly specialized psychological assessment and treatment to clients referred to the team.
To select, administer score and interpret psychometric tests to assess different areas of functioning and formulate the strengths and weaknesses of the adults cognitive profile.
To supervise and support the psychological assessment and therapy provided by assistant psychologists, doctoral trainee clinical psychologists, qualified psychologists and other clinical members of the team who provide psychologically based care and treatment.
To provide ad hoc advice and guidance to colleagues in Buckinghamshire working in the Psychological Therapies Pathway, Adult Mental Health Teams, social care and GPs in planning and implementing care plans for patients with ASD and ADHD.
To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of local policies and procedures.
To exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the ASD and ADHD service.
To take a lead in coordinating specialist therapeutic activity within the team and participate in disseminating skills to the wider service.
To utilise research skills, as a major requirement of the job, for audit, policy and service development and research.
To propose and implement policy changes which may impact on other professionals within the area served by the ASD and ADHD Service.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To ensure the systematic provision of a high quality highly specialist clinical psychology service to adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder across Buckinghamshire.
To provide highly specialized psychological assessment and treatment to clients referred to the team.
To select, administer score and interpret psychometric tests to assess different areas of functioning and formulate the strengths and weaknesses of the adults cognitive profile.
To supervise and support the psychological assessment and therapy provided by assistant psychologists, doctoral trainee clinical psychologists, qualified psychologists and other clinical members of the team who provide psychologically based care and treatment.
To provide ad hoc advice and guidance to colleagues in Buckinghamshire working in the Psychological Therapies Pathway, Adult Mental Health Teams, social care and GPs in planning and implementing care plans for patients with ASD and ADHD.
To work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of local policies and procedures.
To exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the ASD and ADHD service.
To take a lead in coordinating specialist therapeutic activity within the team and participate in disseminating skills to the wider service.
To utilise research skills, as a major requirement of the job, for audit, policy and service development and research.
To propose and implement policy changes which may impact on other professionals within the area served by the ASD and ADHD Service.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies with people with ASD with mental health needs.
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical or Counselling psychology, or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996, as accredited by the British Psychological Society, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
- HCPC registration Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialized areas of psychological practice.
Desirable
- Qualifications/training in use of specialist psychometric assessments for ASD
Further Training or Job related aptitude and skills
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies with people with ASD with mental health needs
Experience
Essential
- Assessed experience of specialist and highly specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, day services and in-patient settings.
- Experience of working with people with ASD
- Significant experience of the use and interpretation of psychometric assessments for ASD and ADHD
Personal Qualities
Essential
- An interest in and positive approach towards working with people with ASD and mental health needs
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies with people with ASD with mental health needs.
Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical or Counselling psychology, or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996, as accredited by the British Psychological Society, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
- HCPC registration Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialized areas of psychological practice.
Desirable
- Qualifications/training in use of specialist psychometric assessments for ASD
Further Training or Job related aptitude and skills
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies with people with ASD with mental health needs
Experience
Essential
- Assessed experience of specialist and highly specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatient, community, day services and in-patient settings.
- Experience of working with people with ASD
- Significant experience of the use and interpretation of psychometric assessments for ASD and ADHD
Personal Qualities
Essential
- An interest in and positive approach towards working with people with ASD and mental health needs
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
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).
