Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity to join the UCLH Centre for Weight Management, Metabolic and Endocrine Surgery. We are looking for a highly motivated clinical psychologist to join the team. This is an incredibly rewarding area to work in, providing support to a population of people who have often experienced stigma and shame because of their weight. We hope to provide a compassionate and understanding service, working with people both pre and post-operatively to start making changes towards caring for themselves in a way that is in line with their values, and from a position of self-compassion. This is within a context of exploring motivations for, and understanding of, surgery; supporting reflective decision-making and setting and achieving goals in line with preparing for and living with weight loss surgery.
The post holder will contribute to the assessment and treatment of individuals referred for bariatric surgery and patients requiring further support in the post-operative period, under the supervision of an 8b psychologist. The post-holder will also be responsible for providing supervision to the B7 psychologist working in the team.Experience of working with people affected by obesity in a weight management or bariatric surgery service, surgical services more generally or with people who have struggled with disordered eating, is essential. We are not able to offer visits to the department however we welcome discussions with potential candidates.
Main duties of the job
To provide specialist psychological assessment in relation to mental health, history of obesity and eating difficulties in people referred for bariatric surgery and medical management using a range of assessment methods as appropriate, making recommendations to the multi-disciplinary team.
To formulate and devise psychological treatment and management plans for referred clients and to provide psychological treatment, using a range of specialist psychological interventions (group and individual).
To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals e.g. dieticians and clinical nurse specialists, to assist in the formulation, diagnosis and treatment of clients.
To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the psychological assessment and treatment of patients within the service, referring to Senior Psychologists for guidance where appropriate.
To provide reports and communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients. To communicate across language and cultural barriers (utilising interpreters) remaining respectful of difference and responding to these appropriately within clinical contexts.
About us
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.
We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:
- University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
- National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
- Royal National Throat,Nose and Ear Hospital
- Eastman Dental Hospital
- Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
- University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
- The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
- University College Hospitals at Westmoreland Street
We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women's health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.
At UCLH, we have a real 'One Team' ethos, and our values - safety, kindness, teamwork and improving, are central to the way we work. This is supported by our staff, who voted us as the #1 NHS Acute Trust to work for in the whole of England.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a full and detailed description of the role, all applicants are advised to read the attached Job Description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For a full and detailed description of the role, all applicants are advised to read the attached Job Description.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Qualifications
Essential
- Honours degree in psychology or related disciplines, and a Doctorate and/or PhD level in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) (acquired as part of the clinical training)
- Registered Practitioner Psychologist by the HCPC.
- High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
- Knowledge of specialised assessment and therapeutic approaches in weight management.
- Ability to make diagnostic decisions, give second opinions and make differential diagnoses as part of multidisciplinary assessments
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with adults who are overweight/obese and have an understanding of the associated medical comorbidities and the potential social and psychological implications of obesity.
- A knowledge of the different types of bariatric surgery and the complexity involved when assessing people for this type of intervention as a treatment for obesity.
- A knowledge of mental health difficulties potentially associated with severe obesity and an understanding of when it may be appropriate to refer to other agencies.
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with physical health problems in a hospital based (outpatient and inpatient) setting.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Ability to work with interpreters.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Knowledge of research methodology, research design and data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
Communication & Customer Care
Essential
- Demonstrates professional and effective verbal and written communication skills including excellent negotiation skills with patients, carers and other health professional staff in service delivery
- 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 where information may be highly sensitive and there may be barriers to acceptance.
- Skills in supervising other staff
Academic and research
Essential
- Previous experience of research indicating the ability to conduct research autonomously, with supervision as required.
- Interest in conducting scientific research within relevant areas of hearing/speech impairment and complex developmental disability
- Ability to critique and evaluate scientific data and best practice clinical guidelines
Quality and service improvement
Essential
- Evidence of working well in multidisciplinary teams
- Evidence of effective clinical reasoning in the assessment and management of complex developmental disability.
Information processing (IT skills)
Essential
- Competent IT skills (word processing, spreadsheets, statistical packages)
Personal Qualities
Essential
- A good understanding an appreciation of the effects of stigma on people living with obesity.
- A high level of interpersonal and communication skills.
- Must be able to cope with highly emotive and psychologically challenging demands of working with people in distress for long periods of time.
- Must be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people in a sensitive, caring and non-judgemental manner.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Qualifications
Essential
- Honours degree in psychology or related disciplines, and a Doctorate and/or PhD level in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) (acquired as part of the clinical training)
- Registered Practitioner Psychologist by the HCPC.
- High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
- Knowledge of specialised assessment and therapeutic approaches in weight management.
- Ability to make diagnostic decisions, give second opinions and make differential diagnoses as part of multidisciplinary assessments
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with adults who are overweight/obese and have an understanding of the associated medical comorbidities and the potential social and psychological implications of obesity.
- A knowledge of the different types of bariatric surgery and the complexity involved when assessing people for this type of intervention as a treatment for obesity.
- A knowledge of mental health difficulties potentially associated with severe obesity and an understanding of when it may be appropriate to refer to other agencies.
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with physical health problems in a hospital based (outpatient and inpatient) setting.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision.
- Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.
- Ability to work with interpreters.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Knowledge of research methodology, research design and data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
Communication & Customer Care
Essential
- Demonstrates professional and effective verbal and written communication skills including excellent negotiation skills with patients, carers and other health professional staff in service delivery
- 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 where information may be highly sensitive and there may be barriers to acceptance.
- Skills in supervising other staff
Academic and research
Essential
- Previous experience of research indicating the ability to conduct research autonomously, with supervision as required.
- Interest in conducting scientific research within relevant areas of hearing/speech impairment and complex developmental disability
- Ability to critique and evaluate scientific data and best practice clinical guidelines
Quality and service improvement
Essential
- Evidence of working well in multidisciplinary teams
- Evidence of effective clinical reasoning in the assessment and management of complex developmental disability.
Information processing (IT skills)
Essential
- Competent IT skills (word processing, spreadsheets, statistical packages)
Personal Qualities
Essential
- A good understanding an appreciation of the effects of stigma on people living with obesity.
- A high level of interpersonal and communication skills.
- Must be able to cope with highly emotive and psychologically challenging demands of working with people in distress for long periods of time.
- Must be able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people in a sensitive, caring and non-judgemental manner.
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).
