Developmental (B7-8a) Applied Psychologist

Job overview

There is an exciting opportunity for a qualified Applied Psychologist interested in specialist learning disability services. This development post is for people passionate about LD. It is a chance to work with an experienced and welcoming team. The role is diverse and rewarding with excellent cross division support.

Suitable for experienced band 7 wishing to progress to 8a without requiring the development process. Also suitable for 8a psychologists wanting to move from current post and develop skills in a CLDT. This multi-disciplinary, community service serves the Walsall area.

Walsall CLDT is supportive, forward-thinking & committed to improving patient care. It serves people with a learning disability experiencing significant mental health needs and/or displaying significant behavioural distress. It is part of a stepped care whole-pathway model linking with the IST, FCT, A&T Inpatient services & local Commissioning services.

There are likely to be opportunities to work across the division, linking in to our community based services. You may on the rare occasion be asked to support one of those services should the need arise.

Main duties of the job

The team provides a full range of assessments, interventions, support, training and advice to individuals themselves, their families and paid carers and the network of multi-agency stakeholders who are involved in the care and support of people experiencing complex behavioural and/or emotional distress.

Guided by recovery principles, the team maintains close liaison and pathways with a range of existing and specialist mental health community teams, social support accommodation services and social care agencies across the Walsall area in order to ensure that people with a learning disability and mental health and/or behavioural distress needs are also well supported by the full range of services and opportunities that meet their whole life person centred needs and aspirations.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To ensure high quality, specialist psychology provision to people with a learning disability with complex mental health needs and/or displaying significant behavioural distress . Working within community settings in the Walsall locality.
• To offer advice, specialist psychological assessment/intervention and or consultation and supervision on this client group’s psychological care either directly with the client or indirectly with their systemic support networks.
• Liaise with psychology colleagues, non-psychology colleagues, external agencies and other non-professional carers regarding client's psychological support needs .
• To perform an important leadership role and work alongside MDT colleagues within and across the settings.
• To work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for systematic governance of psychological practice within the service. To propose and implement policy changes with the areas served by the service.
• To utilise doctoral level research skills for audit, policy and service development and research. To supervise research carried out by Assistant and Trainee psychologists.
• Guided by the person centred Transforming care principles of the recovery model ensure that people with a learning disability and additional support needs are safely supported by the full range of services and opportunities that meet their whole life needs and aspirations, in the least restrictive context.