Psychology Lead

Job responsibilities

DESCRIPTION OF THE POST KEY AREAS

1) Clinical

a) To contribute to expert specialist multi-disciplinary assessment for adolescents and young adults. To use a broad theoretical knowledge base and specialist clinical skills to inform decisions about treatment options, considering relevant evidence-based research, theory and practice and factors such as historical, developmental, and contextual processes that have shaped and are currently impinging on the young person, their carers and family.

b) To decide, in consultation with the user, clinical colleagues and supervisor on the appropriateness of treatment, with or without other therapeutic input from Open Door or to refer to appropriate outside agencies.

c) To provide specialist psychology treatment or therapies that are outcome focused and evidence-based, using appropriate therapeutic modalities including CBT and integrative approaches on a brief, medium and longer-term basis.

d) To provide specialist developmentally informed parent/carer support to parents/carers of adolescents and young adults. This may include providing Open Door's evidence-based model, 'Approach to Parenting Teens (APT)

e) To participate in the regular review of cases in individual supervision and team meetings, and where appropriate, to liaise with and participate in meetings with professionals in other agencies.

f) To be willing to adapt clinical practice in relation to diversity, expressed beliefs preferences and choices of clients. This includes working sensitively with neurodivergent young people/parents and cares. providing therapeutic work that is culturally sensitive and working effectively with those needing interpreters.

g) To liaise with referrers, other team members and other people/agencies as needed in implementing treatment.

h) Monitor implementation of treatment and client progress, providing appropriate feedback about progress and making decisions about treatment modification in discussion with client/parent/carer and colleagues.

i) To be responsible for the application of a range of theoretical and practical knowledge, acquired during training and through practice, and to keep up to date with developments in these areas.

j) To exercise autonomous professional responsibility based on the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics of the appropriate professional association.

2) Monitoring and Evaluation of Risk

a) To be responsible for working within Child Protection and Vulnerable Adults safeguarding guidelines in relation to their own clinical case load. In addition, the post holder will be expected to supervise junior colleagues and trainees and contribute during team meetings to the assessment of cases held by team colleagues and to consult and advise referrers in external agencies. This monitoring will involve liaison with, and sometimes referral to external agencies such as CAMHS, SEND, GPs, Children's Services, Early Intervention teams, hospitals, etc.

b) To be responsible for continuing monitoring and evaluation of risk for teenagers and young adults in their own caseload, in supervision and team discussions; this relates to safeguarding concerns, deliberate self-harm or other risky behaviour such as substance abuse, running away, causing harm to others.

3) New services and projects

a) When required, to work with the Senior Clinical Management Team and Director to develop ideas and proposals for new projects or services.

b) To support funding applications as appropriate.

4) Consultation

a) To provide specialist advice and consultation to professionals working in external agencies eg: schools & colleges, voluntary sector, etc.

b) To meet with professionals working in other agencies to inform them about Open Door's services and referral processes.

5) Teaching, Training and Supervision

a) To take part, when required, in the recruitment and induction of new team members.

b) To provide training and teaching for external agencies (e.g. social care, education, other voluntary sector) when opportunities arise.

c) To present regularly to the clinical team and to increase understanding and utilisation of CBT and third wave approaches in working with young people.

6) Continued Professional Development

a) To receive regular clinical and service-related supervision from a more senior clinician and if necessary, specialist external clinical supervision in accordance with good practice guidelines.

b) To participate in clinical team meetings and present clinical cases in detail for group discussion.

c) To gain additional specialist experience or training relevant to the service.

d) To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice through active participation in internal and external CPD training and development programmes, in consultation with the Director.

e) To take part in an annual appraisal with a Principal Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist.

7) Research and Audit

a)To participate fully in Open Door's comprehensive programmes of audit and evaluation.

b)To ensure that individual clinical evaluation profiles are noted and discussed in the context of supervision and clinical presentations in team meetings.

c) To contribute to the development of Open Door's systems and programmes of evaluation and audit.

d) To utilise theory, literature and research to support evidence-based practice.

8) Administrative

a) To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and the responsible exercise of professional codes of self-governance. Administration tasks may include: electronic data entry and recording, completion of audit and evaluation data forms, upkeep of weekly appointment diary, attendance records etc.

b) To contribute to the overall administration of Open Door's services.

9) Meetings Attended

a) To attend and participate in weekly team meetings (clinical, business)

b)To attend meetings with other service providers, commissioners, etc. if appropriate.

10) Policies, Procedures and Guidelines

a) To comply with Open Door's policies, procedures and guidelines including those related to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety, Environmental, Complaints, Child Protection, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults, Information Governance and Disciplinary and Grievance.

b) All information concerning clients and staff must be treated as strictly confidential at all times.

11) General

a) This is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities, and the post holder may be required to undertake other duties which fall within the grade of the job, in discussion with the Director.

b) This job description may be reviewed in the light of changing service requirements, any such changes will be discussed with the post holder.

Qualifications

Essential

• - Doctoral level training in Counselling or Clinical psychology
• - To be registered with HCPC as a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist

Desirable

• - Additional post-doctoral advanced training, for example in CBT, EMDR, DBT, CFT

Personal Characteristics

Essential

• - Self-motivated
• - Ability to work as part of a team
• - Adaptable
• - Good interpersonal skills
• - Reliable
• - Trustworthy
• - Mental effort: capacity for frequent, intense mental concentration
• - Emotional effort: capacity to frequently work with highly emotional circumstances and levels of distress
• - Working conditions: capacity to work in a mental health setting with occasional exposure to unpleasant working conditions such as verbal aggression

Experience

Essential

• - Minimum 1-2 years clinical experience as a Clinical / Counselling Psychologist post-doctoral qualification
• - Experience of working as a psychologist within a multi-disciplinary child and adolescent mental health service, including substantial experience with relevant client group
• - Experience in the process of assessment, intervention and management of complex risk and clinical need, including experience of using CBT in the treatment of complex and difficult to treat cases
• - Experience of supervising other clinicians
• - Knowledge of other therapeutic modalities and understanding of psychodynamic approaches
• - Experience of time limited and longer-term clinical work
• - Experience of working with parents and carers
• - Experience in the use of routine outcome measures in clinical practice
• - Experience in liaison and multi-agency working

Desirable

• - Training in specialist trauma focussed CBT and/or EMDR
• - Experience of liaison with other therapeutic modalities towards improving interdisciplinary understanding and networking, in order to improve patient options for treatment
• - Interest in / knowledge of psychodynamic approaches
• - Knowledge of areas of service administration
• - Knowledge of methodology associated with use of outcome measures, service user evaluations
• - Experience of contributing to service development
• - Experience of / interest in coproduction

Skills and Competencies

Essential

• - Ability to make complex autonomous judgements based on theoretical, technical and clinical knowledge and experience
• - Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively in highly emotive situations, overcoming barriers to understanding and analysing complex and conflicting opinion/emotions
• - Ability to organise and schedule a range of complex multi-professional activities, such as consultations with clinical teams, educational and training courses, group supervision sessions
• - Ability to work in a way that promotes the safety and wellbeing of children and young people
• - Experience in the autonomous management of personal work patterns and caseload. This includes experience in scheduling and maintaining a pattern of complex clinical and non-clinical work.
• - Good literary and report writing skills
• - Time management skills
• - Administrative skills
• - Good liaison skills
• - Excellent general communication skills
• - An awareness of the limitations and parameters of the treatment potential of different models of psychotherapy

Desirable

• - Experience of research, service development and audit
• - Practical computer skills

Additional Requirements

Essential

• - Awareness of relevant ethical, professional and legal responsibilities
• - Ability to work as an autonomous clinical specialist, whilst also maintaining close links with other clinicians and colleagues
• - Evidence of continuing professional development
• - Willingness to work from a number of locations and using different platforms, e.g. phone, video, text
• - Commitment to inclusion
• - Commitment to safeguarding

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).