Mental Health Practitioner

We are looking for a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist or Mental Health Practitioner to work across our specialist Weight Management and Bariatric surgery teams Band 7 . A preceptorship to band 8A may be available for the right candidate. Our specialist multidisciplinary teams are committed to compassionate and respectful care for people with bigger bodies. Our service is psychologically informed, forward thinking and in a rapidly developing clinical area. The role will involve assessment, formulation and treatment, often of individuals with complex physical and psychological needs; care must be sensitively managed and trauma informed. Treatment is both individual and group. We also work with patients wishing to be considered for bariatric surgery and contributing to decisions regarding suitability, providing pre-surgery education and the longer term post-operative support. Musgrove Park Hospital is a recognised centre of excellence for Bariatric Surgery. We work with a level of
clinical autonomy unlike some other services and there are regular opportunities to contribute to service development. We have strong links with the Exeter doctoral course and psychology is well respected by our medical, nursing and dietician colleagues.

Main duties of the job

Assessment of patients where psychological and/or behavioural issues have been identified by colleagues as particularly pertinent.

Formulation of barriers to weight loss and exploring psychological relationships with body/weight/eating behaviours often in the presence of ambivalence, ambiguity or dissociation and working around complex trauma.

Treatment: group and individual treatment; co-delivering our effective and well-received Understanding Eating Habits group and with potential to develop groups on building self-esteem / tackling self-loathing or another topic that is particularly pertinent. Individual work can involve ACT, Mindfulness, CFT, CBT, SFT and motivational Interviewing.

Teaching/training and shared facilitation of a supervision group of other health professionals.

Resilience and flexibility are essential personal requirements, as is good humour, excellent interpersonal skills and an appetite for innovation. You will need to engage people who may not be convinced about the psychological elements with their weight, or with challenging defences due to shame, stigma or complex trauma.

As an organisation, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust offers employees a wide range of benefits including flexible working, NHS pension scheme, generous annual leave allowance and a commitment to career development.You will be eligible for our Blue Light Card and a wide range of NHS exclusive shopping & leisure discounts.We are proud of our skilled, diverse workforce and as an inclusive employer we welcome applications from all backgrounds.Working in Somerset enables you to enjoy the idyllic countryside, areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable.Somerset offers the countryside and the cosmopolitan -- there is truly something for everyone!