Highly Specialist Psychological Therapist

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a psychological therapist to join the Clinical Health Psychological Services (CHPS). The role involves co-leading a Long Term Conditions (LTC) Psychology Service for adults and their families living with Type I & II Diabetes, Respiratory Conditions and Coronary Heart Disease) at Porters Avenue in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham. The post holder will be an integral member of the wider LTC multidisciplinary team and will work closely with other team members to provide a fully integrated holistic care service. This will include conducting specialist assessments and offering evidence-based psychological therapy interventions to patients with LTC and their carers or families., To provide a specialist psychological therapy assessment and treatment service for patients with LTC, carers and their families, who are referred with complex mental health difficulties in relation to their physical health. Delivering at least 2-3 high quality specialist clinical interventions in line with national guidance1. To provide comprehensive mental health needs and risk assessments of referred patients and carers. To be an active and integrated member of the LTC multi-disciplinary team, .4. To sit on a panel with other B&D mental health services to triage psychological referrals in lines with the stepped-care model.5. To be a key member of the broader NELFT Clinical Health Psychological Service, and to provide specialised training and consultation to other professionals working across different tiers of service and within the wider NELFT service areas 6.To provide supervision to newly qualified and trainee clinical/counselling psychologists,
psychotherapists, assistant psychologists and/or staff or students as appropriate.8. To take responsibility for the analysis and reporting on key performance targets (KPS's), as set in the SLA with NHSE, taking appropriate action in collaboration with the Operational Lead for Clinical Health Psychological Services and the Community Lead Psychologist leading CHPS., This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).
Starting with NELFT
NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop in sessions focussing in engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.
High Cost Area Supplement - Outer London
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,313 to a maximum of £5,436 p.a. pro rata for part time).
High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,192 to a maximum of £2,011 p.a. pro rata for part time)., 1. To be responsible for undertaking specialist psychologically informed assessments of patients presenting with psychological concerns in relation to their long-term health conditions, in particular diabetes, cardiac and respiratory conditions.
2. To formulate and implement plans for the formal psychological therapy treatment and / or management of the cognitive, emotional, behavioural, physical and psychological health of people with psychological distress in relation to their physical health, utilising a bio- psycho-social model, based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the patient's problems.
3.To implement a range of psychological interventions both therapeutic and psycho- educational, for individuals, families and groups, using at least two-three evidence-based interventions and best practice guidelines.
4. To show professional skill and autonomous professional responsibility when evaluating and making decisions about psychological treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
5. To liaise closely with other disciplines responsible for a patient's care, when necessary, and to be flexible in offering joint assessments of patients and carers with other key members of MDTs.
6. To enhance the psychological profile of long term conditions by attending and contributing to regular MDT meetings at Porters Avenue, as well as in-house clinical health psychology meetings and external specialist interest groups.
7. To have a robust knowledge base of mental health presentations, as well as experience and knowledge of how to manage clinical risk within community settings.
8. To discriminate between treatment alternatives and recommend appropriate evidence- based treatment programmes.
9. To be responsible for undertaking specialist psychological assessments and treatment of patients to the service.
10. To communicate skilfully, highly complex and sensitive information, to patients, their carers, families, and other professionals, taking account of sensory and cultural challenges to communication.
11. To deliver a culturally and ethically sensitive, equitable psychological therapy service to all minority groups regardless of race and, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, culture, religion, and disability; including service users in the design and delivery of the service.
12. To provide specialist assessment and therapy to non-English speaking patients with the use of an interpreter, when necessary, communicating with a high degree of clarity and sensitivity to cultural and linguistic differences.
13. To assess and manage clinical risk and mental health conditions, where appropriate, and to liaise with other mental health services (such as Talking Therapies and Mental Health and Wellness Teams) to be able to signpost patients to such services when indicated. To advise team colleagues on the psychological aspects of clinical risk and its management.
14. To provide written reports to update referrers and inform planning / professionals meetings, as the need arises.
15. To actively participate in the setting of quality standards, including auditing, monitoring and reviewing treatment interventions and outcomes.
16. To liaise and sit on a stepped-care panel with other psychological professionals in the Barking & Dagenham, i.e. TT/Secondary Mental Health Wellness teams, and provide updates as appropriate. This would include providing Link Worker sessions once monthly, following a broad clinical health perspective.
17. To support and offer consultation to multidisciplinary colleagues and team members of the Long Term Conditions Teams as a resource for specialist psychological advice, consultation and training about the psychological treatment and management of long term conditions.
18. To have an interest and ability to run clinical health psychology groups, especially psycho-education groups related to specific physical health conditions such as diabetes, respiratory and cardiac conditions.
19. To attend review meetings, clinical health psychological services meetings and away days, CPA's, other professional and network meetings as appropriate in order to share information and to provide clinical health psychology advice.
20. To maintain adequate clinical documentation in electronic (RiO) systems and written documentation as directed of all work undertaken in line with trust policies and to ensure appropriate communication is maintained with GP's, referrers etc.
21. To plan and prioritise own workload within the priorities of the clinical health psychological service and the needs of patients and their families / carers.
22.To be accountable for own professional actions and to seek advice and supervision from the line manager / supervisor where needed over clinical, ethical and policy issues
Benefits
We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:
+ A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff.
+ A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our efforts to support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a 'Top 10 Family Friendly Employer' from the Working Families Charity.
+ Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors.
+ Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that's a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.
Supporting our Armed Forces
We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Gold Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme. We have supportive policies, guaranteed interview schemes for veterans. reservists and military spouses and give additional leave to our Reservists so that they can attend their annual camp.

NHS AfC: Band 8a
Joining #TeamNELFT means you'll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We're CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video