Job summary
An exciting opportunity is available to join the Oncology & Palliative Care specialities at North Middlesex University Hospital which is part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, a Consultant Psychologist led service.
This post would suit a Practitioner Psychologist with experience of working within physical health settings/medical teams, ideally with experience of the specific needs of patients using Oncology & Palliative Care services. An interest in working collaboratively with others to promote psychologically informed practice and care would be crucial. The role will provide a variety of opportunities that can support career development, including experience of leading, pathway development work, project management and consultancy.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will likely be based at North Middlesex University Hospital. The role will initially be focused on the provision of inpatient care and outpatient work. Teaching, supervision and support to nursing colleagues to promote psychologically informed care and interventions within the oncology and palliative care specialities will be another part of this role. The post holder will also have supervisory responsibilities for a trainee and potentially more junior qualified staff in the future.
About us
The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is the largest provider of cancer care in North Central London and one of the largest nationally. We provide more first treatments for colorectal, skin and urological cancer patients than any other trust in London and are third highest for breast cancers.
In 2021 the Trust completed 2830 first cancer treatments to newly diagnosed patients across all modalities. Cancer is one of the strategic priorities and a fundamental aspect of cancer treatment is the provision of psychological support for patients as well as providing support and training for CNSs. The post holder will work closely with the Clinical Leads and responsible for the strategic direction of the service within the Trust.
The are more than 40 psychological therapies, neuropsychology and counselling (PTNC) staff who work within a variety of medical specialities within the Trust. We encourage you to look at the brief overview for our professions for further information (attachment to this advert).
Job description
Job responsibilities
The job description provides further information and here is a summary of the main responsibilities:
- To provide a highly specialist psychology service, consistent with the World Class Care Values of the Trust, to oncology and palliative care inpatients and oncology out-patients, providing expert and specialist psychological assessment and treatment/intervention and offering advice and consultation on clients psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues (MDT/wards) and liaison with other services as appropriate to the care of the person.
- To provide consultation, training, supervision and clinical case discussion groups to the MDT, in particular the clinical nurse specialists.
- Be accountable for their own professional practice and work autonomously within professional guidelines and within the overall framework of the services policies and procedures and exercise delegated responsibility for the systemic governance of psychological practice within the postholders areas of responsibility, including service development, quality improvement or project work. This will include data collection expected to be reported at a regional level.
- To utilise research skills for research and audit, contribute to policy and service development within the area served by the oncology and palliative care teams.
- To interview, recruit (where applicable) and supervise band 7 psychological therapies staff, trainee clinical/health/counselling psychologists and undergraduate psychologists. To provide supervision to other professional groups within the MDT and other linked services.
- To contribute to the profession through attendance of Trust wide meetings as well as those regionally as appropriate to the role and in agreement with the Consultant Practitioner Psychologist leading the service.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The job description provides further information and here is a summary of the main responsibilities:
- To provide a highly specialist psychology service, consistent with the World Class Care Values of the Trust, to oncology and palliative care inpatients and oncology out-patients, providing expert and specialist psychological assessment and treatment/intervention and offering advice and consultation on clients psychological care to non-psychologist colleagues (MDT/wards) and liaison with other services as appropriate to the care of the person.
- To provide consultation, training, supervision and clinical case discussion groups to the MDT, in particular the clinical nurse specialists.
- Be accountable for their own professional practice and work autonomously within professional guidelines and within the overall framework of the services policies and procedures and exercise delegated responsibility for the systemic governance of psychological practice within the postholders areas of responsibility, including service development, quality improvement or project work. This will include data collection expected to be reported at a regional level.
- To utilise research skills for research and audit, contribute to policy and service development within the area served by the oncology and palliative care teams.
- To interview, recruit (where applicable) and supervise band 7 psychological therapies staff, trainee clinical/health/counselling psychologists and undergraduate psychologists. To provide supervision to other professional groups within the MDT and other linked services.
- To contribute to the profession through attendance of Trust wide meetings as well as those regionally as appropriate to the role and in agreement with the Consultant Practitioner Psychologist leading the service.
Person Specification
Education & professional Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 2000) as accredited by the British Psychological Society
- HCPC registration as Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
Values
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values
Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including community, primary care, outpatient and inpatient settings.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
- Post-qualification experience of work within interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary environments.
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
Desirable
- Evidence of post-qualification supervised clinical experience in assessment and intervention with patients with long-term health conditions, including techniques at a specialist level.
- Post-qualification experience of working in a medical team.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision of other qualified Psychologists and other professional disciplines.
- Experience in leading case conferences, complex case discussions or other patientfocused meetings.
Skills and aptitudes
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
- Knowledge of at least two relevant theoretical models and psychological interventions relevant to the care of patients in oncology and palliative care.
- Highly skilled in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and quantitative data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
- Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the British Psychological Society/HCPC.
- Ability to form good working relationships with others in a multidisciplinary setting.
Desirable
- Formal training and/or experience in supervision of other psychologists.
- Experience in service development, leadership and management.
- Familiarity with SPSS databases (or similar) and statistical package
Person Specification
Education & professional Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate doctoral level training in psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 2000) as accredited by the British Psychological Society
- HCPC registration as Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
Values
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values
Experience
Essential
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including community, primary care, outpatient and inpatient settings.
- Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity.
- Post-qualification experience of work within interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary environments.
- Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
Desirable
- Evidence of post-qualification supervised clinical experience in assessment and intervention with patients with long-term health conditions, including techniques at a specialist level.
- Post-qualification experience of working in a medical team.
- Experience of teaching, training and/or supervision of other qualified Psychologists and other professional disciplines.
- Experience in leading case conferences, complex case discussions or other patientfocused meetings.
Skills and aptitudes
Essential
- Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management.
- Knowledge of at least two relevant theoretical models and psychological interventions relevant to the care of patients in oncology and palliative care.
- Highly skilled in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS.
- Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
- Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and quantitative data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology.
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.
- Evidence of continuing professional development as required by the British Psychological Society/HCPC.
- Ability to form good working relationships with others in a multidisciplinary setting.
Desirable
- Formal training and/or experience in supervision of other psychologists.
- Experience in service development, leadership and management.
- Familiarity with SPSS databases (or similar) and statistical package
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).
