Job summary
This is a rare and exciting opportunity to work within the South Thames Assessment Resource and Treatment Homeless Outreach Team (START). START is a multi-award winning service that has provided specialist mental health care to people who are rough sleeping in South London for over 30 years.
The successful post holder will join our Lambeth and Southwark teams as Principal Practitioner Psychologist or Psychotherapist (8b). These are small specialist multi-disciplinary teams, which also include psychiatric nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, administrators, psychiatrists, trainee psychologists and GP trainees. We provide an Assertive Outreach service to some of the most marginalised people in the local community. There is a supportive atmosphere to the team, where psychological therapies are a valued and an integral part of the service.
We expect the successful applicant to be highly motivated to work in this service area and be passionate about using psychological therapy approaches to improve outcomes for people affected by homelessness. We welcome applicants with lived experience of mental health difficulties.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will lead a psychology and psychotherapy service to adults who are rough sleeping (or have a recent history of rough sleeping) in the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark, who have 'severe and enduring' mental health problems and find it difficult to engage with mainstream mental health services. Many people the team assess and work with will have additional needs, including alcohol/substance use, learning disability/acquired brain injury/social communication difficulties, and seeking asylum/complications with immigration.
We work closely with local homeless charities and third sector organisations, providing consultation, training, direct joint assessment, and ongoing care. The role involves a lot of creative outreach, carefully building relationships with people who are understandably wary of professionals.
Usual working hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm - some flexibility to work out of hours on occasion will be expected.
About us
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.
By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field. SLaM delivered more than 14,000 training experiences in 2014; providing an extensive range of learning opportunities for staff at all levels.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To develop, co-ordinate and ensure the systematic provision of a psychological therapy service for the START (Homeless Outreach Team) and personally provide highly specialist clinical input.
To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a lead specialist for the START (Homeless Outreach) Team.
To ensure that systems are in place and working effectively for the clinical and professional supervision and support of other psychological practitioners.
To promote service evaluation, audit, research and policy development.
To work as an autonomous professional within registration body guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.
To agree outcomes/results with clinical/professional lead and to decide how they are best achieved.
To support the coordination of staff support within their area, working closely with Corporate Psychology and Psychotherapy to support colleagues and ensure all staff in SLaM have access to evidence based support. To participate, as a recipient, in staff support work when appropriate.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To develop, co-ordinate and ensure the systematic provision of a psychological therapy service for the START (Homeless Outreach Team) and personally provide highly specialist clinical input.
To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.
To provide clinical supervision and consultation as appropriate, functioning as a lead specialist for the START (Homeless Outreach) Team.
To ensure that systems are in place and working effectively for the clinical and professional supervision and support of other psychological practitioners.
To promote service evaluation, audit, research and policy development.
To work as an autonomous professional within registration body guidelines and codes of conduct, and guided by principles and policies or procedures of the service, taking responsibility for interpreting policies within defined parameters.
To agree outcomes/results with clinical/professional lead and to decide how they are best achieved.
To support the coordination of staff support within their area, working closely with Corporate Psychology and Psychotherapy to support colleagues and ensure all staff in SLaM have access to evidence based support. To participate, as a recipient, in staff support work when appropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- To have undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions, e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, medicine, social work and occupational therapy OR to have equivalent relevant experience and demonstrable competence to work in the mental health field in the NHS. Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration.
- For Psychologists: . 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. (A/I) (for a job requiring specific professional qualification(s), change this point to specify the required qualification(s): Clinical psychologist: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent; Counselling psychologist: MSc and PG Diploma in Counselling Psychology; Forensic psychologist: MSc in Forensic Psychology plus completion of the British Psychological Society's Qualification in Forensic Psychology Stage 2) For Family / Systemic Psychotherapists: Post-graduate qualification in relevant mental health/social welfare profession and demonstrable practice in this field (A/I) PLUS Masters level qualification in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy or equivalent qualification, accredited by UKCP For Psychotherapists: Entry-level qualification in Psychotherapy that has been accepted by the UKCP/BABCP (specify which, according to nature of post) for purposes of professional registration.
- Additional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice (specify options required by the post) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a registered body and/or an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher.
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in services for people with psychosis and other complex mental health difficulties, including co-morbid substance misuse.
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature including, but limited to, psychosis and substance misuse.
- Experience of supervising assistants and trainees having completed the relevant training.
- Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
- Experience of providing teaching and training to psychological practitioners or other professional groups.
Knowledge
Essential
- Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment - CBT for psychosis and the application of CBT to work with patients with other complex mental health difficulties and co-morbid substance misuse.
- Advanced knowledge of the theory of psychological therapy and it's therapeutic application.
- To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
- Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
- To deliver psychological/psychotherapeutic therapy across cultural and other differences
Skills
Essential
- Administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials.
- Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups and sensitively managing, a number of people's needs simultaneously within the context of therapeutic work/consultation.
- Advanced skills in working with a number of clients and systems together, managing the highly complex emotional relationships within and between the component parts of the systems in ways, which maximise the potential for therapeutic outcomes
- Advanced skills in professional supervision; including skills for offering live supervision of multi-disciplinary colleagues.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- To have undertaken a recognised qualification in one of the core mental health professions, e.g. psychiatric nursing, clinical psychology, medicine, social work and occupational therapy OR to have equivalent relevant experience and demonstrable competence to work in the mental health field in the NHS. Entry-level qualification in applied psychological therapy/mental health/social welfare profession or equivalent and demonstrable practice in this field (professional Doctorate, or combination of MSc plus PG Diploma level/supervised practice/additional training) that has been accepted for the purposes of professional registration.
- For Psychologists: . 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. (A/I) (for a job requiring specific professional qualification(s), change this point to specify the required qualification(s): Clinical psychologist: Doctorate in Clinical Psychology or equivalent; Counselling psychologist: MSc and PG Diploma in Counselling Psychology; Forensic psychologist: MSc in Forensic Psychology plus completion of the British Psychological Society's Qualification in Forensic Psychology Stage 2) For Family / Systemic Psychotherapists: Post-graduate qualification in relevant mental health/social welfare profession and demonstrable practice in this field (A/I) PLUS Masters level qualification in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy or equivalent qualification, accredited by UKCP For Psychotherapists: Entry-level qualification in Psychotherapy that has been accepted by the UKCP/BABCP (specify which, according to nature of post) for purposes of professional registration.
- Additional training beyond entry-level qualification in a specialised area of psychological practice (specify options required by the post) through formal post-qualification training (PG Diploma or equivalent), OR a combination of specialist short courses and/an evidenced portfolio of supervised practice-based learning in a specialist area of clinical practice, assessed by a registered body and/or an experienced clinical supervisor to be of equal level to a Postgraduate Diploma or higher.
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of having worked as a clinical specialist under supervision in services for people with psychosis and other complex mental health difficulties, including co-morbid substance misuse.
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs of a complex nature including, but limited to, psychosis and substance misuse.
- Experience of supervising assistants and trainees having completed the relevant training.
- Post-qualification experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities.
- Experience of providing teaching and training to psychological practitioners or other professional groups.
Knowledge
Essential
- Theoretical knowledge of psychopathology and the evidence base for the relevant treatment - CBT for psychosis and the application of CBT to work with patients with other complex mental health difficulties and co-morbid substance misuse.
- Advanced knowledge of the theory of psychological therapy and it's therapeutic application.
- To select and administer specialist psychological assessments, interpreting and integrating complex data that require analysis, interpretation and comparison, drawn from several sources.
- Knowledge of factors affecting acceptability and accessibility of mental health care.
- To deliver psychological/psychotherapeutic therapy across cultural and other differences
Skills
Essential
- Administration of psychometric and neuropsychological tests, including those that require complex manipulation of test materials.
- Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups and sensitively managing, a number of people's needs simultaneously within the context of therapeutic work/consultation.
- Advanced skills in working with a number of clients and systems together, managing the highly complex emotional relationships within and between the component parts of the systems in ways, which maximise the potential for therapeutic outcomes
- Advanced skills in professional supervision; including skills for offering live supervision of multi-disciplinary colleagues.
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).
