Clinical/Counselling Psychologist

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Clinical/Counselling Psychologist to join the HPFT CAMHS South and shape service delivery.

You will be based in a multi-disciplinary community CAMHS covering the South quadrant of Hertfordshire. There are two main sites, one in Watford and one in Borehamwood. CAMHS South is a welcoming and developing team that prides itself on providing excellent evidence-based interventions. You will have the opportunity to work alongside side other systemic psychotherapists, child psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and psychiatry.

You will have HCPC registration and provide a highly specialist child and adolescent service within the context of the principles of CAPA (The Choice and Partnership Approach) and CYP-IAPT, providing both Core work and Specific/Specialist work including contributing to provision of a specific model of evidence-based therapeutic intervention across the CAMHS South clinics.

You will also have strong links with professional colleagues in the wider CAMHS. In addition to the inpatient unit, our CAMHS includes a Tier 4 Home Treatment Team, four community clinic Tier 3 teams, a Targeted Team for looked after children, a specialist Eating Disorder Team, a Crisis Team and a DBT team.

Main duties of the job

To be responsible for a caseload of complex assessment, treatment and  consultation work with children, adolescents and their families, with  problems of behavioural, emotional, psychological or mental health issues, providing Core work (as defined by CAPA) and in addition contributing to Specific/Specialist work (as defined by CAPA) as agreed with Community CAMHS Managers and Professional leads.

To operate as a member of the multidisciplinary team providing child and  adolescent mental health services for the quadrant, in line with the  principles and practice of CYP-IAPT.

To work in ways which are sensitive to and appropriate for the needs of  families from a wide range of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Responsibility

• To assess, plan and implement programmes of care for individual children and young people, carers and families with complex behavioural, emotional, psychological or mental health issues.
• To undertake risk assessment and risk management for all children and adolescents, including the protective and risk factors in the network of significant relationships.
• To be responsible for a defined caseload selecting and using appropriate interventions to meet care plan objectives and goals privileging core skills as appropriate.
• To develop, implement and manage specialised interventions within the child/young person’s context, employing evidence based practice.
• To evaluate and adjust practices based on feedback.
• To act as care coordinator, where appropriate, ensuring provision of a care plan, taking responsibility for initiating, planning and review of the client’s care, ensuring the work of others involved and communicating effectively with the child/ the carer/ professional as appropriate, monitoring the progress of multi-disciplinary interventions.
• To carry out assessments and interventions jointly with co-workers from the multi-disciplinary team as appropriate.
• To contribute and develop skills in Clinical Governance.
• To maintain up to date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and issues in relation to both the specific client group and mental health