Highly Specialist Principal Clinical Psychologist

Job responsibilities

hold and manage a caseload of complex clients independently and be accountable for all clinical decisions. This will include the assessment, diagnosis and development of specialised programmes of care. The post holder will need to exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the planning and prioritising of their own workload and the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients within the bounds of the clinical service. They will work within professional guideline/policy and exercise local responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the service.

provide a highly specialist neuropsychological assessment (including risk assessment) and intervention service. This will include taking the lead responsibility for carrying out and integrating complex data from expert neuropsychological and psychological assessments of adults with complex disabilities using assessment measures (e.g. standardised tests, direct and indirect observation, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews with client, family and professionals), and where necessary adapting assessments and intervention techniques to the needs of individual patients on an ongoing basis.

be responsible for neuropsychological formulation and interpretation of gathered data on cognitive, emotional, behavioural, and psychosocial functioning. The post holder will take the lead responsibility for the skilled and sensitive presentation of complex and often highly emotive information, neuropsychological and psychological findings to patients and to their families in a sensitive and supportive manner, often during times of distress, which can cause barriers to receiving information. This information will also be relayed to the rehabilitation teams and other professionals through detailed written reports, case conferences and clinical interviews.

use well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively complex technical and/or clinically sensitive information for patients and other professional colleagues, both orally and in writing. Patients and families will require feedback to be tailored to their individual level of understanding and the different options/opinions about psychological and other treatments available explained comprehensively to and with them.

Will formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological treatment/intervention/care package, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework, and employing the latest evidence-based information and methods of proving efficacy across service. The post holder will implement a range of psychological interventions for individuals, adjusting and refining psychological formulations drawing upon different exploratory models and maintaining a number of provisional hypotheses. The post holder will also need to consider the views of the clients, relatives/carers and other health professionals where opinions may differ.

will provide intervention which may be on an individual or group basis and which requires a high level of communication and therapeutic skill, demonstrating a capacity to interact sensitively with clients and families at all times. The post holder will develop and evaluate treatment plans and goals for each client, make decisions about interventions/treatment options evaluating both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual/groups and the way different neuropsychological deficits affect the cognitive, emotional and social behaviours of the person with a brain injury/amputation and their significant others.

take lead responsibility for developing and delivering psychological and social interventions to those experiencing psychological difficulties (e.g. depression, anxiety disorders, aggression, adjustment difficulties, behaviour difficulties), ideally with expertise in a number of approaches (e.g., including behavioural, cognitive behaviour therapy, positive psychology, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness, humanistic and systemic interventions). The post holder will be able to devise, deliver and evaluate specialist psychological assessment and treatment interventions, including supervising/consulting to members of staff regarding decisions about appropriate intervention.

will need to carry out highly specialist assessment of patients mental capacity working with the MDT professionals and other agencies where appropriate. The post holder will need to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment, and to support decision making in the patients best interest.

administer, score and collate data on highly specialist psychometric assessment measures/tests including physical manipulation of test materials to specified protocols, input and interpretation of data. The post holder will need to ensure all tests are carried out according to strict guidelines. They will also need to communicate the results of these assessments to referrers, clients whose understanding may be impaired and families when appropriate.

The post holder will be required to communicate highly complex, sensitive or contentious information requiring empathy and reassurance to clients, carers, families and professionals in a manner overcoming barriers to understanding (patients will often have communication cognitive difficulties as well as emotional difficulties accepting the information being provided). The post holder will need to work with other colleagues to ensure patients who have communication disorders have access to information and services to enable them to make informed decisions about their care, including utilisation to interpreter services as appropriate.

Qualifications

Essential

• Doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or equivalent) including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology, as accredited by the B.P.S

Desirable

• Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.
• Completion of a qualification in neuropsychology (QICN) or willingness to complete

Experience

Essential

• Experience of specialist neuropsychology assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care setting, including outpatient, community, primary care and inpatient settings.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for client's psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care coordinator and also within the context of the multidisciplinary care plan.
• Experience of teaching, training and/or professional clinical supervision.

Desirable

• Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts.

Skills, Abilities and Knowledge

Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment intervention and management, frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
• Experience of project management
• Experience of presenting psychology within the context of multidisciplinary care/service
• Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by the BPS.
• Formal training in supervision of other psychologists.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to client group and mental health.
• Excellent team working interpersonal skills both written and verbal.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups (e.g. personality disorder, dual diagnosis, people with additional disabilities et cetera).
• High level knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodology.

Communication

Essential

• Well-developed skills 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.
• Ability to identify, provide and promote appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours.
• Ability to write complex reports.

Desirable

• Experience of working within a multicultural framework

Personal and People Development

Essential

• Ability to develop and use complex multimedia materials for presentations in public, professional and academic settings.

Other

Essential

• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate.
• Must hold a full valid driving licence and have access to a vehicle for this role
• Able to communicate effectively in written and verbal English Language

Personal Attributes / Behaviours (linked to the Trust's Behaviour Framework)

Essential

• Able to identify with the Trust's commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults.
• To support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour.
• Ability to work effectively with the MDT and managing challenging situations in a professional manner.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).