Clinical/Counselling Psychologist - Pain Management Service

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic Clinical Psychologist (or Counselling Psychologist with suitable experience) to join the West Essex Community Pain Management Service (WECPMS). The WECPMS is a small, friendly team with a passion to support adults to live well with persistent Musculo-skeletal (MSK) pain. The successful applicant will be a valued and active member of this interdisciplinary team including Consultant Anaesthetist, specialist physiotherapists, clinical nurse specialists, and community pharmacists.

Access to specialist Psychology is an essential element in supporting people to live meaningfully with persistent pain. You’ll be working with, and supervised by, a Specialist Clinical Psychologist to deliver psychological assessments and interventions (1:1 and group pain management programmes based on CBT/ACT/CFT). You’ll also be providing psychological input to the wider multidisciplinary team and liaising with other community services (e.g. Talking Therapies, community mental health teams) as needed. The post will include both on-site(suggested 3 days per week) and remote working and we value this blended approach.

Main duties of the job

The successful post holder will be integral in delivering improved care and treatment outcomes for adults with persistent pain, through providing training, supervision and consultation in psychological skills and risk management, as well as holding a clinical caseload for individual and group therapy. You will ensure that the most appropriate treatments are offered at the right times with service-user satisfaction at the forefront of all interventions.

You will also provide specialist assessment clinics in community settings, to support other team members in developing individual psychological formulations, and contribute to the fortnightly multi-disciplinary meetings (MDTs). You will also develop group-based psychological interventions utilising evidence-based approaches incorporating Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT). We will encourage and support you to maintain and build strong links with the local Talking Therapies services, Integrated Mental Health Practitioners (IMHTs) within the local Primary Care Networks (PCNs), secondary care mental health services and with the psychiatric liaison services.

The post is embedded within the WECPMS and EPUT Clinical Health Psychology (CHP) team. The CHP team includes Psychologists in multiple health settings, creating a specialist peer support network.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Person Specification for further insight into the main responsibilities for this role.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of an evolving team. For further information, please contact Frances Abell (Senior Clinical Psychologist): frances.abell@nhs.net

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.