Macmillan Clinical/ Counselling Psychologist

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Clinical

Provide a specialist clinical service to patients and their families who have been diagnosed with cancer and other life limiting conditions. Assess and interpret highly complex clinical situations and information from a variety of sources including psychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, structured observations and semi structured interviews with patients, family members and others involved in the patients care. Develop formulations and use psychological models and frameworks to provide patients and their families with specialised programmes of care, based on evidence of efficacy, to help them adjust to and cope emotionally with the often significantly distressing aspects of cancer as a long term condition or terminal illness. This may occur in individual or group settings. Organise, coordinate and facilitate therapeutic group work including self management groups (Fatigue Anxiety and Sleep, Managing Stress Mindfully) and support groups ( Men and Cancer), and develop other groups that may be of benefit for patients, in collaboration with the existing psychologist.. Evaluate and make decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group. Develop trusting and empathic relationships with patients and be able to communicate highly emotive information with clarity and sensitivity. To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients whose problems are managed by psychologically based standard care plans. Participate in relevant multi-disciplinary teams and work collaboratively and in an integrated manner with other health professionals eg Clinical Nurse Specialists, Physical Therapists, Counsellors, Talking Therapists, Physicians, and other NHS and social services staff. To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual clients and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management. To take responsibility for prioritising work activities according to service and user needs and resources, and managing own clinical case load. Provide clinical input as well as advice, education, supervision for staff at Level 2 (NICE Guidance) and training in psychosocial aspects of care to staff at the Walsall Palliative Care Centre and Walsall Manor Hospital, in collaboration with the existing psychologist in palliative care and oncology. Liaise regularly and work collaboratively with existing psychologist in palliative care and oncology across an integrated End of Life Care pathway spanning the acute and community services. To take responsibility for providing specialist psychological advice, guidance and consultation to other professional groups as appropriate. To take responsibility for maintaining own competency to practice through Continuing Professional Development and gain additional highly specialist experience and skills relevant to the service and clinical health psychology. Participate in performance reviews and peer support. To attend Clinical Health Psychology meetings and contribute to the service clinical seminar meetings.

2. Management, Policy and Service Development

Work collaboratively within the NHS and multi-agency groups to advance good working relationships with local health, social care, hospital and hospice staff, to ensure integration of initiatives and services Advise both service and professional management of implications of relevant local and national guidance for psychological provision of services for cancer and non cancer patients eg. NICE guidance ( 2004), End of Life Care Strategy (2008), Transforming end of life care in acute hospitals (2012) Be proactive in identifying and proposing safety, quality and service improvements to the psychology service in oncology and palliative care in consultation with the Consultant Counselling Psychologist and other staff and in line with the evidence base and local and national guidance documents. To take a lead role in developing the psychological care aspects of service-related projects and programmes. Take responsibility for maintaining satisfactory records of service operation in accordance with agreed protocols, regular auditing service data and ensuring security of confidential data. Adhere to current policies in oncology and palliative care and all trust policy and procedures related to risk, health and safety and confidentiality of information. Contribute to developments in oncology and palliative care services at a local and regional level including West Midlands Cancer Alliance. To be accountable to the head of Clinical Health Psychology for clinical governance eg. issues of quality, clinical effectiveness and clinical risk.

3. Teaching, Training and Supervision

Provide leadership and direction on psychological issues in conjunction with the existing psychologist to staff across the integrated pathway for End of Life Care. Receive regular clinical supervision in accordance with good practise guidelines and as expected for all clinical psychologists Provide regular Level 2 clinical supervision for Clinical Nurse Specialists, Junior Doctors, and AHPs based at the Palliative Care Centre and Walsall Manor Hospital, and clinical supervision for junior psychologists, Trainee Clinical Psychologists, Counsellors, Assistant Psychologists and other health professionals where appropriate. Provide support to other staff working in challenging circumstances to manage the emotional demands of their clinical roles where appropriate. Responsible for providing education and training in the psychological aspects of care to empower and enable other health professionals to achieve the highest standards of psychosocial care in accordance with the 4 tiered system outlined in the NICE (2004) guidance. Take appropriate care of trust equipment and resources used in the course of work.

4. Research and Development

Undertake complex service related audit and evaluation with colleagues to help develop service provision. Initiate research relevant to palliative care and oncology services. Supervise psychologically related research of trainees, assistants and other health professionals. Disseminate results through presenting at case discussions, workshops, and conferences and/or through publication. Consider theory, evidence based literature and research to support evidence based practise in individual work and work with other team members. Examine and study new ways of working or transferring existing practical and theoretical models of work from one context to another.

5. Information Technology

Skilled at use of information technology systems to support service related work eg. word processing and use of databases.Uses information technology systems to support formal and informal research activities: developing databases, collecting, collating and entering data.

General Duties

Other DutiesThe information supplied above is intended to summarise the key responsibilities and duties of the role. The post holder may be required from time to time to carry out other reasonable requests and duties as required, consistent with the responsibilities of their Banding and development as agreed between employee and manager.

Job Design and ReviewThis job description may be subject to change in the future. Any proposed changes will normally be discussed fully with the post holder with the AfC job evaluation process applied and confirmed via the issue of an updated job description.

Person Specification

Qualification

Essential

• Good Honours degree in psychology
• Post-graduate doctorate in Clinical Psychology (or its equivalent for those qualified pre 1996) or Counselling Psychology (or equivalent for those qualified pre 2009),or Statement of Equivalence as accredited by the BPS.

Desirable

• Registration with Health and Care Professions (HCPC)

Experience

Essential

• Experience of conducting clinically relevant research
• Further post qualification specialist training/ experience through having received a minimum of 50 hrs clinical supervision over a minimum period of 18 months

Desirable

• Requires theoretical and practical knowledge of cancer and palliative care services .

Knowledge

Essential

• Advanced knowledge of the theory and practise of a broad range of psychological therapies
• Research: Doctorate level knowledge of research design and methodology

Key Competencies

Essential

• Is able to undertake complex psychological assessments, formulation and treatment of patients with cancer and their families in an empathic manner. Analysing and interpreting complex information from different sources, formulate and articulate sound judgements in areas of clinical work where opinions may differ.
• Able to undertake psychological assessment and therapy in an emotionally demanding environment with frequent exposure to highly distressing or highly emotional circumstances including situations of family violence and breakdown, sexual abuse and terminal illness.

Skills and Aptitude

Essential

• Good professional relationship skills
• Good presentation and teaching skills
• Planning and organising: Able to plan, organise and prioritise own caseload and clinical time

Desirable

• Computer key board skills for word processing, data input and database management and powerpoint
• Knowledgeable and skilled in up to date methods of breakaway techniques

Other

Essential

• Driving licence or the means to transport oneself around the district to various worksites

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust

Address

Darlaston Health Centre

Pinfold Street

Wednesbury, Walsall

WS10 8SY

Employer's website

https://walsallhealthcare.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)