Job summary
This post represents an opportunity to join our dynamic Community Health Psychology team. We provide specialist psychological services across Bedfordshire and parts of Luton, to support staff wellbeing and assist clients in adjusting to and managing a variety of long term health conditions. These include chronic fatigue syndrome, post covid fatigue, cancer, diabetes and respiratory disorders.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work with highly specialist therapists including psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and physicians. The service operates across a variety of settings including hospitals, community clinics and occasionally patients' homes. We offer one to one therapy and some group interventions and provideconsultation andtrainingto non-psychologyhealth professionals. Thispost is varied and you will gain valuable experience of integrated community working.
Contacts: Dr Emma Cassidy, Macmillan Clinical Psychologist (07741704031) and Dr Hope Clayton, Health Psychologist (01582 293222)
Main duties of the job
This is a split post and the successful applicant will be responsible for providing low intensity interventions to help people with chronic health conditions adjust to, and self-manage their condition. This will be under the direction and supervision of a qualified Psychologist who will retain clinical responsibility for work agreed within the care plan. Overall, this may be undertaken within Bedfordshire Chronic Fatigue and Post Covid Fatigue Service, Cancer & Palliative Care, Respiratory, Occupational Health and Diabetes services. These services are countywide.
Other tasks will include assisting with audit and service evaluation, research and data entry, group interventions, teaching and project work under the supervision of a qualified member of staff. Specific duties will be determined on the basis of skills and experience and operational service requirements, and may vary occasionally as service needs/priorities change.
About us
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work with highly specialist therapists including psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and physicians. The Clinical Health Psychology team are dedicated and friendly professionals who prioritise service user experience, and are keen to support staff learning and development.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful applicant will be responsible for providing low intensity interventions to help people with chronic health conditions adjust to, and self-manage their condition. This will also involve liaising compassionately with others involved in the clients care, and assisting in the development of the guided self-help pathway and service information. This will all be undertaken under the direction and supervision of a qualified Psychologist who will retain clinical responsibility for work agreed within the care plan.Clear and sensitive communication will be required at all times, including when summarising Service Users progress and treatment outcomes.The post-holder will undertake comprehensive note writing in line with Trust guidelines and documenting any risk issues. The post-holder will also be asked to support group interventions and staff teaching.
The post holder will also assistwith audit, service evaluation, Quality Improvement projects (QI), and researchunder the supervision of a qualified member of staff. This will involve data collection, database management and data analysis and regular use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power-point, Publisher, Access, Outlook). It will also involve regular use of the internet, including conducting web-based literature searches, and scoping resources and evidence-base. They will also be required to attend professional and management meetings, and liaise with members of People Participation (to support Service User involvement) when required.
The post-holder will attend regular supervision (in line with practice guidelines), in which they set and review tasks and learning goals, problem-solve as required, and reflect on clinical work (including risk issues) and professional development.
The post-holder will be expected to follow BPS Code of Conduct for Assistant Psychologists and Trust/Directorate policies. Specific duties will be specified on the basis of skills and experience and operational service requirements, and may vary occasionally as service needs/priorities change.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful applicant will be responsible for providing low intensity interventions to help people with chronic health conditions adjust to, and self-manage their condition. This will also involve liaising compassionately with others involved in the clients care, and assisting in the development of the guided self-help pathway and service information. This will all be undertaken under the direction and supervision of a qualified Psychologist who will retain clinical responsibility for work agreed within the care plan.Clear and sensitive communication will be required at all times, including when summarising Service Users progress and treatment outcomes.The post-holder will undertake comprehensive note writing in line with Trust guidelines and documenting any risk issues. The post-holder will also be asked to support group interventions and staff teaching.
The post holder will also assistwith audit, service evaluation, Quality Improvement projects (QI), and researchunder the supervision of a qualified member of staff. This will involve data collection, database management and data analysis and regular use of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power-point, Publisher, Access, Outlook). It will also involve regular use of the internet, including conducting web-based literature searches, and scoping resources and evidence-base. They will also be required to attend professional and management meetings, and liaise with members of People Participation (to support Service User involvement) when required.
The post-holder will attend regular supervision (in line with practice guidelines), in which they set and review tasks and learning goals, problem-solve as required, and reflect on clinical work (including risk issues) and professional development.
The post-holder will be expected to follow BPS Code of Conduct for Assistant Psychologists and Trust/Directorate policies. Specific duties will be specified on the basis of skills and experience and operational service requirements, and may vary occasionally as service needs/priorities change.
Person Specification
Other
Essential
- A drivers license and access to a vehicle in order to travel to different community bases and service user homes as and when necessary.
Education/Qualification/Training
Essential
- A first or second class honors degree in psychology
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Further post-graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people with physical or mental health problems.
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
- Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in reports, letters and other health correspondence to clients and their referrers.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to physical health context.
Desirable
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Understanding of current NHS/Social Care policies/practices relating to mental health and long term conditions.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- IT literate e.g. expertise in Word, Powerpoint, Excel and statistical packages.
- Knowledge and understanding of equality and diversity issues.
- Ability to work independently on agreed work using organisational and time management skills.
- Ability work effectively and confidently within a team.
- Ability to build rapport with individuals with physical and/or mental health problems.
Desirable
- Interest in pursuing a career as a professional psychologist.
Person Specification
Other
Essential
- A drivers license and access to a vehicle in order to travel to different community bases and service user homes as and when necessary.
Education/Qualification/Training
Essential
- A first or second class honors degree in psychology
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Further post-graduate training in relevant areas of professional psychology, mental health practice and/or research design and analysis.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with people with physical or mental health problems.
- Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
- Ability to communicate sensitive information to patients, carers and colleagues in a way that addresses psychological resistance.
- Ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in reports, letters and other health correspondence to clients and their referrers.
- Ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to physical health context.
Desirable
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Understanding of current NHS/Social Care policies/practices relating to mental health and long term conditions.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- IT literate e.g. expertise in Word, Powerpoint, Excel and statistical packages.
- Knowledge and understanding of equality and diversity issues.
- Ability to work independently on agreed work using organisational and time management skills.
- Ability work effectively and confidently within a team.
- Ability to build rapport with individuals with physical and/or mental health problems.
Desirable
- Interest in pursuing a career as a professional psychologist.
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).
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).
