We are looking for a highly motivated and inspirational leader for the post of Associate Director for the Psychological Professions in our Acute Mental Health Services in West London. This role will involve working alongside other senior leaders to design and deliver high quality evidence-based psychological services and to hold a specialist case load. It is an exciting time to be in a position to make an important difference for people in crisis, to improve outcomes and to offer systemic interventions supporting colleagues to promote Trauma-informed approaches to organisational resilience.

Main duties of the job

This role champions professional leadership for the psychology and psychological therapies for AMHS, leading on appraisal, professional development and supervision systems, and standards of professional behaviour for all psychologists.

The post-holder will be in a position to lead on audit, research and training programmes that will implement standards and policy in order to ensure high quality psychological practice. They will work alongside and involve Experts by Experience in initiatives of clinical benefit to the service, care and treatment of all those referred to AMHS.

The Associate Director of Psychological Professions in AMHS will be responsible for the range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams, employed individually and in synthesis, adjusting and refining psychological formulations to draw upon different explanatory models to assist those in crisis. There has not been a more exciting time to develop leadership expertise, to shape the immediate future of those referred to our wards, and to make an important difference in the field of mental health and wellbeing.

About us

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse providers of mental health, community and social care in the UK.

Our 3,982 staff care for people in hospital and in the community, helping them to recover and go on to lead full and productive lives. We aim to be the best organisation of our kind in the country.

We provide care and treatment for more than 800,000 people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, delivering services in the community (at home, in GP surgeries and care homes), hospital, specialist clinics and forensic (secure) units.

We'rerated good overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Together, we're committed to promoting hope and wellbeing, working with patients, service users, carers, families and partners across the communities we serve.

We are keen to ensure that our workforce reflects the community it serves, particularly in terms of ethnicity, gender, disability, LGBTQ+ and experience of mental illness.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will provide professional leadership for all psychologists and psychological professionals working in Acute Mental Health Services (AMHS) and strategic psychological leadership for acute mental health services. To be responsible, in collaboration with senior leadership, for the provision, development and design of psychological services within AMHS ensuring the delivery of high quality, evidence-based psychological services. To hold a specialist case load

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in applied psychology [or its equivalent for those trained before 1996 or outside the UK] as approved by the HCPC, including specifically models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
• Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice relevant to the specific Care Group/Service.
• HCPC Registered as a practitioner Psychologist

Knowledge/Experience

Essential

• Doctoral level knowledge of applied psychology including highly developed knowledge of lifespan developmental psychology, models of psychopathology, clinical psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct models of psychological therapy and lifespan developmental psychology.
• Doctoral level knowledge of research design and methodology.
• Highly developed knowledge of the theory and practice of specialised psychological practice.
• Assessed extensive experience of working as a qualified applied psychologist including significant post qualification experience within acute adult mental health services.
• Knowledge of how to approach embedding and sustaining clinical models of care in acute mental health settings.

Desirable

• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment, both as a professionally qualified care co-ordinator and also within the context of a multi-disciplinary care plan.

Skills

Essential

• Skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management frequently requiring sustained and intense concentration.
• High level proven abilities in translating national policy and evidence regarding psychological practice into effective local action to improve services
• Ability to identify and prioritise appropriate areas for service improvement, and to design, plan and deliver these improvements
• A high level ability to communicate effectively at both a written and spoken level, complex, highly technical and clinically sensitive and contentious information to service users their families and carers and a wide range of lay and professional individuals within and outside the NHS
• Ability to articulate and interpret clearly the role of the profession of applied psychology based upon a good understanding of the framework of government and national professional policy.

Employer details

Employer name

West London NHS Trust

Address

Hammersmith & Fulham Mental Health Unit

Hammersmith

W6 8NF

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

222-LS-AMHS-274