Job summary
We are seeking an enthusiastic and committed Clinical Psychologist with an interest in working in our general outpatient service and our Cambridge University's Clinical School Mental Health Service (CSMHS).
This permanent post is permanent and part time (for part time posts, salaries are pro-rata) with flexibility in hours if required. There is also the potential for some remote working.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) provides integrated community and mental health, learning disability and social care services of the highest standard due to our continued commitment to quality and service improvement. We aim to support people of all ages to achieve the very best they can for their health and wellbeing. To ensure that we achieve this goal we look to recruit candidates of a high calibre that share our passion for delivering excellent service user care, research and education.
The post will be based in CPFT's Psychological Medicine Service working in close collaboration with our General Outpatients Clinical Psychologist and Liaison Psychiatry Service, as well as working with Medical Students in Cambridge University's Clinical School who are experiencing mental health challenges.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will work closely with the current Clinical Psychologist and Consultant Psychiatrist already employed by this service.
There is potential to collaborate with other relevant services, contribute to national initiatives and develop research opportunities. You would be part of the Psychological Medicine Service which has expertise in a range of therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and there are excellent opportunities to develop skills and attend relevant CPD in clinical health psychology within this well-established service.
The Psychological Medicine Service includes Liaison Psychiatry and Clinical Health Psychology for both adults and children. There are over 50 Clinical Psychologists working across Adult and Paediatric Psychology. Some of these posts are embedded with specialist teams and others are part of the general services.
Psychologists have a professional network within Psychological Medicine and are also part of the CPFT professional group. The service provides placements for the University of East Anglia Clinical Psychology training course.
About us
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust is a health and social care organisation dedicated to providing high-quality care with compassion to improve the health and wellbeing of the people we care for, as well as supporting andempowering them to lead a fulfilling life.
Our clinical teams deliver many NHS services, not only via inpatient and primary care settings, but also within the community. These services include children's, adult and older people's mental health, forensic and specialist mental health, learning disabilities, primary care and liaison psychiatry, substance misuse, social care, research and development.
To achieve our goal, we look to recruit high-calibre candidates who share our vision and values. As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including disabled people and members of ourethnic minority andLGBTQ+ communities.
For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at www.cpft.nhs.uk
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to attached job description and person specification for full details and responsibilities.
- To be responsible for providing a highly specialist systematic and autonomous clinical psychology service within the relevant service, in accordance with agreed objectives. The post will require independent management of caseload and provision of a psychology service with appropriate supervision and professional management, as per BPS guidelines.
- To provide specialist psychological assessments of patients referred to the service based upon the appropriate use, interpretation, and integration of highly complex data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with patients, family members and others involved in the patients care. To promote the bio-psychosocial assessment and formulation of patients presenting problems as part of the work of the relevant team.
- To develop psychological formulations that integrate information from assessments within a coherent framework that draws upon psychological theory and evidence, and which incorporates interpersonal, societal, cultural, and biological factors.
- To develop and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a patients psychological needs, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the patients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy.
- To be responsible for implementing a range of psychologically based treatment plans with individual patients, carers, families and groups, within and across teams, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models.
- To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family, carers or group.
- To support the work of the multi-disciplinary team, providing training, supervision and consultancy, as appropriate.
- To assess and evaluate information from the patient, family and significant others, multi-disciplinary medical team and external agencies relating to medical condition, developmental status and incorporate this information into a clinical formulation. The post will require intensive concentration during all patient and family contact, ranging from relatively brief contact to assessments lasting several hours.
- To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of patients and to autonomously manage a caseload in line with the service thresholds and priorities and under the overall co-ordination of the Lead Clinical Psychologist for the service.
- To provide a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings and agencies serving the client group.
If you would like to discuss this post and potentially arrange an informal visit please contact Dr Laura Toplis, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Head of Service for Psychological Medicines Adult Psychology Service. laura.toplis@cpft.nhs.uk 01223 216167
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to attached job description and person specification for full details and responsibilities.
- To be responsible for providing a highly specialist systematic and autonomous clinical psychology service within the relevant service, in accordance with agreed objectives. The post will require independent management of caseload and provision of a psychology service with appropriate supervision and professional management, as per BPS guidelines.
- To provide specialist psychological assessments of patients referred to the service based upon the appropriate use, interpretation, and integration of highly complex data from a variety of sources including psychological and neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with patients, family members and others involved in the patients care. To promote the bio-psychosocial assessment and formulation of patients presenting problems as part of the work of the relevant team.
- To develop psychological formulations that integrate information from assessments within a coherent framework that draws upon psychological theory and evidence, and which incorporates interpersonal, societal, cultural, and biological factors.
- To develop and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a patients psychological needs, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the patients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy.
- To be responsible for implementing a range of psychologically based treatment plans with individual patients, carers, families and groups, within and across teams, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models.
- To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family, carers or group.
- To support the work of the multi-disciplinary team, providing training, supervision and consultancy, as appropriate.
- To assess and evaluate information from the patient, family and significant others, multi-disciplinary medical team and external agencies relating to medical condition, developmental status and incorporate this information into a clinical formulation. The post will require intensive concentration during all patient and family contact, ranging from relatively brief contact to assessments lasting several hours.
- To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of patients and to autonomously manage a caseload in line with the service thresholds and priorities and under the overall co-ordination of the Lead Clinical Psychologist for the service.
- To provide a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings and agencies serving the client group.
If you would like to discuss this post and potentially arrange an informal visit please contact Dr Laura Toplis, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Head of Service for Psychological Medicines Adult Psychology Service. laura.toplis@cpft.nhs.uk 01223 216167
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
- Registered as Practitioner Psychologist with HCPC
Desirable
- Eligibility for Chartered Clinical Psychologist status (BPS)
- Undertaken post-qualification further training in a specialised area of psychological practice e.g. neuropsychology, CBT, CAT, DBT, solution focused therapy, analytical therapy, systemic / family work etc.
- Undertaken training in the supervision of Trainee Clinical Psychologists
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation, and treatment of service users across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, and inpatient settings
- Experience of working with a wide variety of service user groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity 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 service users' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision
- Able to demonstrate further specialist training / experience through having received a minimum of 50 hours clinical supervision
- Experience of collaborative working as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Proven ability to communicate clearly in difficult and complex situations
Desirable
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
- Experience of implementing psychological interventions to groups of patients
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework
- Experience of working with medical students
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Able to demonstrate commitment to high quality care and service provision
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention, and treatment, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Skills in individual and group work and in programme planning
- Planning and organising skills for caseload management. Skills in self-management, including time-management
- Excellent communication skills. Able to communicate verbally and in writing, complex, highly technical and / or clinically sensitive information including contentious and highly distressing information to service users, their families, carers, and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance, including regular supervision, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
- Skills in providing consultation and supervision to other professional and non-professional groups
- Ability to lead and work within a team fostering good working relationships
- Advanced IT and computer skills
Desirable
- Experience of leading and carrying out research projects and interpreting data using statistical analyses
- Proven ability in carrying out clinical audits
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- Expert knowledge of clinical health psychology
- Specialist knowledge of working with this client group
- Good understanding of other professionals' theoretical perspectives of this service user group
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the HCPC
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the service user group and the setting, and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group
- Demonstrate an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
Desirable
- High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies relevant to the service
Other
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enabling formation of networks with professionals within the Trust and from other agencies to promote effective team working with clients
- Able to contain and work with high levels of distress from clients. Interpersonally calm and able to defuse difficult, volatile situations
- Ability to exercise appropriate levels of self-care and to monitor own state, recognising when it is necessary to take active steps to maintain fitness to practice
- Good organisational skills
- Positive approach to older people
- Recognise people's right to privacy and dignity, treating every person with respect
- Willingness to embrace integrated model and new ways of working
- Willingness to be flexible in approach and attitude
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- Doctoral level training in clinical psychology, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology
- Registered as Practitioner Psychologist with HCPC
Desirable
- Eligibility for Chartered Clinical Psychologist status (BPS)
- Undertaken post-qualification further training in a specialised area of psychological practice e.g. neuropsychology, CBT, CAT, DBT, solution focused therapy, analytical therapy, systemic / family work etc.
- Undertaken training in the supervision of Trainee Clinical Psychologists
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation, and treatment of service users across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, and inpatient settings
- Experience of working with a wide variety of service user groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity 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 service users' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan
- Experience of teaching, training and/or professional and clinical supervision
- Able to demonstrate further specialist training / experience through having received a minimum of 50 hours clinical supervision
- Experience of collaborative working as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Proven ability to communicate clearly in difficult and complex situations
Desirable
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
- Experience of implementing psychological interventions to groups of patients
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework
- Experience of working with medical students
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Able to demonstrate commitment to high quality care and service provision
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention, and treatment, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
- Skills in individual and group work and in programme planning
- Planning and organising skills for caseload management. Skills in self-management, including time-management
- Excellent communication skills. Able to communicate verbally and in writing, complex, highly technical and / or clinically sensitive information including contentious and highly distressing information to service users, their families, carers, and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups
- Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance, including regular supervision, to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
- Skills in providing consultation and supervision to other professional and non-professional groups
- Ability to lead and work within a team fostering good working relationships
- Advanced IT and computer skills
Desirable
- Experience of leading and carrying out research projects and interpreting data using statistical analyses
- Proven ability in carrying out clinical audits
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- Expert knowledge of clinical health psychology
- Specialist knowledge of working with this client group
- Good understanding of other professionals' theoretical perspectives of this service user group
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the HCPC
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology, including complex multivariate data analysis as practiced within the field of clinical psychology
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the service user group and the setting, and its implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the client group
- Demonstrate an understanding for the need to use evidence based psychological therapies and how it relates to this post
Desirable
- High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies relevant to the service
Other
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, enabling formation of networks with professionals within the Trust and from other agencies to promote effective team working with clients
- Able to contain and work with high levels of distress from clients. Interpersonally calm and able to defuse difficult, volatile situations
- Ability to exercise appropriate levels of self-care and to monitor own state, recognising when it is necessary to take active steps to maintain fitness to practice
- Good organisational skills
- Positive approach to older people
- Recognise people's right to privacy and dignity, treating every person with respect
- Willingness to embrace integrated model and new ways of working
- Willingness to be flexible in approach and attitude
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).
