Are you passionate about having a positive impact on the lives of people experiencing complex mental health issues? Do you want to be part of a service that sees you as more than just a therapist and allows you to develop the full breadth of your professional skills? If so, then we have the job opportunity you are looking for and would love to hear from you.

We are excited to invite applications to join our supportive and innovative Acute Care Psychology Service based at Antelope House in Southampton.

We welcome applications from established psychologists and newly qualified psychologists whom we would look to support through a preceptorship process from Band 7 to Band 8a.

The service

The services covered by the acute care pathway include a Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team (CRHTT) and four wards: Trinity, a 16 bed female acute mental health ward; Saxon, an 18 bed male acute mental health ward; Hamtun, a 10 bed male psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU); and Abbey, a 10 bed female PICU due to open in 2022.

Our team is proud to be working on implementing the Comprehend, Cope and Connect (CCC) model across our acute mental health services. Southern Health has been a national leader in developing, championing, and implementing this model, which is an innovative, trauma-informed and evidence-based approach to developing a psychologically informed environment (PIE) within acute services (Clarke & Nicholls, 2018; Araci & Clarke, 2016).

The role

You will have the opportunity to use the full range of skills acquired in your training, including psychological assessment, individual and group therapy, as well as offering advice, consultation, supervision and training to staff in the MDT and the acute care pathway.

A significant focus of the role will be to support the unit to embed psychological thinking and promote a therapeutic milieu. In addition to supporting the implementation of CCC, you will also be encouraged to develop your knowledge and skills in other evidence-based models of working according to your interests and the needs of service users and the service. Opportunities for research and development within the post will be actively encouraged.

Career development

Our team forms part of the wider Southampton Psychological Therapies Service. Together we are a cohesive, supportive, and friendly team with a wealth of clinical expertise including CBT, DBT, CAT, ACT, EMDR and Psychodynamic approaches. We have good supervision structures and an excellent track record of CPD. The Trust has strong links with Southampton University, particularly with the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, the MSc/Diploma in Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Severe Mental Health Problems and training courses for IAPT. We are keen to support training to increase your therapeutic skills and develop your leadership skills. This will be incorporated within your appraisal and supervision.

This is also an exciting professional development opportunity as applications will be considered for a Band 7 with the offer of preceptorship to Band 8a.

Flexible working arrangements are possible, including some remote working according to clinical need.

Part-time working and job share arrangements will be considered for the right applicant.

The NHS pay scales have not yet been updated for 2022. Confirmation issued on 19th July that they will be increased in line with the statement available on the NHS Employers and Government websites.

Happy to talk flexible working – all requests for flexible working will be considered

Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter:

facebook.com/SouthernHealthNHS

@Southern_NHSFT

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

348-SOU-C-603A