Highly Specialist Clinical Psychologist – Sickle Cell Disorder/CASGEVY

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification on this advert for further info.

Key Responsibilities:KR 1 Clinical and Client Care To provide specialist psychological assessments and formulation of service users 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 service users, family members and others involved in the service users care. To provide culturally appropriate psychological interventions with carers or families of referred service users when required. To assess and monitor risk and draw up appropriate risk management plans. To inform the research and transplant teams, and input to the wider National Haemoglobinopathy Panel, as to whether a patient is suitable, prepared and supported for gene therapy or transplant, from a psychological perspective, and what actions would be required to prepare and support the patient through the transplant process.

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 advise other members of the service on specialist psychological care of service users. To liaise with referrers, GPs and other professionals concerned with service users in order to develop and review care plans. To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence based practice in individual work and work with other team members.

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 service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects. To contribute to the consultation and engagement of service users in planning and delivering services which meet the needs of local communities.

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 more junior psychologists with support from a more senior psychologist. To supervise trainee applied psychologists within own area of specialism. To contribute to the appraisal of more junior psychologists, as appropriate. To contribute to the recruitment of more junior psychologists, as appropriate. To provide supervision for the psychological work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate.

KR 6 Teaching and Training To undertake occasional teaching and training of pre and post- qualification psychologists and specialised training to other professions as appropriate. To contribute to the development of the knowledge and skills base within the sickle cell and transplant/gene therapy service by maintaining an active awareness of current developments in psychology and by implementing knowledge gained in practice. 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 initiate, undertake, support and supervise regular complex service evaluation and audits. To initiate and carry out appropriate research which will contribute to the well-being of the patient group, directly or indirectly To provide expertise in a specialist research area which will contribute to the sickle cell service. To initiate and implement the development of outcome measurement and assessment and assist other staff in the implementation of same.

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.

KR10 General To travel to community events and other meetings as appropriate and across the Trust when required. To be aware of risk relating to aggressive and challenging behaviour amongst the service user group, and follow trust policies relating to its management. To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations (such as challenging behaviour, abuse etc) and to support others involved in such situations.

Qualifications

Essential

• Entry-level qualification in Applied Psychology (Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent) that has been accepted by the HCPC for purposes of professional registration.
• Additional training or substantial experience in Clinical Health Psychology through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses, or an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma.
• Registered with the HCPC as Practitioner Psychologist, and evidence of continuing professional development as required by the HCPC.

Desirable

• Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology.
• Completed training course in clinical supervision.

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in a range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings.
• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of service users with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature.
• Experience of supervising assistant and trainee psychologists having completed the relevant training.
• Experience of carrying out post-doctoral research, audit or service evaluation projects.

Desirable

• Experience working in organ or stem cell transplant services.
• Experience working with sickle-cell patients or other haematology patients
• Experience of working in a hospital setting.
• Experience working in smoking /vaping cessation programmes.
• Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological assessments and interventions for people with long-term health conditions.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to people with protected characteristics, including disabilities, 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 health care.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder / complex trauma, dual diagnoses, people with additional disabilities etc.).
• Specific knowledge of theory and practice related to supporting people undergoing gene therapy and/or bone marrow stem cell transplant.
• High level knowledge of the theory and practice of at least two specialised psychological therapies.

Skills

Essential

• To deliver psychological interventions 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.
• To communicate skilfully and sensitively complex and sensitive information with service users, 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 service users and groups and carers, and for meetings such as CPAs and case reviews
• To plan allocation of tasks to assistant psychologists.
• Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups.

Desirable

• 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.

Abilities

Essential

• Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team, contributing to effective team functioning and holding team roles.
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
• Ability to develop and use complex multi-media materials for presentations in public, professional and academic meetings
• Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions, and to deal with unexpected interruptions or changes during these.
• Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
• Ability to manage verbal aggression and hostility directed at self.

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).