Clinical Psychologist

Job overview

The Stroke Neuropsychology service is part of the wider Neuropsychology Department and works in collaboration with Sirona Healthcare, North Bristol Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston to offer both inpatient and community specialist stroke neurorehabilitation.

The postholder will provide assessment, intervention, and rehabilitation to patients and have opportunities to provide staff training and consultation. The service inputs into the One Stroke Pathway, supporting the acute stroke wards at Southmead Hospital, two Sub-Acute Stroke Rehabilitation Units (SSARUs) in South Bristol and Weston and patients in the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Integrated Community Stroke Services (ICSS).

You will ideally have clinical experience in the assessment and management of patients experiencing cognitive, emotional and behavioural impairments following an acute neurological event such as stroke, traumatic and acquired brain injury, or other neurological conditions. You will be responsible for managing a caseload of patients with complex needs.

As the role involves travel across the BNSSG area, you will need access to your own transport.

Newly qualified Clinical Psychologists with previous experience working in a neuropsychological setting will be considered.

You will receive supervision from an experienced clinical psychologist / neuropsychologist, in addition to opportunities for CPD.

Main duties of the job

• The post holder is responsible for delivering a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, rehabilitation and therapy service to the Stroke Rehabilitation Pathway.
• The post holder is responsible for providing effective and timely communication at all levels (patients, families, multi-disciplinary team, referring agents and external agencies) as appropriate and according to clinical judgement, via the provision of individual sessions, the provision of formal reports and attendance at multi-professional clinical meetings.
• The post holder will liaise directly with colleagues within the service and external agencies regarding the neuropsychological issues and management of patients referred, to include medical colleagues, nursing colleagues, therapists, social services, other government agencies and employers/educational establishments as relevant.
• The post holder will manage, plan and prioritise his or her clinical caseload under guidance from the Stroke Neuropsychology Lead.
• The post holder will keep up to date with the evidence base for neurorehabilitation, advise the Clinical Lead on potential new initiative and treatment approaches, and contribute to in-house multidisciplinary training.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• The post holder will provide a psychological assessment and intervention service to patients within the stroke pathway from acute through to community.
• The post holder is responsible for providing a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, rehabilitation and therapy service to individuals following stroke.
• The post holder is expected to work largely autonomously, but in an integrated way, and at an advanced and specialised clinical level in the provision of psychological services.
• The postholder will be expected to travel regularly throughout the BNSSG locality and therefore access to transport is essential.
• The post holder will be professionally accountable for his/her own work while obtaining supervision from senior Clinical Psychologists/Neuropsychologists in the service and advice and guidance from the Stroke Neuropsychology Lead.
• The post holder is responsible for communicating neuropsychological aspects of patient’s care and rehabilitation as appropriate and according to clinical judgement, via the provision of individual sessions, the provision of formal reports and attendance at multiprofessional clinical meetings.
• The post holder will liaise directly with colleagues within the Trust and external agencies regarding the neuropsychological issues and management of patients referred, to include medical colleagues, nursing colleagues, therapists, social services, other government agencies and employers/educational establishments as relevant.
• The post holder will make clinical decisions (e.g., diagnosis, formulation, recommendations to patient, carer, or other professionals, treatment options, intervention plans, etc.) based on evidence.
• The post holder will manage, plan and prioritise his or her clinical caseload under guidance from their clinical supervisor and Stroke Neuropsychology Lead.
• The post holder will adopt a flexible approach to managing his or her caseload, so that urgent cases can be accommodated at very short notice (e.g., same day).

Please refer to JD and PS attached for full details regards the role.