Psychotherapist, Practitioner Psychologist & Psychological Therapist

Job overview

We are pleased to announce a Clinical Lead post, as part of an expansion of the Crisis Plus model to Lambeth. The successful candidate will lead the implementation of Crisis Plus model across the Lambeth directorate, specifically targeting those with a pattern of frequent inpatient admissions. The successful candidate will use their range of clinical experience to lead and develop a small team working with service users who are at risk of repeated use of crisis and acute services & private inpatient services. The post requires offering clinical expertise across the range of Adult Mental Health Services to deliver excellent highly integrated clinical care. It is a role that would suit a senior and experienced psychologist or psychotherapist who is looking to develop their leadership skills across adult MH services. Applicants would benefit from having experience and specialist skills in working with people with Serious Mental Health Problems in a community team context, managing risk, comorbid substance use, and with good MDT and multi-agency working skills.

Main duties of the job

To lead the Crisis Plus model within Lambeth Adult Mental Health Services, leading a team of Assistant Psychologists and psychological therapists.  In addition to the clinical work, the candidate would support and build upon other related initiatives in the borough supporting community, crisis and inpatient services. The role would also involve preparing and reporting on KPIs to senior managers and clinicians, so previous experience of presenting outcomes would be valued. There would also be support to collaborate with others on service evaluation, audit and research.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To use expertise around those who frequently experience MH crisis / relapse to provide specialist assessment and clinical formulation to clients with significant difficulties with emotional and behavioural dysregulation, across the diagnostic spectrum.
• To make use of evidence based psychological principles for those who frequently experience MH crisis / relapse to support teams working with service users who are at risk of relapse due to poor coping skills including disengagement from appropriate services.
• To ensure delivery of high quality psychologically informed crisis and care planning for the most challenging clients across the Operational Directorate by supporting staff through consultation to develop and deliver these Crisis and care plans and interventions consistently.
• To undertake risk assessment and risk management for individual service users and to provide general advice to other professionals on psychological aspects of risk assessment and management
• To provide training in psychologically informed care and crisis planning to staff so that they can support and coach clients effectively in the management of their crises.
• To directly manage trainee psychologists / psychotherapists and Band 5 Assistant Psychologists to support this work across the Operational Directorate including partnership agencies. Including the recruitment and appraisal of staff within the service and the wider operational directorate, as appropriate.
• To work as an autonomous professional within Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) or relevant professional body guidance and the policies and procedures of the service, taking responsibility for own work including treatment and discharge decisions, under supervision.
• To work as an effective team member (being able to give and receive constructively critical feedback, be non-defensive. To liaise with other professionals concerned with clients in order to develop and review psychologically informed crisis and care plans and interventions.
• To communicate skilfully and sensitively, complex and sensitive information with clients and carers taking account of any sensory and cultural barriers to communication.
• To produce reports as requested, including relevant formulation, opinion and interventions, in order to inform referrers and, where appropriate, clients.
• To respond appropriately and professionally to emotionally distressing situations (e.g. disclosures of abuse, self-harm, suicide) and to support others involved in such situations.
• To receive regular clinical and professional supervision according to HCPC and Trust guidelines. To provide supervision (both individual and group) for the HIU informed work of other multi-disciplinary staff as appropriate. To provide clinical supervision to Band 8a Psychological Therapists and Band 5 Assistant Psychologists.
• To identify any aspects of the service which could be improved and contribute to the service development through undertaking and participating in appropriate projects, in consultation with others including the head of service.
• To contribute to the consultation and engagement of clients in planning and delivering services.
• To participate in clinical governance initiatives as agreed by the Directorate clinical governance committee and team.
• To ensure own Continuing Professional Development in line with Trust Personal Development Plan requirements. To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current developments in professional and clinical practice and of relevant legislation and policies.
• To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
• To comply with the HCPC 'Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics' and ensure professional development in line with the HCPC 'Standards for Continuing Professional Development' and 'Standards of Proficiency'.
• To ensure that all services provided are acceptable and accessible to the diverse communities which make up the Lambeth Operational Directorate.