Maternal Mental Health Service:

A fantastic opportunity has arisen to be involved in the development and delivery of a specialist birth trauma and perinatal loss service; the 'Maternal Mental Health Service' (MMHS). As detailed within the NHS Long Term Plan (January 2019), the newly commissioned, integrated NHS Maternal Mental Health Service, known locally in Kent and Medway as 'Thrive - Psychological Support for Birth Trauma and Perinatal Loss' offers evidence-based assessment and psychological therapy to women and birthing people with moderate-severe or complex mental health difficulties, specifically psychological trauma, directly resulting from or associated with the maternity experience.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a psychological therapist (Clinical/Counselling Psychologist/CBT Therapist/Psychotherapist) who has experience of working with people with trauma and/or loss to join our supportive and passionate team. This is a fantastic developmental opportunity in which the postholders will be supported to train in and gain highly specialist psychological treatment skills, specifically Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT). Sound knowledge of its application is essential and the post holder will receive further relevant training (e.g. EMDR training).

We welcome applications from newly qualified Psychologists and/or those who are due to qualify this year.

these are 3 x part time roles, each at 0.8 WTE / 4 days per week / 30 hours per week

Thrive is a 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, community service. Being part-time roles, the days are to be advised / negotiable. The localities are Medway, North Kent and West Kent, however the post holders must be willing (and have the ability) to travel across the county (Kent and Medway-wide) as required.

Thrive is not a crisis or emergency service, and does not care co-ordinate.







About us

We, as a service in collaboration with Acute Hospital Trusts, embody a trauma-informed care ethos and culture in line with current national perinatal guidance. We aim to support those who are suffering difficulties such as (but not limited to):

• PTSD following birth trauma
• PTSD following perinatal loss (including early miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage, unsuccessful IVF, stillbirth, neonatal death or termination of pregnancy for any reason, parent-infant separation at birth)
• Tokophobia (severe fear of pregnancy and childbirth)

Evidence-based psychological interventions include Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Tf-CBT), Compassion-Focussed Therapy, as well as trauma-informed consultation, pathway development, support, signposting, outreach, and joint-working with other services within the perinatal mental health pathway as appropriate. The specialist team consists of Psychotherapists/Psychological Practitioners, Specialist Mental Health Midwives/Bereavement Midwives and Peer Support Workers, with robust pathways into other services as required.

Job description Job responsibilities

CORE CLINICAL FUNCTION:

• For all clinical and non-clinical, direct and indirect practice to be trauma-informed to the benefit of all clients of the service, across all settings and agencies serving the client group.
• To provide psychological trauma formulations and interventions as recommended by NICE guidelines and up-to-date literature (i.e. TF-CBT and EMDR).
• Proactively and successfully work with partner agencies, women and birthing people, families, partners and community staff to ensure access/signposting to the most appropriate care.
• Draw upon and conduct specialist and complex assessments using a variety of outcome measures in order to develop psychological formulations that inform evidence-base clinical interventions for individuals, families, groups and other professionals presenting with highly complex problems.
• To effectively communicate, both written and verbally, outcomes of specialist and complex assessments, formulations and interventions to women and people, family / carers and others in a skilled, reflexive and sensitive manner.
• Provide psycho-social intervention, education and support to develop individuals understanding of mental illness with the aim of preventing relapse and admission.
• To monitor and evaluate progress during the course of their care.
• Liaise with staff in a variety of settings, ensuring that teams are able to respond effectively and efficiently to the needs of people with mental health problems in their care.
• Attend MDT meetings to provide guidance / advice / consulting / referring / allocation / input / agree care plans.
• Ensure the maintenance of accurate and timely documentation / records on women and people in line with relevant professional codes and Trust policy.
• To undertake psychologically based risk assessment and risk management for women and people and provide advice on the psychological aspects of risk to the multi-disciplinary team
• Document and report incidents as required i.e. risk and health and safety.

CORE NON-CLINICAL FUNCTION (INCLUDING TEACHING, TRAINING, SUPERVISION AND CONSULTATION):

• To work with the team in developing a robust psychology service which adheres to strong clinical governance and offers high quality care in line with current guidance and evidence.
• Ensure junior staff are appropriately inducted, receive appropriate clinical supervision, have an annual appraisal and are compliant with mandatory training requirements.
• Jointly and individually ensure the service meets the agreed key performance indictors/ contractual targets identified by the Trust and adhere to local and government initiatives.
• To contribute to quality improvement for psychological therapies delivered within the locality patch.
• Support the continuing development of a high-quality service that is underpinned by evidence-based practice, care pathways and NICE and DH guidance.
• To build and maintain strong working relationships with relevant stakeholders and providers in the locality patch.
• To support the provision of highly specialised clinical expertise, supervision, and training to the team and where appropriate other professionals.
• Attend and contribute to local multi-disciplinary meetings i.e. referral / review / business.
• Contribute to the coordination and management of the team in providing a safe, effective and therapeutic clinical service, ensuring the delivery of high-quality community mental health care packages.
• To support clinical training placements for Trainee Clinical Psychologists from appropriate courses, undertaking clinical supervision, teaching on placement, organising and monitoring workload and assessing clinical competence as and when required.

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Doctoral level training in clinical or counselling psychology as accredited by the BPS, and HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist under the relevant domain OR Formal training in CBT such as a Post graduate Diploma/Masters in CBT OR Formal postgraduate level training in psychological theory and practice, including specifically models of psychopathology, models of psychological therapy and lifespan development.
• Professional accreditation/registration with HPC or BABCP or UKCP or BACP, or eligible for Chartered membership of British Psychological Society as a Clinical or Counselling Psychologist.

Desirable

• Specialist training in a core therapeutic approach.
• EMDR training.
• Perinatal CPD Training.

Experience Essential

• Experience of working with psychological trauma, including PTSD and C-PTSD.
• Experience of working with people who have experienced common mental health problems, across the lifespan and from different cultures.

Desirable

• Experience of working with people experiencing peri/post natal difficulties including birth trauma.
• Experience of other models of trauma-focussed therapy including EMDR, NET and compassion-focussed therapy
• Experience of working with perinatal specific mental health difficulties.

Knowledge and Skills Essential

• Demonstrates an understanding of common mental health difficulties and social care needs.
• High level of enthusiasm and motivation for working with PTSD following Birth Trauma.
• 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.

Desirable

• Demonstrates an understanding of the specific needs of clients who have experienced perinatal trauma and/or loss and the impact this can have on postnatal mental health and on care-giver bonding.
• Knowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

380-FR0117-A