Clinical/Forensic/Counselling Psychologist or Psychological Therapist

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity to work as Highly Specialist Psychologist / Psychological Therapist at a small, specialist psychological service at the William Morris Centre. The William Morris Centre is a community psychological service, working with adults who exhibit complex emotional and relational problems that cause harm to others. The service provides psychological assessment and intervention utilising therapies such as Mentalisation-Based Therapy (MBT) and EMDR. There is opportunity for family and couples work (adult only). There is also a social inclusion provision.  The William Morris Centre is co-commissioned by the forensic and general adult mental health directorates in Oxleas. While located in the forensic directorate, there is a close working relationship with general adult community services in the Trust.

We are seeking a candidate who is passionate about working to reducing violence and sexual harm while improving the lives of service users. This is a service highly valued by the people who use it and we seek candidates who are energised by a role that combines clinical practice and leadership skills.

Main duties of the job

• Having a senior presence at the service under supervision of the service lead.
• Provide psychological assessment, formulation and therapy to individuals.
• Provide highly specialist advice and consultation to referrers.
• Utilise research skills in audit and other research and development activities.
• Supervise and direct the work of assistant and trainee psychologists as required.
• Work autonomously within professional guidelines and the overall framework of the service's policies and procedures, and the department's objectives.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Clinical  responsibilities associated with the service.
• Senior presence at the service, to support and manage any risk issues as they arise.
• To provide highly specialist psychological therapy assessments, formulations and interventions.
• To provide specialist consultation to other professionals in health and probation.
• To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients.
• To provide culturally appropriate psychological therapy interventions with carers or families of referred clients when required.
• To communicate, in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, to clients, family carers and others as appropriate, information that may be contentious or highly distressing concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of clients under their care.
• To produce reports on clients, in a timely manner, that convey the key findings of psychological assessment and formulation and treatment outcome in a way that does justice to the complexity of the problems described, but that are understandable to the recipients of the reports, including clients and referrers.
• To undertake risk assessment, risk monitoring and risk management for individual clients in line with Trust and inter-agency policies and procedures, and to provide advice to other professions on psychological aspects of risk assessment and risk management.
• To work in partnership with other disciplines and to maintain links with statutory and non-statutory agencies as appropriate.
• Liaison with other relevant services in health and probation.
• Implement outcome measurement as determined by the local service.
• Attend and contribute to psychological therapies and directorate meetings and forums.
• Lead on research and quality improvement projects.
• Supervise pre-qualified staff.