We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Practitioner Psychologist to ensure the systematic provision of a high quality, highly specialist psychology service to clients presenting to the acute service.

The post holder will provide a lead role in specialist psychological assessment and treatment for patients with severe mental health problems, overseeing the specialist assessment and treatment of others.

The post holder will lead with enthusiasm and show commitment to working within the area of acute care, delivered in the three acute wards in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire (base can be confirmed on offer of post).

Under Psychology Adult Mental Health, the successful post holder will take the lead in developing, organising and delivering psychology services in the Acute Psychology Service (APS). This includes direct and indirect work e.g. the provision of specialist psychological assessments and formulations and team formulations, as well as completing routine evaluations. A significant part of the role is the supervision of Assistant Psychologists based on each ward, who deliver low level psychological interventions.

Main duties of the job

In addition to the above, the post holder will be responsible for the systematic development of training and clinical supervision for staff teams across the assessment and treatment unit, delegating the provision of training and supervision to others to undertake as appropriate.

The post holder will be required to:

Provide regular specialist consultation to psychologists, ward teams, CMHTs and various staff teams, as required, advising on and directing behavioural care plans, for those clients in receipt of acute service care.

Work autonomously within professional guidelines and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological practice within the service.

Utilise specialised research skills, designing and conducting research for service development and research purposes.

Propose policy changes within the service area.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

About us

Hywel Dda University Health Board is the planner and provider of NHS healthcare services for people in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and its bordering counties. Our 11,000 members of staff provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services for around 384,000 people across a quarter of the landmass of Wales. We do this in partnership with our three local authorities and public, private and third sector colleagues, including our volunteers, through:

Four main hospitals: Bronglais General in Aberystwyth, Glangwili General in Carmarthen, Prince Philip in Llanelli and Withybush General in Haverfordwest;

Seven community hospitals: Amman Valley and Llandovery in Carmarthenshire; Tregaron, Aberaeron and Cardigan in Ceredigion; and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Pembrokeshire;

48 general practices (four of which are managed practices), 47 dental practices (including three orthodontic), 99 community pharmacies, 44 general ophthalmic practices (43 providing Eye Health Examination Wales and 34 low vision services) and 17 domiciliary only providers and 11 health centres;

Numerous locations providing mental health and learning disabilities services;

Highly specialised and tertiary services commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, a joint committee representing seven health boards across Wales.

Job description Job responsibilities

You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.

The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Interviews will be held on 07.02.23.

Person Specification Qualifications and knowledge Essential

• Post-graduate doctoral level training in clinical psychology (or its equivalent for those trained prior to 1996) as accredited by the BPS with an emphasis of clinical psychometrics and cognitive/neuropsychological assessment.
• HCPC registration as a Practitioner Psychologist.
• Training also to specifically include models of psychopathology and two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology.
• Knowledge of the full range of evidence based psychological interventions including low intensity, third wave CBT and high intensity interventions.

Desirable

• Post-doctoral training in one or more additional specialised areas of psychological practice.

Experience Essential

• Significant experience in conducting and interpreting cognitive/neuropsychological assessment and clinical psychometrics.
• Experience of working with a wide variety of client groups, across the whole life course and presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the full range of care settings including outpatient, community, primary care, in-patient and residential care settings severity including maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
• Experience of exercising full clinical responsibility for clients' psychological care and treatment within the context of a multidisciplinary care plan.
• Significant experience of teaching, training and clinical supervision of staff working with SMI.

Desirable

• Experience of representing psychology within the context of multi-disciplinary care
• Experience of assessing and treating clients across the full range of care settings.
• Experience of the application of psychology in different cultural contexts.
• Experience of providing consultation to ward teams and crisis teams.
• Experience of delivering Team Clinical Supervision of staff teams.
• Specific experience of assessing and treating within inpatient services.

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

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