Assistant Psychologist in Bariatric Surgery

Job description

Job responsibilities

The assistant psychologist will help to screen and assess patients who are potential candidates for bariatric surgery at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital. The assistant psychologist will help to develop and deliver individual and group interventions (e.g. weight management groups/preparation for surgery workshops/emotional eating groups) for patients before and after bariatric surgery. The postholder will administer and score standardised questionnaire measures and maintain databases. You will be expected to liaise with other members of the multidisciplinary team and attend multidisciplinary team meetings. The potholder will be expected to write clinical letters/reports for GPs, other professionals and patients .

The postholder will work in the acute hospital with the bariatric surgery team but will have close links with the wider Health Psychology team, which is part of the Psychological Medicine Unit.

Individual supervision will be provided by a clinical psychologist.

KEY RESULT AREASClinical:

1. To undertake, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, protocol based psychological assessments of clients applying psychological, including neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct and indirect structured observations and semi-structured interviews with clients, family members and others involvedin the clients care.2. To assist in the formulation and delivery of routine care plans involving the psychological treatment and/or management of a clients problems, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in both community and in-patient/residential settings.3. To assist, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in the coordination and running of therapeutic groups.4. To work with other staff to assess inpatients, day patients or residents and review their care in preparation for multi-disciplinary reviews.5. To assist, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, in the development of a psychologically based framework of understanding and care to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings where care takes place.6. To attend and contribute to appropriate multi-disciplinary meetings.

Teaching, training and supervision

1. In common with all clinical psychologists, to receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with professional practice guidelines.2. To gain wider experience of professional psychology within the NHS as agreed with the psychologist to whom they are accountable.3. To develop skills and competencies that assist in the delivery of current duties.4. To contribute, under the direct supervision of a qualified professional psychologist, to the training and support of other staff in psychological care.

Management, recruitment and service development1. To assist in the design and implementation of service development projects within the service as required.2. To attend meetings in which service developments are planned and discussed.

3. The post holder will be required to attend and contribute, where appropriate, to the regularprofessional meetings of the Adult Psychology Specialty and other Departmental meetings.

Person Specification

TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

• 2:1 Degree in psychology. Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
• MSc Health Psychology

EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Work with people with mental health problems and/or other disabilities
• Experience of work in direct care provision
• Experience of team working.

Desirable

• Experience of facilitating group interventions.
• Experience of behaviour change interventions.
• Clinical experience of working with clients with eating disorders or in a health psychology setting.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Essential

• High level communication skills (written and verbal).
• Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
• Knowledge of the psychological issues that individuals who are obese may experience.
• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of people with mental health problems or other disabilities.
• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a mental health context
• Knowledge of basic research methodology and skills in data collection/analysis.
• An understanding of psychology applied to health care .

Desirable

• Experience using microcomputers for databases or data analysis, especially SPSS and Excel.
• Knowledge and skills in cognitive behavioural therapy interventions

PERSONAL

Essential

• An ability to interact effectively
• An ability to interact with people with mental health problems disabilities.
• Ability to work in a fast paced work environment and prioritise competing demands.
• Ability to work reliably and consistently with work agreed and supervised at regular intervals
• Sensitivity to the needs and issues experienced by individuals who are obese.

Desirable

• An interest in working with people with mental health problems or other disabilities.

Other

Essential

• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively

Desirable

• A desire to explore a career in Professional Psychology

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital

369, Fulham Road

Chelsea, London

SW10 9NH

Employer's website

https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)