PALMS is evolving and we want to welcome additional clinicians to be part of our vibrant and multi-disciplinary team who include Clinical Psychologists, Positive Behaviour Analysts, Systemic Therapists, Learning Disability Nurses, Psychiatrists, Mental Health Practitioners, Speech and Language Therapists and Outreach Workers.

With the continued evolution of PALMS we are seeking to appoint an additional Clinical Psychologist who is a motivated and forward thinking clinician and leader who can work flexibly and is committed to supporting CYP and their families across Hertfordshire and the full PALMS' team.

This post attracts a Recruitment and Retention Premium of �3000 pro rata, to be paid in 3 instalments: �1000 (pro rata) after 6 months (upon completion of successful probationary period) and a further �1000 (pro rata) 6 months after probation and a final payment of �1000 (pro rata) 6 months after this. Not applicable for internal candidates.

We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.

Main duties of the job

The ideal candidate will be:

• Passionate about and have a desire to contribute to change in a vibrant NHS team
• Dedicated to supporting CYP with autism and/or learning disability and their families.
• Collaborative in their approach to work with families, networks, and others services
• Able to work both in a team environment and autonomously
• Able to maintain a high degree of professionalism when working in settings where there is a highly emotive atmosphere.
• Flexible in their approach and have resilience under pressure

About us

PALMS (Positive behaviour, Autism, Learning disability, Mental health Service) works across Hertfordshire providing a specialist multi-disciplinary approach. PALMS is a CAMHS commissioned service which offers individually tailored support for children and young people (CYP), aged 0-18 who have a global learning disability and/or AutisticSpectrum Disorder, helping families to manage challenging behaviour, toileting, feeding and sleeping concerns which have not benefitted from community interventions and/or to support mental health needs which cannot be met with reasonable adjustment by other CAMHS services.

Additionally, PALMS also supports problematic sexualised behaviours.Interventions include workshops, groups, individual therapy, parent as therapist sessions, and a family clinic. PALMS aims to keep children and young people with their families within Hertfordshire thereby improving outcomes for all family members.

PALMS predominantly applies narrative, systemic, positive behaviour, and bio-psycho social models adhering to the STOMP / STAMP and Transforming Care Agendas.

Job description

Job responsibilities

PALMS principally deliver a flexible service according to need and personalcircumstances, in a planned way. For example, for a full-time worker this equates to flexibly working 37.5 across the working week. PALMS are open to flexible working and therefore part time / job share would be considered, working a minimum of 0.6 WTE.

The post is permanent and will cover the East and North of the county with principle bases in Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage.

We have continued to support CYP and their families through the COVID19 pandemic embracing virtual working whilst continuing to offer face to face work where clinically appropriate. Virtual working offers flexibility to both team members and families and isnow embedded in the PALMS team.

The PALMS team is friendly, cohesive and proactive. We value feedback and empower all team members to contribute to the continuous development of the service and welcome innovation and change.

We can offer you:

• Regular clinical and professional supervision
• Regular appraisal, personal development planning and opportunities for continuing professional development. This includes specific support with regards to fulfilling the PALMS role. Recent examples include the team undertaking training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), sleep assessment and intervention, and systemic and family practice.
• Regular opportunities to meet as a team including peer reflection and Intervision.
• Opportunities to work closely with a multi-disciplinary team and learn from other evidence based frameworks and approaches.
• Opportunities to provide clinical supervision and line management to other members of the PALMS team as appropriate.
• Opportunities to connect with local and national networks Involvement in providing training.
• 27 days annual leave, 29 if you have worked for the NHS for 5 years and 33 if you have worked for the NHS for 10 years, in addition to 8 days bank holidays.
• Entitlement to the NHS pension scheme.
• We are committed to supporting flexible working options for staff, wherever possible, and welcome discussions on flexible working patterns to support our staff to maintain a healthy work life balance.

We are able to offer a recruitment and retention premia to qualified clinical team members in PALMS. This includes receiving a �1,000 payment (pro-rota based on WTE) once passing probation. Following this, two additional �1,000 (pro-rata) payments will be made after 6 months and then again at one year.

Interviews will be run either in person at one of our bases or using Microsoft Teams, full details and instructions will be provided to successful candidates.

Interview date: 12th June 2023

Person Specification

Other

Essential

• Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology.
• Two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan development psychology as accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS)
• Evidence of continued professional development as recommended by the BPS

Desirable

• Pre-qualification training and qualifications in research methodology, staff training and/or other fields of applied psychology

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment of clients across the full range of care settings, including outpatients, community, primary care and in-patient settings, including a minimum six months clinical experience working in learning disabilities
• Experience and skills in psychological assessment and interventions with children & young people with learning disabilities and/or social and communication difficulties
• Experience of multi-disciplinary team working and inter-agency collaboration
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole course of presenting problems that reflect the full range of clinical severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the treat of physical abuse
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients psychological care and treatment, within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan
• Doctoral level knowledge of research methodology, research design and complex, multivariate data analysis as practiced within the clinical fields of psychology
• Knowledge of child development, child and adolescent mental health and a range of therapeutic models
• Well developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological therapies in specific difficult to treat groups i.e. personality disorders, dual diagnosis, people with learning disabilities etc
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of highly specialised psychological therapies and assessment methodologies
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and national policies

Desirable

• Experience of working with people with a learning disability and with people with an Autistic Spectrum disorder in a range of settings.
• Experience of service quality monitoring i.e. clinical audit, evaluative research etc
• Experience of the application of clinical psychology in different cultural contexts
• Experience of applied behaviour analysis and positive behaviour support.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration
• Well developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and /or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and nonprofessional groups
• Ability to teach and train others, using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings
• Ability to identify and employ mechanisms of clinical governance as appropriate to support and maintain clinical practice in the face of regular exposure to highly emotive material and challenging behaviour
• IT Skills

Desirable

• Experience of service quality monitoring (e.g. clinical audit, evaluative research etc.)
• Ability to critically appraise research findings

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

Address

QEII Hospital

Welwyn Garden City

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

812-22-PALMS-CPB7-E