PALMS is evolving and we want to welcome additional clinicians to be part of our vibrantand multi-disciplinary team who include Clinical Psychologists, Positive BehaviourAnalysts, 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.

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 othersservices
• 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 Autistic Spectrum 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 andtherefore 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.

Interviews will be run using Microsoft Teams and full details and instructions will be provided to successful candidates.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• 1a) Degree or equivalent in relevant field Professional Qualification (RMN, DipSW, OT or equivalent) supplemented by post graduate diploma specialist training, experience, short courses plus further specialist training to master's equivalent level.
• 1b) Doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996), including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology.
• Experience in relevant mental health/learning disability setting.
• Specialist knowledge within the field of clinical skills gained through theoretical and practical training and experience.
• Membership of relevant professional bodies

Desirable

• Approved mental health professional (AMHP)
• Further training in relevant areas of Autism, Learning Disability and mental health.

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Significant experience of risk assessment within a mental health or learning disability setting.
• Comprehensive assessment skills
• Significant experience of working clinically in a mental health and/or learning disability setting assessing, containing and managing complex cases in a multi-disciplinary setting
• Experience of working with people who have a learning disability and/or autistic spectrum disorder.
• 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
• Knowledge of child development, child and adolescent mental health and a range of therapeutic models
• Knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised therapies and assessment methodologies
• Multi-Disciplinary Team and multi-agency working
• Experience of dealing with Safeguarding Incidents.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and national policies
• Multi-Disciplinary Team and multi-agency working
• Experience of dealing with Safeguarding Incidents.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and national policies
• Knowledge of evidence based practice
• An understanding of the impact of Learning Disability, Autism and mental health difficulties and challenging behaviour on family life.

Desirable

• To have good knowledge of local community services
• Provision of effective clinical/practice supervision
• Experience of developing and delivering training and/or groups

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Ability to lead professionally and managerially.
• Ability to identify appropriate evidence based interventions for mental health and/or challenging behaviou
• Ability to communicate effectively when under pressure and dealing with challenging phone calls.
• Ability to perform under pressure, to be able to analyse information effectively, therefore ensuring correct conclusion for action.
• Ability to prioritise workload. Evidence of well-developed critical decision-making skills Ability to access various sources of information.
• An ability to make autonomous clinical judgements involving highly complex facts and situations
• High level of communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate effectively complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to a range of audiences.
• An ability and commitment to work as a member of a team and effectively communicate with the team
• Excellent IT skills including use of databases and spreadsheets
• Ability to concentrate for prolonged periods
• Ability to use supervision appropriately and effectively.
• Ability to recognise the emotional consequences of working with children with distressing and life changing disorders and seek support if needed.
• Ability to recognise signs of stress and to seek appropriate support.
• Ability to work as part of a 'virtual team'.
• Ability to think clearly and express self.
• Ability to work with children & young people whose behaviour is personally challenging.
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships
• Ability to manage potentially distressing telephone calls and situations.
• An ability to work effectively in a range of direct care settings with families, carers and staff
• Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently
• Ability and willingness to work flexibly including evenings and weekends as required.

Other

Essential

• A full valid driving licence and access to a car to use for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
• Willingness to travel to alternate locations to provide services.
• Eligible to live and work in the UK

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

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

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