Job responsibilities
The post involves working with service users with medically unexplained symptoms, long term
physical health conditions including pain, severe and enduring mental health, engagement
with the criminal justice system, neuropsychological difficulties, learning disabilities and
autism.
Services are delivered within a variety of settings: on the acute psychiatric ward,
within the mental health outpatient facility, within the general hospital, within the service
users own home and in other offsite venues e.g. the prison, community venues.
Lone working
in the community is an element of this job as is potential exposure to verbal and physical
aggression/hostility. The working environment includes frequent exposure to high levels of
distress in others and working with difficult circumstances/events that have occurred to
service users e.g.sexual abuse.
There is a requirement for the clinical management of service
users at risk to themselves and others.
The post holder is required to be involved in official
multi-agency public protection meetings and child protection procedures.
The post holder is required to have the highest level of integrity and probity and avoid any
conflict of interest.
This is all-encompassing while in HSCs employ and requires the post
holder at all times to uphold HSCs name and reputation.
In all cases of dispute, the internal mechanisms for dispute resolution must be utilised.
The post requires substantial periods of concentration and sitting. The post holder is expected
to work with individuals, couples, facilitate therapeutic groups and coordinate and facilitate
various teams, within the secondary care remit, as part of their clinical role.
This requires
significant skill, ability to manage complex dynamics, communicate highly complex
information and ability to retain a high level of concentration throughout
Clinical Duties
Maintain a clinical caseload of complex psychological assessment, treatment and
consultation work, as well as any generic work required by the Specialist Mental
Health Services.
Work autonomously at a high standard to provide specialist psychological assessment,
including standardised psychometric assessments. Be able to recognise and respond
to a range of clinical issues including management of long-term conditions, pain
management, various forms of abuse, neglect, self-harm, and potential for violence.
Formulate treatment plans drawing creatively on best practice, NICE recommended
and evidence based psychological models of practice and the fit between the
approach(es), the needs of the service user(s), team practice and service needs.
Maintain an effective treatment alliance by adjusting clinical formulations and
working methods in response to feedback.
Implement treatment plans for individuals, couples, groups and teams.
Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, contribute psychological understandings
to the overall assessment and treatment work carried out by the team.
Be responsible for ensuring that referrals and discharges are made in accordance with
relevant policy and procedures, team operating culture and the principles of good
practice.
Be responsible for attending clinical meetings (where appropriate) and reviews.
Act as care coordinator, ensuring the provision of care packages appropriate to
service user need and coordinating the work of others involved in their care. Arrange
and chair service user reviews and monitor progress during the course of multidisciplinary interventions.
Be responsible for ensuring that consultation, assessment and treatment
interventions are provided in partnership with service users and others as
appropriate. Be mindful of the needs of people and families from diverse racial,
cultural and religious backgrounds and work in waysthat are sensitive to race, religion,
age, disability, gender, class, culture, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
Provide highly specialist consultation, advice and guidance to other professionals in
the service in order to maintain high standards of psychologically oriented work with
service users. Make psychological theory and practices accessible to clinicians and
other members of other teams. Work jointly and collaboratively with other team
membersin order to facilitate their work with service users. Have knowledge of other
modalities so as to engage and work effectively with colleagues in other disciplines.
In partnership with clinicians and other agencies, be responsible for the effective
evaluation of models of care and treatment interventions to ensure that individual
and complex needs are met. Service users are assessed and receive treatment for a
range of medically unexplained symptoms, long-term conditions (e.g. cancer,
respiratory disorders, diabetes), pain management (e.g. primary and secondary) and
with severe and complex mental health problems(e.g. arising from sexual and physical
abuse/neglect, psychosis, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress syndrome, attachment disorders, depression and personality
disorders), learning disabilities and autism, forensic and neuropsychological
presentations (e.g. stroke, traumatic brain injury).
Provide expert consultation to professionals and agencies outside HSC on issues
relating to psychology and the psychological treatment of service users and support
for their families. Promote effective multi-agency work.
Develop and provide psychological services in line with organisational and clinical
needs.
Hold responsibility for a high standard of clinical practice within all areas of work.
Design and implement systems which enable colleagues to develop their knowledge
and skills in working in ways which are informed by psychological ideas and practice.
Maintain high standards of clinical record keeping, including electronic notes and
recording in line with HSC policies and procedures. Provide comprehensive reports
as required.
Undertake risk assessment and risk management, including the protective and risk
factors present in the network of significant relationships. Provide advice to
colleagues on these issues.
Demonstrate awareness of research and its application to clinical practice. Use theory
and research to inform NICE recommended, evidence-based practice in relation to
psychological work.
Engage in regular research activity relevant to psychology within Specialist Mental
Health Services and support research activities performed by others, as agreed.
Working in partnerships with other lead agencies, ensure that child protection issues
are addressed effectively and according to local procedures.
Communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the
assessment, formulation and treatment plans of service users. Effectively
communicate professional opinion, verbally and in writing, to service users, other
professionals, and statutory and voluntary agencies.
