Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Family and Systemic Psychotherapist to work with the Adult Eating Disorder Team. This is a full-time permanent post.
The Vincent Square Eating Disorder Service offers a range of specialist services for women, men, children and young people who are suffering from anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders. The service provides a range of treatments including outpatient therapy, Intensive Community Treatment Pathway (ICTP), Day Programme services and inpatient care.
The post holder will work alongside a team of family therapists, working closely with Consultant Psychiatrists, specialist nurses and psychologists.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
Main duties of the job
To ensure the provision of specialist systemic family psychotherapy services to clients, their parents and carers within the eating disorders service, across all sectors of care.
To provide consultation and advice regarding issues related to parenting, relationships and MDT working.
To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of systemic practice within the service.
To take an active role, as and when necessary, in the development of specialist provision of specific projects and services in collaboration with other members of the MDT and in response to service need.
To take responsibility for contributing to research, audit, policy and service development in line with clinical governance.
About us
There's a place for you at CNWLWe're passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patient's own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do.Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people.
We're always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee we're hoping to find our future leaders and we'll support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more - whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical:1. To provide specialist systemic psychotherapy assessments and treatments to parents, families, couples and individuals referred with relationship and communication problems, including those with complex needs.2. To formulate and implement plans for the formal treatment and/or management of the difficulties experienced by the referred families, couples and individuals in line with research findings and evidence-based practice.3. To discern when it is appropriate to refer to and/or consult with other agencies such as social services, community mental health teams and other specialist agencies.4. During the process of treatment, to continuously evaluate treatment/therapy options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complexfactors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual person, couple or family.5. To provide specialist systemic advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals. This will include working with professional networks involved with complex cases, such as those involved with child protection and self-harm.6. To provide information, consultation and specialist advice to enable colleagues to have access to a systemically based framework for the understanding and care of clients of the respective service, through the dissemination of research and theory in relation to systemic psychotherapy.7. To communicate and discuss information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care in a skilled and sensitive manner and to monitor and evaluate progress through responding effectively to feedback from members of the client system.8. To liaise with and/or provide written reports to other professionals and agencies, such as GPs, Social Services, local treatment services, Schools and to work jointly with such agencies when required.9. To apply knowledge and skills of cross-cultural therapeutic work in order to work effectively and sensitively with clients from a wide range of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds.10. To work effectively and sensitively with issues of gender, sexuality, disability, class and age.11. To apply a sound knowledge of child protection issues when working with clients and their families and identify when to refer to other agencies.12. To facilitate groups with a systemic/relational focus within current group programmes, such as Parents Support Groups and other self-help groups.
Teaching, training and supervision1. To be responsible for providing input to systemic teaching and training programmes as appropriate.2. To provide advice, consultation and training as appropriate to other professionals.3. To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with clients with issues such as parenting difficulties.4. To be responsible for presentations with respect to systemic psychotherapy for academic meetings where colleagues of different disciplines share knowledge and expertise.
Policy and service development1. To participate in the clinical governance agenda where necessary (e.g. clinical effectiveness, education & training, communication, audit, risk management)2. To exercise responsibility for the governance of systemic practice through contributing to the development of policy and procedures guiding its application.3. To take responsibility for contributing to clinical and business team meetings where relevant.4. To take responsibility for maintaining up-to-date knowledge and skills in systemic practice
Research and service evaluation1. To use professional skills in the evaluation, monitoring and development of the teams policies, through the deployment of professional skills in research, and audit.2. To undertake audit and research in line with evidence-based practice as and when required3. To utilize theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in work with client systems.
General1. To actively participate in supervision with senior staff within Vincent Square Clinic, retaining a self-reflexive stance in order to be open to innovative ways of working.2. To ensure the development, maintenance and dissemination of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes.3. To ensure the development and articulation of best practice in systemic psychotherapy within the service area and contribute across the service by exercising the skills of a reflexive and reflective systemic practitioner, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of systemic psychotherapy and related disciplines.4. To maintain and promulgate the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice of the UKCP and/or Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice adhering to Trust policies and procedures in relation to clinical governance and research guidelines.5. To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in the field of eating disorders, taking up training opportunities as they arise.6. To undertake any other duties commensurate to the grade.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical:1. To provide specialist systemic psychotherapy assessments and treatments to parents, families, couples and individuals referred with relationship and communication problems, including those with complex needs.2. To formulate and implement plans for the formal treatment and/or management of the difficulties experienced by the referred families, couples and individuals in line with research findings and evidence-based practice.3. To discern when it is appropriate to refer to and/or consult with other agencies such as social services, community mental health teams and other specialist agencies.4. During the process of treatment, to continuously evaluate treatment/therapy options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complexfactors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual person, couple or family.5. To provide specialist systemic advice, guidance and consultation to other professionals. This will include working with professional networks involved with complex cases, such as those involved with child protection and self-harm.6. To provide information, consultation and specialist advice to enable colleagues to have access to a systemically based framework for the understanding and care of clients of the respective service, through the dissemination of research and theory in relation to systemic psychotherapy.7. To communicate and discuss information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care in a skilled and sensitive manner and to monitor and evaluate progress through responding effectively to feedback from members of the client system.8. To liaise with and/or provide written reports to other professionals and agencies, such as GPs, Social Services, local treatment services, Schools and to work jointly with such agencies when required.9. To apply knowledge and skills of cross-cultural therapeutic work in order to work effectively and sensitively with clients from a wide range of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds.10. To work effectively and sensitively with issues of gender, sexuality, disability, class and age.11. To apply a sound knowledge of child protection issues when working with clients and their families and identify when to refer to other agencies.12. To facilitate groups with a systemic/relational focus within current group programmes, such as Parents Support Groups and other self-help groups.
Teaching, training and supervision1. To be responsible for providing input to systemic teaching and training programmes as appropriate.2. To provide advice, consultation and training as appropriate to other professionals.3. To provide advice, consultation and training to staff working with clients with issues such as parenting difficulties.4. To be responsible for presentations with respect to systemic psychotherapy for academic meetings where colleagues of different disciplines share knowledge and expertise.
Policy and service development1. To participate in the clinical governance agenda where necessary (e.g. clinical effectiveness, education & training, communication, audit, risk management)2. To exercise responsibility for the governance of systemic practice through contributing to the development of policy and procedures guiding its application.3. To take responsibility for contributing to clinical and business team meetings where relevant.4. To take responsibility for maintaining up-to-date knowledge and skills in systemic practice
Research and service evaluation1. To use professional skills in the evaluation, monitoring and development of the teams policies, through the deployment of professional skills in research, and audit.2. To undertake audit and research in line with evidence-based practice as and when required3. To utilize theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in work with client systems.
General1. To actively participate in supervision with senior staff within Vincent Square Clinic, retaining a self-reflexive stance in order to be open to innovative ways of working.2. To ensure the development, maintenance and dissemination of the highest professional standards of practice, through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes.3. To ensure the development and articulation of best practice in systemic psychotherapy within the service area and contribute across the service by exercising the skills of a reflexive and reflective systemic practitioner, taking part in regular professional supervision and appraisal and maintaining an active engagement with current developments in the field of systemic psychotherapy and related disciplines.4. To maintain and promulgate the highest standards of clinical record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and the responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice of the UKCP and/or Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice adhering to Trust policies and procedures in relation to clinical governance and research guidelines.5. To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in the field of eating disorders, taking up training opportunities as they arise.6. To undertake any other duties commensurate to the grade.
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Post-graduate qualification in a relevant field of social welfare or mental health and demonstrable practice over a minimum of two years (or established equivalence according to AFT criteria)
- Postgraduate qualification in family/systemic psychotherapy
- Registration as a systemic psychotherapist with UKCP or equivalent body
Desirable
- Relevant training in delivering family / systemic psychotherapy within the field of eating disorders or complex cases
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Substantial practice experience in relevant first profession (or established equivalence as above)
- Substantial practice experience of family therapy with clients who present with problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity
- Experience working with children and young people, parents and couples
- Experience of supervision
Desirable
- Experience of other treatment approaches
- Experience of family therapy within the field of eating disorders or other complex, difficult to treat client group
- Experience of research and audit
- Experience running parenting groups
- Experience of policy development
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Essential
- Ability to adhere to and promote equal opportunities in the development of the service.
- Willingness and ability to work in co-operation with others.
- Physically able to withstand the effort of working in conditions of stress
Knowledge
Essential
- Evidence base in relation to parenting issues
- Research and research methodology at post-graduate level in relation to parenting issues.
- The impact of abuse, trauma and other adverse experiences on children and families
- Child protection policies and procedures
- Child development in relation to family and parenting issues
- Other modalities (i.e. psychoanalytical, behavioural etc.) sufficient to engage appropriately with multidisciplinary team colleagues and their work with clients/patients
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of family therapy within the field of eating disorders
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to eating disorders and mental health
- Publication or presentation of research in the field of eating disorders and / or family therapy
Skills
Essential
- Skills in working with children and families with mental health and social problems using a variety of approaches coherent with a systemic perspective.
- Ability to apply analytical skills to multi-layered complex cases.
- Ability to formulate comprehensive assessments and offer effective treatment based on systemic principles.
- Ability to provide ongoing treatment in complex, often unstable, and frequently changing circumstances.
- Ability to liaise with and manage complex professional networks in relation to individuals and families.
- Ability to manage high levels of emotional distress and think clearly in emotionally charged situations. Ability to manage the risk of verbal and physical aggression.
- Ability to manage and plan own workload.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS
Essential
- Post-graduate qualification in a relevant field of social welfare or mental health and demonstrable practice over a minimum of two years (or established equivalence according to AFT criteria)
- Postgraduate qualification in family/systemic psychotherapy
- Registration as a systemic psychotherapist with UKCP or equivalent body
Desirable
- Relevant training in delivering family / systemic psychotherapy within the field of eating disorders or complex cases
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Substantial practice experience in relevant first profession (or established equivalence as above)
- Substantial practice experience of family therapy with clients who present with problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity
- Experience working with children and young people, parents and couples
- Experience of supervision
Desirable
- Experience of other treatment approaches
- Experience of family therapy within the field of eating disorders or other complex, difficult to treat client group
- Experience of research and audit
- Experience running parenting groups
- Experience of policy development
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Essential
- Ability to adhere to and promote equal opportunities in the development of the service.
- Willingness and ability to work in co-operation with others.
- Physically able to withstand the effort of working in conditions of stress
Knowledge
Essential
- Evidence base in relation to parenting issues
- Research and research methodology at post-graduate level in relation to parenting issues.
- The impact of abuse, trauma and other adverse experiences on children and families
- Child protection policies and procedures
- Child development in relation to family and parenting issues
- Other modalities (i.e. psychoanalytical, behavioural etc.) sufficient to engage appropriately with multidisciplinary team colleagues and their work with clients/patients
Desirable
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of family therapy within the field of eating disorders
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to eating disorders and mental health
- Publication or presentation of research in the field of eating disorders and / or family therapy
Skills
Essential
- Skills in working with children and families with mental health and social problems using a variety of approaches coherent with a systemic perspective.
- Ability to apply analytical skills to multi-layered complex cases.
- Ability to formulate comprehensive assessments and offer effective treatment based on systemic principles.
- Ability to provide ongoing treatment in complex, often unstable, and frequently changing circumstances.
- Ability to liaise with and manage complex professional networks in relation to individuals and families.
- Ability to manage high levels of emotional distress and think clearly in emotionally charged situations. Ability to manage the risk of verbal and physical aggression.
- Ability to manage and plan own workload.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
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).
