Band 8b Clinical/Counselling Psychologist - Bristol/Weston-super-Mare

Job overview

Later Life Inpatient Psychology Lead, BNSSG: Clinical or Counselling Psychologist

Band 8b (0.4-0.6WTE)

We are looking for a dynamic and enthusiastic lead for Later Life Inpatient Psychology to oversee psychological and psychologically-informed care for older people on AWP wards covering Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

It is an exciting time to join us and help shape our response to the national aspiration to transform inpatient mental health care. You will need to be an experienced psychologist with extensive knowledge of inpatient care for older people with a track record of service-level working including service development and training development/delivery. The post holder will significantly contribute to work developing multidisciplinary inpatient training in Trauma Informed Care and psychologically-informed care approaches (including Comprehend Cope Connect formulation), whilst expanding the access to psychological therapy on wards, ensuring the needs of older people are understood and responded to throughout. The successful candidate will need strong leadership skills in order to build relationships and achieve the ambitions of inpatient transformation

Main duties of the job

To develop, co-ordinate and ensure the psychological provision for older people on BNSSG wards, primarily overseeing specialist later life ward care but also considering care for older people who are admitted to other acute mental health wards or psychiatric intensive care units (PICUs).

To use strong leadership skills to ensure that ongoing Inpatient Transformation projects relevant to psychology meet the needs of older people.

As agreed, to provide clinical/managerial supervision to later life inpatient psychologists and to provide specialist consultation to the wider system.

To collaborate in covering inpatient psychology management tasks, as delegated by the Divisional lead for Inpatient Psychological therapies.

To personally provide highly specialist clinical input through carrying a small caseload.

To contribute to enabling other staff, service users and carers from diverse backgrounds to flourish by working to create a psychologically safe environment.

To promote service evaluation, audit, research and policy development.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached job description and key local information sheet for further information about this role. Person Specification Education and Qualification Essential

• Doctorate in Clinical or Counselling Psychology qualification or equivalent qualification in Clinical Psychology.
• Registered by the HCPC.
• Relevant Specialist CPD training.

Experience Essential

• Substantial post-qualification experience working with older people.
• Experience of Lecturing/Teaching/Training Psychologists and other professions.
• Supervision experience with Trainee Clinical Psychologists.
• Supervision experience with other professions.
• Care Co-ordination or equivalent role.
• R& D relevant to role.
• Service development/project leadership/ clinical leadership.

Desirable

• Experience of working on wards or equivalent services supporting people in acute distress through a multidisciplinary approach.

Specialised Knowledge Essential

• Extensive knowledge of specialist therapeutic interventions with client group.
• Specialist assessment and formulation skills.
• Expert in analysis and differential formulation of highly complex case information.
• Specialist training in clinical supervision.

Desirable

• Ability to use computer spreadsheets for data analysis.
• Ability to use computer software to perform specialist / advanced data analysis of clinical data.

Skills and personal attributes Essential

• Effective team player with good communication and liaison skills.
• Advanced skills at engaging with/communicating sensitively to clients who exhibit severe problems of interpersonal relating.
• Ability to cope with workload pressure/prioritise workload.
• Self-awareness and emotional resilience.
• Skills in personal supervision.
• Ability to cope with the stress of working with a difficult, potentially hostile, emotionally and behaviourally disturbed client group.