Job summary
Harrow Adult Mental Health is looking for a highly motivated and passionate Psychologist to join our expanding therapies team. This popular post is offered within our innovative Adult Community Mental Health Hub (CMHH, Bentley House) which provides intervention to adults presenting with a range of secondary care mental health difficulties, including psychosis, Complex Emotional Needs and PTSD.
The successful candidate will play a key role in the provision of highly specialist psychological assessment, collaborative formulation with service users, and consultation to the team, to support the development of creative, personalised and multi-disciplinary care plans that support individuals under the care of the CMHH to move forward. They will also provide specialist psychological intervention that draws on a range of evidence-based modalities.
The post-holder will be expected to take a leading role in the ongoing development of Harrow's Trauma-Informed Approaches (TIA) model for the adult mental health services. Over the last year, our CMHH has rolled-out TIA, and trained the full MDT in Power Threat Meaning Framework formulation and Psychological Stabilisation interventions. This project builds on Harrow's innovative TIA work in its acute services over the last six years, which has been recently published (Nikopaschos et al. 2023) and is now also influencing National Policy (see NHSE Guidelines for Acute Inpatient Mental Health Care for Adults and Older Adults, 2023).
Main duties of the job
Bentley House CMHH works closely with the rest of the Harrow mental health system (including the Home Treatment and Inpatient teams) to provide holistic intervention to adults with severe and enduring mental health difficulties. The post holder will join an expanding therapies team, committed to providing highly specialist and trauma-informed psychological care. They will work closely with the full range of MDT professionals, including psychiatry, nursing, occupational therapy and peer support. They will play a key role in assessment and formulation, the development of creative multi-disciplinary care plans, and the provision of psychological intervention that follows service users across the Harrow system.
The post-holder will be expected to work as a senior member of the MDT, including the provision of consultation, co-working, teaching, training, supervision and research as well as developing specific training to enhance the systematic provision of psychological interventions offered to service users by all members of the team within a 'stepped-care' framework. They will make a leading contribution to the learning culture of the team and wider service, and play an integral role in the further development and embedding of TIA.
Specialist supervision is offered in EMDR, DBT, NET, CBT, Open Dialogue, CAT, systemic and psychodynamic models.
About us
CNWL provides NHS servicesthroughout a person's life, in physical and mental health and everything inbetween, at GPs and hospitals to the community and in their own home.
The majority of our services are provided in the community, which means treating people in their homes or from clinics close to home. In this sense we are a very modern part of the NHS, something the new Long Term Plan wants to see more of, with better integration and coordination of care, delivered as close to home as possible
Where community care is not possible we offer a number of facilities to treat people in hospital or residential environments. We also provide healthcare in prisons in London and the surrounding areas.
Partnerships are central to what we do here - with patients and their families, with staff and with other organisations, especially commissioners and providers but also with local authorities, GPs, universities and the voluntary sector. We envisage more in the years to come.
We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference.
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.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients under the care of the Bentley House CMHH.
To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
Where appropriate, to act as named worker and take responsibility for initiating planning and reviewing of care plans and co-ordination of multi-professional meetings.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
To contribute to the effective working of the team or service and to a psychologically informed framework for the service.
To contribute to the team or services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.
To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services.
To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans.
KR 3 Policy and service development
To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes.
To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.
To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects.
KR 4 Care or management of resources
To take care of, and use carefully, the Trusts equipment and physical resources.
To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.
KR 5 Management and supervision
To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of an assistant psychologist if required, under supervision from a more senior psychologist.
To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Training Courses Supervision Training.
KR 6 Teaching and Training
To provide occasional specialist training in psychological approaches to care to other professions as appropriate.
To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.
KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance
To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
KR 8 Research and development
To undertake regular complex service evaluation, audits or research relevant to service needs.
KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development
To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist according to HCPC and Trust guidelines.
To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the HCPC Standards for Continuing Professional Development.
To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.
To comply with the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Standards of Proficiency, and ensure professional development in line with these.
To adhere to the BPSs Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.
KR 10 General
To travel within the Harrow area for home visits as appropriate and across the Trust when required.
To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow trust policies relating to its management.
To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations and to support others involved in such situations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
KR 1 Clinical and Client Care
To provide specialist psychological assessments, formulations and interventions for clients under the care of the Bentley House CMHH.
To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans.
Where appropriate, to act as named worker and take responsibility for initiating planning and reviewing of care plans and co-ordination of multi-professional meetings.
KR 2 Contributing to team or service clinical functioning
To contribute to the effective working of the team or service and to a psychologically informed framework for the service.
To contribute to the team or services delivery of accessible and acceptable services to diverse local communities.
To be proactive in challenging discrimination and support the development of culturally competent services.
To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review care plans.
KR 3 Policy and service development
To implement policies and procedures in own area of work, and to propose improvements or beneficial changes.
To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.
To contribute to service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects.
KR 4 Care or management of resources
To take care of, and use carefully, the Trusts equipment and physical resources.
To ensure that the post-holder has sufficient resources by estimating future needs and requesting or ordering supplies as needed.
KR 5 Management and supervision
To be responsible for the allocation and/or clinical supervision of the work of an assistant psychologist if required, under supervision from a more senior psychologist.
To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism after completion of the relevant Training Courses Supervision Training.
KR 6 Teaching and Training
To provide occasional specialist training in psychological approaches to care to other professions as appropriate.
To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through presentations and published articles.
KR 7 Record-keeping and Information Governance
To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
KR 8 Research and development
To undertake regular complex service evaluation, audits or research relevant to service needs.
KR 9 Maintaining professional standards and continuing professional development
To receive regular clinical and professional supervision from a more senior psychologist according to HCPC and Trust guidelines.
To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with BPS and Trust Personal Development Plan requirements and the HCPC Standards for Continuing Professional Development.
To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.
To comply with the HCPC Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics and Standards of Proficiency, and ensure professional development in line with these.
To adhere to the BPSs Professional Practice Guidelines and Trust policies and procedures.
KR 10 General
To travel within the Harrow area for home visits as appropriate and across the Trust when required.
To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the client group, and follow trust policies relating to its management.
To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations and to support others involved in such situations.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration.
- Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist.
Desirable
- Further training and or qualifications in other fields of applied psychology
Experience
Essential
- Experience of receiving clinical supervision cross a range of client needs
- Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
- Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience. (
- Experience of developing and carrying out research projects.
Desirable
- Experience of working with adults in crisis or acute states of distress
- Experience of teaching, training and/ or supervision.
- Experience of working as a qualified psychologist under supervision.
Knowledge
Essential
- Theoretical knowledge of psychological presentations and the evidence base for the relevant treatment.
- Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities
- Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis
- Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
- To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
- To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
Skills
Essential
- To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
- To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews
- To plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists
- To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials.
- Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level additional training) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration.
- Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist.
Desirable
- Further training and or qualifications in other fields of applied psychology
Experience
Essential
- Experience of receiving clinical supervision cross a range of client needs
- Experience of psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
- Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience. (
- Experience of developing and carrying out research projects.
Desirable
- Experience of working with adults in crisis or acute states of distress
- Experience of teaching, training and/ or supervision.
- Experience of working as a qualified psychologist under supervision.
Knowledge
Essential
- Theoretical knowledge of psychological presentations and the evidence base for the relevant treatment.
- Knowledge of psychological assessment and clinical psychometrics
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health issues, child and adult protection, and equalities
- Doctoral level knowledge of psychological research methodology and complex statistical analysis
- Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
- To deliver psychological therapy across cultural and other differences.
- To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
Skills
Essential
- To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with clients, carers and colleagues overcoming barriers to communication including sensory, and emotional difficulties, cultural differences and hostility to or rejection of information.
- To plan and schedule assessment and interventions for individual clients and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPA and case reviews
- To plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists
- To be skilled in the administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials.
- Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Bentley House Community Mental Health Hub
15-21 Headstone Drive
Harrow & Wealdstone
HA3 5QX
Employer's website
https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)
