Job summary
Are you passionate about improving the lives of older people?
We are looking for a skilled and enthusiastic Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to join our Tavistock-based and Teignbridge-based Older Peoples Community Mental Health Teams. There will be the option for one person to take both posts as a full time role or for for each post to be filled as a 18.75 hour per week over 2.5 days part time role.
This is a great opportunity to work at the heart of a multidisciplinary team, delivering specialist psychological and neuropsychological assessments, therapeutic interventions, and consultation for older people with complex mental health needs, and cognitive difficulties. You'd also play a key role in supervision and service development.
We offer:
- A supportive team that values psychological perspectives
- Opportunities to innovate and shape services for older people
- Support for CPD, supervision, and career development
- A workplace culture that values kindness and collaboration
Our friendly and active specialty spans community, inpatient, and memory services across Devon Partnership Trust.
Informal discussions are encouraged, please contact Dr Tamsin Fryer, Consultant Clinical Psychologist.
Please note that we will be holding the interviews as soon as possible after the closing date and may close early if sufficient applications are received - so please apply early.
If you're ready to bring your expertise where it truly matters, we'd love to welcome you.
Main duties of the job
The Clinical/Counselling Psychologist provides specialist psychological assessment, formulation, and intervention for older people presenting with complex mental health needs and cognitive impairment, including dementia.
Key responsibilities include:
- Delivering evidence-based psychological therapies tailored to older people
- Opportunity to conduct neuropsychological assessments and formulations, including in memory clinic
- Contributing to service development and audit
- Promoting psychological thinking across the MDT
- Supporting and supervising a Clinical Associate Psychologist
- Contributing to clinical placements for Trainee Psychologists
- Engaging in peer supervision and service development
About us
About Devon Partnership Trust
We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.
We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.
We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The principal purpose of the job is to improve the
psychological health & wellbeing of people within the post holders
specialist field of practice.
This will be achieved in this post through undertaking the
following areas of responsibility:
- To ensure the systematic provision of a
high quality psychological service in specialist field of practice, across
identified locality area, as a key component of integrated mental health and
wellbeing services across Devon Partnership NHS Trust.
- Providing clinical leadership and
supervision for less experienced staff, trainees and volunteers employed by or
attached to the OPMH psychology service.
- Carrying a specialist caseload of
clients, and providing advice and consultancy to patients and professionals.
- To work autonomously within
professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic
governance of psychological practice within professional
and Trust guidelines as lead
specialist.
- The post holder with receive regular
professional and clinical supervision in accordance with Trust policy and
Professional Practice Guidelines set out by the British Psychological Society
or appropriate designated Professional Body.
- Observe,
and abide by all relevant Professional Codes of Conduct and Practice including
the British Psychological Society. The post holder will be fully
registered with the Health Professions Council as a condition of employment
Job description
Job responsibilities
The principal purpose of the job is to improve the
psychological health & wellbeing of people within the post holders
specialist field of practice.
This will be achieved in this post through undertaking the
following areas of responsibility:
- To ensure the systematic provision of a
high quality psychological service in specialist field of practice, across
identified locality area, as a key component of integrated mental health and
wellbeing services across Devon Partnership NHS Trust.
- Providing clinical leadership and
supervision for less experienced staff, trainees and volunteers employed by or
attached to the OPMH psychology service.
- Carrying a specialist caseload of
clients, and providing advice and consultancy to patients and professionals.
- To work autonomously within
professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic
governance of psychological practice within professional
and Trust guidelines as lead
specialist.
- The post holder with receive regular
professional and clinical supervision in accordance with Trust policy and
Professional Practice Guidelines set out by the British Psychological Society
or appropriate designated Professional Body.
- Observe,
and abide by all relevant Professional Codes of Conduct and Practice including
the British Psychological Society. The post holder will be fully
registered with the Health Professions Council as a condition of employment
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified Practitioner Psychologist (DClinPsych or DCounsPsych) and eligible for Chartered Status in the British Psychological Society. Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with HCPC.
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Excellent verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills
- Strong leadership qualities, resilience and ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty
- Skills in managing conflict, negotiation and achieving consensus in complex situations in the pursuit of agreed strategic aims
- Ability to integrate complex data; make highly skilled evaluations and decisions; and take a long term perspective
- Proven organisational, planning and time management skills
- Ability to work under pressure and cope with deadlines
- Calm, methodical approach, friendly but concise
- Good communication skills when presenting / facilitating to varying groups of people
Desirable
- Further training in at least one (other) psychological therapy
- IT Skills
Experience
Essential
- Further training or experience in clinical specialism
- Further training in related area
- Broad knowledge of specialist services and of the services in the NHS where psychology is commonly applied
- Extensive knowledge of the skills, practice and knowledge base of Clinical/Counselling Psychology
- Knowledge of the policy context of specialist psychological services within the organisation and of clinical leadership arrangements in this setting
- Experience of work in older adult mental health services or agencies and work with people with severe and complex mental health difficulties
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision
- Experience in undertaking leadership roles within clinical psychology services in the NHS and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi disciplinary, multi agency contexts
- Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality
- Highly skilled in specialist interventions with the client group
- Advanced psychological assessment and formulation skills including risk assessment
Desirable
- Proficiency in in both individual and group therapy approaches
- Project management skills / experience
Other
Essential
- Please indicate whether you have a preference for the Tavistock or the Teignbridge role or whether you would want to be considered for both as a full time post
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified Practitioner Psychologist (DClinPsych or DCounsPsych) and eligible for Chartered Status in the British Psychological Society. Registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with HCPC.
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Excellent verbal, nonverbal and written communication skills
- Strong leadership qualities, resilience and ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty
- Skills in managing conflict, negotiation and achieving consensus in complex situations in the pursuit of agreed strategic aims
- Ability to integrate complex data; make highly skilled evaluations and decisions; and take a long term perspective
- Proven organisational, planning and time management skills
- Ability to work under pressure and cope with deadlines
- Calm, methodical approach, friendly but concise
- Good communication skills when presenting / facilitating to varying groups of people
Desirable
- Further training in at least one (other) psychological therapy
- IT Skills
Experience
Essential
- Further training or experience in clinical specialism
- Further training in related area
- Broad knowledge of specialist services and of the services in the NHS where psychology is commonly applied
- Extensive knowledge of the skills, practice and knowledge base of Clinical/Counselling Psychology
- Knowledge of the policy context of specialist psychological services within the organisation and of clinical leadership arrangements in this setting
- Experience of work in older adult mental health services or agencies and work with people with severe and complex mental health difficulties
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision
- Experience in undertaking leadership roles within clinical psychology services in the NHS and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi disciplinary, multi agency contexts
- Experience, and/or training in diversity awareness and social inequality
- Highly skilled in specialist interventions with the client group
- Advanced psychological assessment and formulation skills including risk assessment
Desirable
- Proficiency in in both individual and group therapy approaches
- Project management skills / experience
Other
Essential
- Please indicate whether you have a preference for the Tavistock or the Teignbridge role or whether you would want to be considered for both as a full time post
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).
