Job summary
NHFT have an exciting opportunity to join our well-established psychology team within the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service (SPMHS) as a senior assistant psychologist.
The SPMHS is an PQN Accredited service that supports women and birthing people who are experiencing, or who are at risk of experiencing, moderate to severe mental health conditions within the perinatal period (from 12 weeks of pregnancy until 24 months post-partum).
Mental health conditions that the team work with include postpartum psychosis, postnatal depression, maternal OCD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, tokophobia, and anxiety disorders.
The psychology team within the SPMHS comprises of Clinical Psychologists, CBT therapists, Psychological Therapists, and Assistant Psychologists. They provide specialist psychological assessment and therapy in accordance with NICE guidance. This may include EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, CBT for OCD, anxiety and/or depression, Compassion Focussed Therapy, and Parent-Infant Psychotherapy. Interventions are provided on both a group and one-to-one basis.
We provide both face-to-face and remote interventions.
We also support with psychological thinking and formulation within the team and offer consultations to staff.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will support in the provision of psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for service-users under the care of the SPMHS. They will support with both group and one-to-one interventions, contribute to enhancing psychological understanding (both within team and in wider services), and assist with both audit and service evaluation projects.
Regular clinical supervision will be provided, alongside many opportunities to learn about a wide range of perinatal mental health presentations. Clinical experience can be offered in a variety of areas. The successful candidate may also have opportunities to support with teaching and training on occasions. They will be expected to work closely with all members of the SPMHS (both within the psychology team and the wider multi-disciplinary team), as well as with the network of Applied Psychologists and Psychological Therapists within NHFT. They may work with people with different cultural backgrounds and ages and will be supported to use interpreters when necessary. The successful candidate will work in various community settings (including in women's homes and other community venues).
About us
NHFT is an integrated primary care and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in both hospital settings and out in the community. Because we put the person at the centre of all we do, we focus on delivering care that is as easy to access as possible. This means many of our services can be provided at home, work or in schools.We also provide health services to various prisons and detention centres in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
Job description
Job responsibilities
It is essential that applicants have a recognised undergraduate degree in Psychology and have the Graduate Basis for Registration with the British Psychological Society. Experience of working within mental health services, perinatal or family services would be beneficial but is not essential. Experience of delivering group-based psychological interventions would be advantageous, as would evidence of the use research, audit, and service evaluation skills. An interest in and passion for working within the perinatal mental health field is expected.
Please refer to the attached job description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
It is essential that applicants have a recognised undergraduate degree in Psychology and have the Graduate Basis for Registration with the British Psychological Society. Experience of working within mental health services, perinatal or family services would be beneficial but is not essential. Experience of delivering group-based psychological interventions would be advantageous, as would evidence of the use research, audit, and service evaluation skills. An interest in and passion for working within the perinatal mental health field is expected.
Please refer to the attached job description.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
- Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities as an Assistant Psychologist or Senior Assistant Psychologist
- Experience of using psychological assessments, formulations, risk assessments and care planning
- Working in a healthcare setting
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis
- Experience of working in perinatal or acute mental health services.
- Knowledge and/or experience of working with people who have experienced perinatal mental health difficulties
- Experience of group-based psychological interventions
- Experience of research design, conduct and analysis
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare and an ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to the context of supporting women with perinatal mental health difficulties
- Has training and experience of audit, evaluation and research
- Experience developing and using databases, data analysis, & skills in presenting data
- Experience of conducting qualitative research interviews and analysis (e.g. utilising thematic analysis or other methodology)
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
- Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society
- Experience of working with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities as an Assistant Psychologist or Senior Assistant Psychologist
- Experience of using psychological assessments, formulations, risk assessments and care planning
- Working in a healthcare setting
Desirable
- Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis
- Experience of working in perinatal or acute mental health services.
- Knowledge and/or experience of working with people who have experienced perinatal mental health difficulties
- Experience of group-based psychological interventions
- Experience of research design, conduct and analysis
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive.
- An understanding of psychology applied to healthcare and an ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to the context of supporting women with perinatal mental health difficulties
- Has training and experience of audit, evaluation and research
- Experience developing and using databases, data analysis, & skills in presenting data
- Experience of conducting qualitative research interviews and analysis (e.g. utilising thematic analysis or other methodology)
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.
Employer details
Employer name
Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust
Address
Countywide Campbell House Northampton
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
NN1 3EB
Employer's website
https://www.nhft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
