Job summary
Join our new Assertive Outreach Team as a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist (Band 8a) and help shape our service for adults with complex and enduring mental health needs.This is a unique opportunity to make a real difference for individuals who find it difficult to access traditional services, often with long histories of trauma and disengagement.
You'll be part of a dynamic, multi-disciplinary team, delivering specialist psychological assessments and evidence-based interventions that empower service users to achieve meaningful change.
If you're passionate about trauma-informed, person-centred care and thrive on challenge, we want to hear from you. Be part of a team that values compassion, innovation, and evidence-based practice, and help build a service that truly transforms lives
Main duties of the job
You will be required to travel independently around the county and will need to hold a full UK driving licence* and have the use of a vehicle. Unfortunately, public transport will not provide enough reliable transportation to enable you to meet the needs of the service. Please confirm in your application that you meet the specified criteria.
*DVLA have a number of reciprocal arrangements with overseas countries, for further information please visit the DVLA website.
- As a Clinical/Counselling Psychologist in the Assertive Outreach Team, you will provide a qualified clinical psychology service according to an agreed job plan, delivering specialist assessment, formulation, and intervention for adults with severe and complex mental health needs.
- You'll work autonomously within professional guidelines, contributing to the team's policies and procedures, and supporting the psychological care of clients who may have experienced significant trauma and disengagement from services.
- The role includes providing clinical supervision and leadership to other psychologists, supporting the training and development of the wider team, and contributing to service evaluation and research. You'll work in partnership with clients, carers, and colleagues, promoting a psychologically informed approach to care, and ensuring the highest standards of governance, safety, and patient experience.
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 people with long term conditions and members of our ethnic minority and LGBTQ+ communities.
Please be advised we reserve the right to close adverts earlier than the closing date should we receive sufficient applications.
Regrettably, we cannot offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you apply for a role that we cannot offer sponsorship for, unfortunately, your application form will be rejected from the process.
For further information on CPFT, please visit our website at www.cpft.nhs.uk
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- To provide specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the assertive outreach team based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of 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 clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.
- To develop psychological formulations of presenting problems or situations 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 use psychological formulations to develop and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a clients mental health problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy, and to use these plans toinform and lead the work of non-psychology members of the team.
- To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses. This includes responsibilityfor the delivery of psychological interventions by all team members.
- 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 exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients, and manage and maintain a caseload in line with service guidelines and under the overall co-ordination of the Lead Psychologists.
- To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.
- To contribute directly and indirectly to 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.
- To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management in line with Trust and inter-agency policies and procedures.
- To communicate, in a skilled and sensitive manner, to clients, family carers and others as appropriate, information that may be contentious or highly distressing concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care
- To monitor and evaluate progress during the course of both uni-and multidisciplinary care, and to provide appropriate reports on this.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description and person specification for full details of responsibilities.
- To provide specialist psychological assessments of clients referred to the assertive outreach team based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of 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 clients, family members and others involved in the clients care.
- To develop psychological formulations of presenting problems or situations 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 use psychological formulations to develop and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a clients mental health problems, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the clients problems, and employing methods based upon evidence of efficacy, and to use these plans toinform and lead the work of non-psychology members of the team.
- To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different explanatory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses. This includes responsibilityfor the delivery of psychological interventions by all team members.
- 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 exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients, and manage and maintain a caseload in line with service guidelines and under the overall co-ordination of the Lead Psychologists.
- To provide specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals contributing directly to clients formulation, diagnosis and treatment plan.
- To contribute directly and indirectly to 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.
- To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management in line with Trust and inter-agency policies and procedures.
- To communicate, in a skilled and sensitive manner, to clients, family carers and others as appropriate, information that may be contentious or highly distressing concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care
- To monitor and evaluate progress during the course of both uni-and multidisciplinary care, and to provide appropriate reports on this.
Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate level training in clinical/counselling psychology
- Undertaken training in the supervision of trainee clinical psychologists
- Registered with Health and Care Professions Council as a practitioner psychologist
Desirable
- Chartered Psychologist
- Undertaking relevant post-doctoral training
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients across the full range of adult mental health care settings
- Experience of working with people experiencing severe mood disorders and psychotic symptoms and their families
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for client's psychological care and treatment
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, psychological formulation and intervention
- Ability to deliver CBT for people suffering from affective disorders and psychotic disorders
- Skills in individual and group work in programme planning
Desirable
- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
- Ability to deliver family interventions (including behavioural family therapy, BFT)
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by BPS
Desirable
- High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies
Physical Requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel independently around the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area meeting required timescales. A full driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential
Other
Essential
- Demonstrates enthusiasm for service initiatives. Has a commitment to the evaluation of services, enthusiasm for both multi-professional and uni-professional audit, and a wish to continue to develop expertise in the service area
Person Specification
Education/ Qualifications
Essential
- Doctorate level training in clinical/counselling psychology
- Undertaken training in the supervision of trainee clinical psychologists
- Registered with Health and Care Professions Council as a practitioner psychologist
Desirable
- Chartered Psychologist
- Undertaking relevant post-doctoral training
Experience
Essential
- Substantial experience of specialist psychological assessment, formulation and treatment of clients across the full range of adult mental health care settings
- Experience of working with people experiencing severe mood disorders and psychotic symptoms and their families
- Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for client's psychological care and treatment
Desirable
- Experience of working within a multicultural framework
- Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, psychological formulation and intervention
- Ability to deliver CBT for people suffering from affective disorders and psychotic disorders
- Skills in individual and group work in programme planning
Desirable
- Formal training in supervision of other psychologists
- Ability to deliver family interventions (including behavioural family therapy, BFT)
Knowledge & Understanding
Essential
- Doctoral level knowledge of clinical psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology
- Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by BPS
Desirable
- High-level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies
Physical Requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel independently around the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area meeting required timescales. A full driving licence and access to a vehicle is essential
Other
Essential
- Demonstrates enthusiasm for service initiatives. Has a commitment to the evaluation of services, enthusiasm for both multi-professional and uni-professional audit, and a wish to continue to develop expertise in the service area
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).
